La Roja won their games against Czech (1 – 14 and 9 – 2) and Sweden (15 - 5), and first result against Italia can be considered as positive (3 – 4 in a nice game after a bad start for Spain) , though Italy won the final game of tournament with a wider and clearer result: 11 - 0 for the azzurri.

Catch all the information of Italian Baseball Week at the official website:

http://www.scorekeepers.org/tornei/2010/italian/schedule.php

Due to contracts of some MLB Spanish players, who were not allowed to interrupt their performance at USA Minor Leagues, Team Spain will not dispose of some of best players in the European Championship, which will be played at Stuttgart from 23 July to 1 August.

Unfortunately, names like brothers Paco Figueroa –best batter in 2009 World Cup- and his brother Daniel Figueroa (who both reached AAA level this season), will not join National Squad this time.

The same happened to outstanding pitchers Eric Gonzalez and Rhiner Cruz, involved in USA teams.

18 from 25 of these players have been acting in Spain 2010 Liga Nacional, mostly of them in Sant Boi, Marlins and FC Barcelona. Another relevant group is formed by 5 players who belong to Italian Baseball League 4 in Nettuno).

Two players left are performing at USA and Venezuela.

All the information at the Official website of CEB European Championship and CEB Results and Stats website

Only there are two re-scheduled games left (Marlins - Halcones, to be played on September 4th) to end 2010 season, but final positions are fixed: Sant Boi is the new champion, taking relief to Marlins, and FC Barcelona is the Second one, after the two great victories by Sant Boi (1-5 and 6-10), played 10-11th July in Barcelona.

Sant Boi only needed one of the victories, cause they had defeated both games in the 5th day of competition in march (6-0 and 2-1), and both teams finished equal in won / lost games numbers (31-4).

Junior Guerra has been one of the heroes of the day -and for the whole season:

he was the winning pitcher in 9 brillinat IP, allowing only 1 run -not earned-, 5 hits and making 13 strikeouts.

Sant Boi scored 1st run in with a RBI double by Marc Carrillo at 1st inning, who drove Salazar (on base by single) in.

In 3rd inning Sant Boi made the gap bigger thanks to a 2 RBI single by William Domero, and a RBI fielder's choice by Daniel Sanchez. And they scored one more in 5th, after double by Daniel Sanchez and RBI single by Jose Estebin Cruz.

FC Barcelona scored their run in last inning, with a RBI single by Emanuel Febles, but Junior Guerra and the good defence of Sant Boi did not allow any more, to close the game and the Liga in the final 1-5 in the score.

Click here to follow the box score of this game.

Second game finished in 11 innings,  after 6-6 in the 9th period in another exciting game. Sant Boi scored first after a wild pitch, but then Junior Guerra drove in 3 definitive runs with a long double to the center.

After that, a Miqueleiz's grounder into double play vanished FC Barcelona's hope to try to contest the last attack by Sant Boi, who also won this way the second game (6-10). Jose E. Cruz was the winning pitcher, and Oscar Jimenez charged with the loss.

 Click here for this game's boxscore.

Congratulations to CBS Sant Boi !!

Photos courtesy by Diego Lázaro at http://www.dial1325.com/

Photos courtesy by Miguel Mora at http://picasaweb.google.es/Strikebocanegra

Sant Boi, current leader for the Untying Rules, won 5 - 10 and 0 - 15 against Halcones Vigo, a team not so strong than last year, who will end up in 8th place this season.

 FC Barcelona had a comfortable first game against CB Viladecans (13 - 1), but second one was a hard victory (3-0), made in the second half of the game. With these results, Vila finish in 7th position this year.

Photos courtesy by Miguel Mora at http://picasaweb.google.es/Strikebocanegra

Marlins -who still have two re-scheduled games to play and finish 3rd this time- won easily against El LLano (15-0 and 24 - 0), a team which will descend to 2nd division next year.

And Beisbol Navarra shared victories with San Inazio Bilbao (3-5 and 12 - 4).

Then, Miguel Erroz's squad will reach a good 4th position in the final ranking, getting a ticket for Copa del Rey 2010 and 2011,

and passing team San Inazio, who ended 4th in 2009.

Astros Valencia and CD Pamplona closed the round, with two victories for the Valenciennes (8-2 and 19 -17), one of the surprising teams this year, ending 6th in the table.

Pamplona maybe will have to play a promotion playoff with the second team of 2nd division, to keep the cathegory one more year.

Photos courtesy by Juan Carlos Barberia at http://www.fotobeisbol.com/

Photo courtesy by San Inazio at www.saninaziobeisbol.net

Meanwhile Sant Boi got two wins against Astros (14 - 0 and 3 - 0), recovering their offensive power.

Next weekend is the last day of competition, but re-scheduled games Sant Boi - FC Barcelona (to be played 10-11 July) will be for sure the real playoff games for this 2010 title.

 Marlins had two more wins with CD Pamplona (13-0 and 11-2) to remain safely at 3rd position.

Photos courtesy by Juan Carlos Barberia at http://www.fotobeisbol.com/

Beisbol Navarra is for sure 4th this year, after defeating last team in the table, El Llano (6-0 and 18-2).

Viladecans escaled some position after winning Halcones (12 - 1 and 5-4).

 First game was won by Sant Boi (3-4) thanks to the great job of Junior Guerra at the mound, pitching the whole game and allowing only 3 runs and 10 Strike outs. Marlins committed up to 4 errors, some of them decisive in the last inning, after hit by Domero. Marc Carillo and JL Riera shined with the bat (2 hits) as well JL Salazar (triple).

But in second game (4-2)  Ivan Granados was the Marlins hero, getting the win in 9 IP, with 10 strike outs and only 2 ER. Marc Carrillo got a solo homer, but Lester Galvan was even better for Marlins, with 2 RBI’s (home run and single). Jose E Cruz was the looser, with 5 hits and 3 ER.

Beisbol Navarra did not have an easy victory against Pamplona: both pitchers made a good job (Juan Lopez was the winner in second complete game: 9 IP, 11 strike outs),

and Marcos Castillo only allowed a run, the key one made by a homer by Larry Infante at 3^rd inning, writing the 1-0 in the final score.

Second game was a 5-1 win for Beisbol Navarra, who faced a good Eneko del Burgo at the mound. Txetxo San Martin got a great a solo-homerun,

and Gary Martinez produced 2 hits, but the key player was Navarra´s pitcher Diego Perez, who did a good game: 7 IP, 4 SO and only 1 run.

Now Beisbol Navarra almost is finally set at 4^th position, after 2 losses by San Inazio, reaching the objective of the season.

Photos courtesy by Juan Carlos Barberia at http://www.fotobeisbol.com/

Viladecans worked hard to get the 2 wins against San Inazio (3-1 and 7-5), to get up in the table, now at 7^th position. First game was won by Fabian Marquez at the mound, with strong D Porcar producing 2 definitive RBI with 2 hits.

Pol Llopis got the win in the second game, allowing only 4 hits and 2 ER. Kelvin Marianucci was his best opponent batter, with 2 hits and 3 RBI.

 FC Barcelona waited quietly the Sant Boi step back facing El Llano, and getting 2 easy wins.

First one (10-0) had Orlando Diaz as best player (2 hits, 3 RBI) with Oscar Jimenez as winning pitcher.

Second game (15-0) lasted 5 innings, time enough for Orlando Diaz’s 3 more hits. Pedro Belmonte was the winning pitcher.

Photos courtesy by Miguel Mora at http://picasaweb.google.es/Strikebocanegra

 Astros and Halcones completed the 16th round with 2 victories for Valencia team (5-3 and 9-0). First game was based on good combined pitching among N Cowes (4 IP) and J Dunn (winner in 5 IP).

Second one had left pitcher Jordi Valles (complete game for him!), and E Alexander (2 hits) as best player for Astros, with 1 hit and 2 RBI's for W Oviedo.

Since end of March, the Olympic and Sport Museum at Barcelona shows an interesting exhibition about origins of baseball in Spain. Up to 61 images, photos and documents cover from the first ever news about baseball in Spain -first game is dated on the 3^rd of February 1901, in Barcelona!!- ... 

...to many other relevant and historic documents, such as media information’s, journalist chronicles, copies of ancient Rulebooks and Statutes of Spanish Baseball Federation.

The exhibition explain the relevance of “indianos” and some aristocrats in bringing and developing baseball in the early XX Century. Baseball also had a relevant appear at the Barcelona's Universal Exhibition Fair in 1932

and it gives lot of surprising reprographies, photos and data, which funs and friends of Baseball can enjoy for free in this event, open until end of June in the Museum, quite near to “Olympic Montjuic” facilities at the heart of Barcelona city.

Another nice surprise is the choice to watch completely the game Spain -  Puerto Rico, played in Barcelona's 1992 Olympic Games, in which Spain achieved his milestone defeating Puerto Rico 5-4.

The exhibition is linked to the edition of a Book about the History of Baseball in Spain (1^st part), written by Julio Pernas, president of Spanish Baseball and Softball Federation, and author of this emotive exhibition, with the support of Barcelona Olympic Foundation, in which Julio Pernas is the chairman. Julio has done an deep and detailed search through many sources, such as newspaper archives, libraries and ancient documents.

The quantity and quality of materials founded have moved to Julio to make a second part of Spanish Baseball History book, covering from 1940’s.

Next weekend we will see another vital duel, Marlins - Sant Boi, which can be determinant for the future of La Liga this year.

Lefty pitcher Juan Lopez made a complete game, allowing only 3 hits in the 9 innings, maybe in his best performance ever in Spain. Winning run was drove in 6^th inning by E Sanchez, after consecutive hits by L Infante and H Perozo.

Second game was an easy victory by Sant Boi, 6 - 1, a kind of revenge for the previous game.

Photos courtesy by Miguel Mora at http://picasaweb.google.es/Strikebocanegra

Photos courtesy by Diego Lázaro at http://www.dial1325.com/

Rest of 15^th day brought the expected results: FC Barcelona won their 2 games with CD Pamplona to remain tied at 1^st position (1-13 and 0-13).

Photos courtesy by Txetxo San Martin at http://www.flodeo.com/PAMPLONABEISBOL

Photos courtesy by Juan Carlos Barberia at http://www.fotobeisbol.com/

 Marlins didn’t either give a chance to Astros (1-12 and 0-11), trying not to be far from Catalans teams, and waiting for next games to reach Sant Boi.

San Inazio confirmed they have improved from 1^st half of season, winning 2 games against Halcones (0-10 and 2-11), and they will try to reach Beisbol Navarra to get the 4^th position at the table.

El Llano and Viladecans were forced to postpone their games due to hard rains all week.

Both Spanish teams taking part in the European Cup in Rotterdam (NED) and Brno (CZE) last week have touched glory, but finally the dream was over.

 CB Sant Boi had a positive start of the Cup in Brno defeating local team AVG Draci 3- 2 in a tough game. And second day was also a brilliant victory, this time against French Champion Huskies Rouen (8-4).

But Friday Dutch team KM Pioneers defeated Francisco Despaigne’s squad (2-9), putting more difficulties to be at the final top two teams. Next day was also hard, with a loss with the German surprising team Heidenheim Heidekopfe (1-8) –who ended up second after defeating Dutch Pionners-.

Last day Sant Boi played the most exciting game against Fortitudo Bologna (ITA), but the Italian pitcher did not allow any run for Sant Boi (2-0), though an excellent game also for Sant Boi, who ended 5^th because of the triple tie CEB Rule.

As for T. Marlins Puerto Cruz, they finished 3^rd in his group, after a brilliant start defeating Neptunus (NED) 4-2. But next two games against Italian Elite League teams were unsuccessful for Marlins: 2-5 against Rimini –who became champion at the end- and 2-13 against T&A San Marino, in the key game for the 2^nd position.

Next game was also a loss with Savigny (6-0), but Marlins ended the competition with a victory to Belgian Hoboken Pioneers (10-0), and the triple tie - runs difference Rule moved up Marlins up to 3^rd position.

Pitcher Delio Martinez (BCN) had oustanding performance against Beisbol Navarra and Marlins...

and 1st baseman Jorge Miqueleiz (BCN) has been a key player at defence and attack in Barça's last relevant victories against Marlins and Beisbol Navarra.

Leader battter Antonio Granadillo (short stop for San Inazio) is now on the Team, with powerfull batters Carrillo (3B, SBO) and D Sanchez (2B, SBO) at both sides.

Some good batters remain in outfield, like K Malone (Astros) and D Martinez (SBO), with Boulet (Marlins) as a new name.

Winning and successful closing pitcher -and strong batter- H Perozo (NAV) completes the team as Utility player.