The 2012 European Baseball Championship was an international baseball tournament held from 7–16 September 2012. The Confederation of European Baseball selected the Netherlands to host the tournament, with games played in Rotterdam, Haarlem, and Utrecht.
Italy went undefeated and repeated as European champions. Lorenzo Avagnina was named the most valuable player of the tournament, and Luca Panerati was the top pitcher in the tournament. The Italian team featured future Major League Baseball (MLB) player Chris Collabello and hitting coach Mike Piazza, who was later inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. The Netherlands, who had former MLB players Shairon Martis and Yurendell DeCaster, again finished second.
Two former MLB players managed other squads. Jim Essian managed Greece, and Dennis Cook managed Sweden.
Qualification
Twelve teams competed in the tournament. The top seven teams from the 2010 European championship qualified automatically, and five teams won qualification tournaments.
Pool A Pool B Winner of Zagreb pool Winner of Antwerp pool 4th, 2010 European Baseball Championship 7th, 2010 European Baseball Championship 2010 European Baseball Championship 6th, 2010 European Baseball Championship Winner of Krymsk pool 2010 European Baseball Championship Winner of Barcelona pool Winner of Tel Aviv pool 5th, 2010 European Baseball Championship 2010 European Baseball Championship
Round 1 The six teams in both pools played a round-robin tournament. The top three teams from each group qualified for the championship pool, Pool C. The fourth, fifth, and sixth place finishers in each group played one game against the team that finished in the same place in the other group to determine the seventh through twelfth place rankings.
Pool A Standings Qualified for Pool C Did not qualify for Pool C Teams Pct. GB 5 0 1.000 – 45 4 4 1 .800 1 42 6 3 2 .600 2 25 27 2 3 .400 3 19 29 1 4 .200 4 12 37 0 5 .000 5 11 51 Source
Schedule
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Pool B The Czech Republic defeated the Netherlands, 3–2 in 10 innings, the team's first ever win over the Dutch.
Standings Qualified for Pool C Did not qualify for Pool C Teams Pct. GB 4 1 .800 – 55 5 4 1 .800 – 29 20 3 2 .600 1 26 16 2 3 .400 2 15 38 1 4 .200 3 23 55 1 4 .200 3 17 31 Source
Schedule
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Classification games 11th place game
9th place game
7th place game
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Round 2 Pool C Spain secured a third-place finish in the tournament by defeating Germany in their final game.
Italy defeated the Netherlands in their pool game, ensuring it would be the home team for the championship game in Rotterdam.
Standings Teams Pct. GB 5 0 1.000 – 22 7 3 2 .600 2 34 8 3 2 .600 2 30 18 2 3 .400 3 21 28 2 3 .400 3 18 21 0 5 .000 5 11 54 Source
Schedule
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Championship game Italy defeated the Netherlands in the championship game, with Lorenzo Avagnina batting 4-for-5. Italian starter John Mariotti limited the Dutch offense, thought Quintin de Cuba hit a home run in a losing effort. Final standings
RkTeamWL90Lost in Gold medal game63Failed to qualify for Gold medal game44444544635Failed to qualify for Round 2733824Failed to qualify for the 7th place game9241015Failed to qualify for the 9th place game11241206
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Awards and leaders
Most valuable player: Lorenzo Avagnina Outstanding defensive player: Nick Urbanus Best pitcher (win–loss record and earned run average): Luca Panerati, 2–0 and 0.00 in 13 innings pitched Best batting average: Paco Figueroa, .600 Most runs batted in: Most runs scored: Figueroa, 6 Most stolen bases: Kalian Sams, 2 Hit for the cycle: Sams, against Belgium
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References