The Dodder Dynamoes, 2009 European Cup Coed Slowpitch champions, posing at the event in Bulgaria. (Photo by John Ward)

IRELAND TEAM TAKES EURO CUP
2009-09-03

This past weekend the Dodder Dynamoes (Ireland) put on an offensive fireworks display in outlasting the Dragons (Great Britain), 20-11, in the title game at the III European Cup Coed Slowpitch, played in Dupnitsa, Bulgaria.

The remainder of the final standings showed an Austrian entry (ASKÖ Linz Bandits) finish third, followed by a team (Sparks Mlade Buky) from the Czech Republic, with the host Bulgarian team (Balkan Stars) coming in fifth and the Baker Tomkins (another Great Britain team) sixth and Krpan LL Novo Mesto (Slovenia) seventh.

The event is played every year under the auspices of the European Softball Federation.

The 2009 edition’s winner shows the growing level of play in European slow pitch softball, what with Great Britain being the defending European Coed Slowpitch champions and a team from Scotland having won the last International Softball Federation Slow Pitch World Cup.

In addition to the Cup, the Dynamoes also went home with three of the tournament’s individual awards: Best Pitcher (John Austin), Best Slugger, Male (Brian Connolly), and MVP, Male (John Austin). (On the female side, Emily Clifford of Baker Tomkins swept the trio of honors: Best Batter, Best Slugger, and MVP.)

Not only did the Dynamoes have the Dragons’ number, having beaten them in round robin (14-6) and playoff games (10-6), but the gold medalists had everyone’s number, going unbeaten throughout the tournament (9-0 won-lost record).

The four-day tournament featured Youri Alkalay, president of the host country’s national softball federation, pitching for the Balkan team.