EXL: Only Draci and Tempo can still win the first place.

Second to last week of the Extraliga regular season saw four games being played and it was the visitors who had more success. Only Hluboká managed to get the win at the home field.

Technika Brno – Arrows Ostrava 2-3

Surprisingly, the reigning champions from Ostrava were yet to win a series 3-0 before this week. But they finally managed to do so on Sunday at Properity Park Kraví Hora. Even though the home team wasn’t far from the win themselves. Technika could rely on well pitching Luis Rengel who striked out 15 batters in nine innings. However, Alec Lemmon kept a step with him as he also striked out 15 batters in 7 innings. Further, Lemmon only allowed the first runs in the seventh inning, where Technika tied the game at 2-2. However, Radim Novotný blasted a solo homerun in the eighth inning, giving Arrows the lead. Ostrava sent Ondřej Satoria on the mound and he didn’t allow any more runs earning the save. Arrows won the seventh inning and are still in race for TOP 6 spot. Their future will be decided in a tight series against Hluboká in the following week.

Sokol Hluboká – Eagles Praha 4-3 (10 inn.)

After two losses in Prague, Hluboká needed to win to keep in touch with the sixth spot in the standings. However, their hopes didn’t look bright from the beginning, as Eagles took 3-0 lead. Albert Pražák on Eagles mound had one of his best games of the season. Hluboká was only able to score once against him in seven innings he pitched and even that was after a dropped pitched in the sixth inning. And it was the sixth inning when things started to look up for the home team. They sent Alexander Palma instead of Colombian Kermin into the game and he showed why he was signed. Palma didn’t allow any runs in his Extraliga debut. Furthermore, Martin Mužík tied the game in the eighth inning against Tadeáš Zavadil. The game went into extra innings. Home team managed to score the important inning thanks to Matěj Vlach.

Cardion Hroši Brno – Tempo Praha 2-4

Hroši mounted comeback two times in Prague, winning first two games of the series against Tempo. But they weren’t so lucky at home. Ethan Skuija on Tempo mound was once again throwing excellently, allowing on 2 hits in seven innings. He also striked out 14 batters. With this performance he solidified the first spot in number of strikeouts on the season.

K	Name	K
1.	Skuija Ethan (TEM)	77
2.	Ercoli Lukáš (HRO)	52
3.	Rengel Luis (TECH)	48
4.	Romero Orlando (NUC)	47
5.	Johnson Ryan (NUC)	43
	Parsons William (HLU)	43

Visitors took the lead in the first inning, increasing it to 4-0 in seven innings. However, Anthony Fell substituted Skuija in the eighth inning and Hroši almost took over the opportunity. But this time the fortune was on Tempo’s side, who won 10th game of the season and are still in the hunt for the first spot in the regular season. However, to do so, they would need to win all 6 remaining games (3x Draci, 2x Arrows, 1xEagles), which might be difficult. Hroši are still not certain to play in TOP 6 this year, although they only need one win against Technika in the following week.

Třebíč Nuclears – Draci Brno 4-10

Home Nuclears kept in touch with Draci Brno for four innings. However, up to that point well pitching Orlando Romero, got outplayed by away batters in the fifth inning. Visitors pressured him and slowly started to increase their lead. Jeffrey Barto then came to help the situation, but he wasn’t able to do so either and Extraliga runner-ups scored 9 runs in the inning. Three of them were thanks to Milan Prokop‘s homerun. On the other hand, Tomáš Hrbek managed his start better, not allowing any runs in the six innings. Třebíč got a chance to mount the comeback in the bottom of the seventh inning, when Michal Sobotka came on the mound. Sobotka had trouble with locating his pitches and in the end he left the game without recording an out. Václav Tauš who came afterwards was doing better and so Nuclears scored “only” four runs in the inning. Tauš didn’t allow the home team much more for the remaining of the game and so Draci took the second win of the series.

EXL Standings

	W	L	%	GB	BA	ERA	FA	Score
Draci Brno	16	2	.889	–	.358	3.55	.974	169:66
Tempo Praha	10	5	.667	4.5	.244	2.65	.954	66:52
Třebíč Nuclears	10	8	.556	6	.232	3.68	.948	86:85
Eagles Praha	9	8	.529	6.5	.272	5.97	.964	134:111
Cardion Hroši Brno	8	10	.444	8	.248	3.83	.974	98:86
Arrows Ostrava	7	9	.438	8	.223	5.26	.961	61:95
Sokol Hluboká	7	11	.389	9	.228	5.18	.969	68:98
Technika Brno	2	16	.111	14	.220	7.59	.949	60:149

Křížová tabulka