EXL: Draci still without a win. Hroši started the season with a win
All eight teams were playing in Extraliga on Saturday. But it was a day of the visitors as only Eagles managed to get the win at home. Reigning champions from Brno are yet to win a game.
Extraliga returned to Na Markéte after two years as Kotlářka welcomed Arrows Ostrava, however, visitors spoilt the fun in Prague when they won 6-5. Jan Tomek showed why he was picked to the national team as he pitched 7 scoreless innings. Ostrava got production from duo Malík – Kubica in the offense. Both reached bases 4 times each, Malík with successful hits every time.
Boris Bokaj came to close the game, but he got pressured which was also caused by a defensive error. Kotlářka was 0-6 behind but they lowered the deficit to 5-6 after a three run homerun from Keibert Petit. This was all Prague team managed to handle and in the end they had to leave with the second loss.
Draci lost thier second game
Reigning champions entered the season with a loss and they wanted to get one back against Nuclears at home. However, they once again faced pitchers who were ready for them. Starter Lukáš Pacal only allowed 1 run in five innings. Jake Rabinowitz then throw the remaining 4 games, and he only allowed 2 batters on bases.
Filip Čapka also threw a good game, when he remained on the mound for 6 innings and struck out 6. The third inning became decisive, when Miroslav Křivánek batted in the second Nuclears run. The same man then reached the home base in the eighth inning to score Třebíč’s third run after a hit from Jan Bilíček. Nuclears beat Draci 3-1 and they started the season with 2 wins.
Hroši won in the repeat of the previous season’s semifinals
Tempo starter Keider Herrera didn’t have a good start to his Extraliga career. Hroši batters got him out of the game in the second inning after they scored 7 runs. Furthermore, Martin Červenka started his career in Hroši with a solo homerun in the first inning.
Marek Chlup also had a good start in his new club, when he too scored a solo homerun. He then finished the scoring for the game in the seventh inning with another homerun to wrap up the score at 5-11.
Brno team could rely on their pitching. Starter Matěj Netopilík threw 4 innings with 3 R and 6 SO. Matěj Brabec and Martin Gieci then added 7 more strikeouts.
Duffek and milestones
Eagles were able to return the loss to Hluboká at home. This was thanks no small part to Tomáš Duffek, who threw a complete game in 7 innings and only allowed 1 run. He also added 7 strikeouts, becoming only the fourth player in Extraliga history to reach 900 career strikeouts and only the third player to get 90 wins.
Home team scored the first run in the bottom half of the second inning after a hit from Aleš Prandžev and they didn’t let their opponent to take the lead after. They kept increasing their lead afterwards. There were three Eagles players with two hits. Ján Výbora and Marek Slabý also added 3 RBI. Hluboká were also halted by defensive errors which Sokol had 5 of. That’s why the game finished 1-11 after 7 innings.
