Heatwave in Freudenau – Metro Stars bid farewell with a victory before heading into the summer break

Heatwave in Freudenau – Metro Stars bid farewell to the summer break with a victory

Last Sunday, the U14 duel between the Vienna Hurricanes and the Vienna Metrostars was scheduled in extreme temperatures exceeding 40 degrees Celsius. Due to the extreme heat, both teams responsibly decided to play only the first game. Playing the second game would have taken place during the peak of the midday heat and would have been unacceptable for the health of all involved.

The Metrostars got off to a perfect start. The defensive duo of Ibra on the mound and Philipp behind the plate began. Ibra immediately found his rhythm and struck out the first two batters. The third out followed shortly after with a clean combination between pitcher Ibra and first baseman Simon L.

The Metro Stars continued their strong offensive play. Ibra reached first base after a walk, followed by Philipp with a powerful hit. Then Tobi stepped into the batter's box and provided the first major highlight of the game. With a powerful hit, he launched the ball high over the fence, scoring an impressive three-run home run for an early 3-0 lead. However, the Metro Stars were denied another run in the first inning after Jonas L was caught while attempting to steal home.

In the second inning, Ibra struggled to find the strike zone. The umpire set the zone very narrowly, resulting in several walks and allowing the Hurricanes to close the gap. Nevertheless, the defense remained focused. Tobi at shortstop and Benny at second base combined for a crucial out. The Metro Stars then made a change on the mound: Benny took over as pitcher, and Ibra moved to second base. The final out of the inning came on a clean catch of a fly ball by our shortstop.

The Metro Stars' response was swift. Simon Jeltsch opened the inning with a walk, followed by walks from Ibra and Philipp. Bases loaded – and Tobi was at bat again. Once more, he only needed the first pitch and this time sent the ball even farther over the fence. Grand Slam! Four runs in one hit sparked jubilation and extended the lead to 7-3.

In the third inning, the Hurricanes managed another run, an inside-the-park run resulting from an unfortunate series of errors in the infield. But the defense quickly recovered. A strikeout and two strong defensive plays – one from second base to first and another from shortstop to Simon Lindner at first – brought the inning to a comfortable close.

The Metro Stars' offense was a bit quieter this time. Only Nils reached first base after a walk; no further runs were scored in this inning.

In the fourth and final inning, the Hurricanes narrowed the gap to 7-6 with a double, making the game exciting towards the end. But the Metro Stars defense held its nerve. Simon Lindner secured a crucial fly ball, and the combination between Tobi at shortstop and Simon at first base worked exceptionally well twice, preventing the Hurricanes from scoring any more runs.

The Metro Stars' offense finally sealed the victory. With a daring steal from third base, Tobi drove in the decisive eighth run, securing a well-deserved 8-6 final score.

With this win, the Metro Stars head into a well-earned summer break. The team has had many intense weeks filled with training, exciting games, significant progress, and unforgettable moments together. Now it's time to take a breather, recharge, and enjoy the holidays so we can meet again on the field in the fall with renewed energy.

For one player, however, the season is entering its most exciting phase of the year: Tobi has been selected for the Austrian U15 national team and will represent the red-white-red colors at the European Championship in Schwechat starting July 20th. After a strong season, this nomination is the well-deserved reward for his hard work and continuous development. Together with his teammates, he's fighting for Austria's promotion to the A-Pool of European baseball.

Anyone who wants to support the Austrian U15 national team is warmly invited to come and cheer them on in Schwechat. The group games will take place on July 20th, 21st, and 22nd at 7:00 PM at the Blue Bats' facility. Every voice in the stands can provide extra energy and support the team on their journey.

We wish all players, their families, and all fans a wonderful and relaxing summer break. Enjoy your time off, recharge your batteries, and create many great memories. We're already looking forward to welcoming you back to Freudenau in early September – ready for an exciting second half of the season and many more baseball moments together. See you soon!

Roster: Ibra, Philipp, Tobi, Simon, Jonas, Beni, Jonas, Simon, Luis, Nils, Flo, Arthur

Coach: Will, Basecoach; Julian