In Rotterdam, the Czech Republic’s baseball team achieved a milestone that reshapes the sport’s history at home.

By defeating defending champion Spain 9–2 in the third-place game of the European Championship, the Czechs secured their first-ever medal at the tournament — a bronze that felt as valuable as gold to players and fans alike.

Just last year, the Czech squad made headlines at the World Baseball Classic, where they stunned China and earned a place in the 2026 edition. Now, in a European setting, they proved that momentum was no fluke.

The bronze-medal match began with outfielder Willie Escala, whose early home run set the tone. “I’m so happy I got that one right at the start. It gave us energy,” Escala said after the game. His connection to Czechia runs deep: his mother was born in Czechoslovakia before moving to Cuba, where she met his father.

Spain briefly rallied for a 2–1 lead, but Czech players responded with an offensive surge that Spain could not match. Escala finished with two hits, three runs, and a standout defensive performance.

 

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Spain threatened early, knocking Czech starter Jeff Bart off the mound in the opening inning. But his replacement, Tomáš Ondra, delivered a performance instantly etched into Czech sports memory. Over eight and a half innings, Ondra shut out Spain, throwing 100 pitches — 78 of them strikes.

Catcher Martin Červenka, long considered the Czech player closest to Major League Baseball, produced the game of his career. In the third inning, he drove in two runs to put his team ahead. In the eighth, he smashed a home run that added two more. And in the final inning, his double cleared the bases, bringing in three runs. In total, Červenka accounted for seven of Czechia’s nine runs.

“This medal is incredibly valuable,” Červenka added. “It shows what Czech baseball is capable of, and it will push us forward.”

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