With spring in the northern hemisphere in full cry, a number of European countries have started their national leagues.
The first European country to get back to action after the winter was Spain with the Spanish Baseball League (SBL) opening on 26 March. The 10 participating clubs are split into two groups. The Royal Spanish Baseball Softball Federation (RFEBS) website shows results, standings, and play-by-play.
The Dutch Hoofdklasse (Major League), the oldest league in Europe, will open on Thursday, 7 April. In an attempt to increase the number of meaningful games, the Royal Dutch Baseball Softball Federation introduced a new format. The nine participants will play a single round-robin made of eight rounds. The top four (elite) will play a double round-robin with 18 games. The bottom five (second tier) will play a single round-robin (12 games), with the two best finishers earning a spot in the postseason.
Serie A is the top baseball league in Italy. After abandoning the project of a semi-professional league, the Italian Baseball Softball Federation (FIBS) expanded the top-tier competition to broaden its base of fans. The 2022 edition features 30 teams split into four groups. The top two finishers of each group will compete in the championship round. The season opened on Friday 1 April with the defending champions, San Marino, outscoring first-year Torre Pedrera Falcons, 12-1. FIBS website shows results, standings, and play-by-play
The Italian League Baseball for the Blind (LIBCI) also opened during April's first weekend with 11 teams participating in the 2022 edition. Fortitudo Bologna White Sox are the defending champions. LIBCI broke the news that the city of Milan would support the idea of three clubs, LIBCI's Thunder's Five, Lampi and FIBS Milano 1946, to build the first-ever field entirely dedicated to baseball for the blind. The area will also include a softball .
The Czech ExtraLiga also opened on Friday, 1 April with Draci Brno defeating the Eagles Prague 9-6 on a weekend, which seemed to be challenging because of cold weather.
Eight teams will participate in the 2022 edition with Arrows Ostrava the defending champions. Results and standings are on the Czech Baseball Association website.
The German Baseball & Softball Federation (DBV) scheduled the season opening of their top league Bundesliga 1 on Saturday, 2 April. Hamburg and Berlin split wins in the only doubleheader played. The 2022 Bundesliga 1 will feature 15 participating teams, seven in the Nord Division and eight in the South Division. The Heidenheim Heidekoepfe are the defending champions.
And the 10-team French Division 1 will open on Saturday, 9 April. The participants are split into two groups. The Rouen Huskies are the defending champions. Results and standings are on the French Baseball Softball Federation (FFBS) website.
