Justin Alintoff Carries Israel Into Euro Baseball Quarterfinals

The Israel Baseball National Team roared into the quarterfinals of the 2025 European Championship with authority. Pitcher Justin Alintoff delivered a masterclass on the mound, and the offense backed him up in a commanding 9‑1 win over Switzerland in Rotterdam.

From the first inning, Israel set the tone. After conceding an uncharacteristic leadoff walk, Alintoff was rescued by a sharp throw from catcher Jason Agresti keeping the Swiss runner from advancing. He settled in quickly and retired the next two batters to end the threat. On offense, Chase Engelhard opened the bottom of the first with a single the first of his four hits in a huge day at the plate. A force-out, walk, and hit‑by‑pitch loaded the bases, and in stepped Nadav Machlin, a 21‑year‑old serving in the IDF as an Elite Athlete. With calm precision, Machlin laced an RBI single to plate two runs. That seemed to rattle Swiss starter Dominic Scheffler. The 21‑year‑old Reds prospect lost control, issuing walks and hitting a batter before being pulled, setting up Engelhard’s second at‑bat in the frame. He greeted reliever James Sanders with a line drive through the middle the rally ballooned to 6‑0 before the first inning ended.

Alintoff flirted with danger in innings two and three, allowing leadoff baserunners both times. But each time Machlin at second and Benjamin Rosengard at short teamed for double plays, preserving Alintoff’s composure and keeping him in rhythm. In the fourth, he unleashed an immaculate inning, striking out the side on just nine pitches, sending a message that the Swiss threat was over.

Over the full nine innings, Alintoff struck out seven, gave up just four hits, and surrendered only one earned run the lone blemish coming in the eighth when a groundout plated Switzerland’s only tally. In the ninth, a leadoff liner struck him on the back, but he scooped it cleanly and threw out the batter at first, then signaled to his teammates with a wave: “Save your arms for tomorrow.”

“Today was Alintoff’s show,” Israel’s manager Nate Fish said after the win. “But everyone stepped up our offense put this game out of reach early, and our defense gave Justin four free outs.” With that, Israel booked its place in the quarterfinal round, where they will face the Czech Republic the following day.

From the dugout, General Manager David Friesem called the win “a big step forward for baseball in Israel,” emphasizing that making the quarterfinals highlights the progress of the sport back home. Jugend national pride was on full display Engelhard, who obtained Israeli citizenship this year amid ongoing conflict, thanked teammates like Machlin, Itai Spinoza, Zev Mor, and Assaf Lowengard for teaching him “what it means to be an Israeli and stand up against the odds.”

When the final out came, Alintoff embraced Agresti, tears in his eyes. He later said that while he’s pitched big games before, this one felt different. He dedicated the victory to “those under attack in their homes, those fighting to protect us even now, and those who have lost their lives.” He prayed that the game might mark the start of a New Year of better hopes one in which hostages return home safely.

With the quarterfinal door now open, Israel carries not just a win but a spirit a sign of growth for baseball in the Jewish state, and a reminder of what can be achieved when a team plays with pride, purpose, and unity.

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