The Baseball European Federation Cup Qualifiers consist of five teams, playing in a round-robin format to ensure they all play each other. The games will take place from June 11-15 in Skarpnack, Sweden at Skarpnack Baseballpark. The winner of the Baseball European Federation Cup Qualifiers will play in the European Federation Cup next year.
Kutno 12, Kanus County 6 (10 innings) – Kutno (Poland) won the first game 12-6 against Kanus County (Lithuania).
Third baseman Arthur Wojiczak got the scoring started with a two-run single in the first to give Kutno a 2-0 lead against Kanus County starting pitcher William Gordon. Kutno Starting pitcher Radostaw Zajda pitched five innings with one run allowed and nine strikeouts.
Kutno opened up a 4-0 lead in the top of the fifth when center fielder Dominik Gajdzinski hit a two-run single. Kanus County responded with two runs in the bottom of the fifth to cut the lead to 4-2. Right fielder and pitcher Vilius Paikovas hit an RBI double and the second run scored on a throwing error from second baseman Radostaw Joziak.
Kutno expanded their lead to 6-2 in the seventh, when Gajdizinski drove in two more runs with an RBI double.
In the bottom of the seventh Kanus County answered back with a great inning. Center fielder Matynas Sadzeviciu stole home, Paikovas hit an RBI triple, and catcher Mantas Cernauskas hit an RBI single. Second baseman Domas Kamandulis capped off the scoring with an RBI double for the fourth run to tie the game at six. The game would stay tied until the 10th inning.
Paikovas also pitched five innings for Kanus County and gave up eight runs with seven of them being earned. He hit a wall in the 10th giving up six of his eight runs. Extra innings start with a runner on first and second in this qualifier.
The big blow in the inning was a two-run triple from Kutno shortstop Yauheni Kurhun. Kurhan also pitched three innings and gave up one earned run. Kutno is 1-0 and Kanus County is 0-1.
Stockholm Baseboll 5, London Capitals 4
Stockholm Baseball (Sweden) won their first game 5-4 against the London Capitals (Great Britain).
The London Capitals jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first against Stockholm Baseboll starting pitcher Jakob Claesson. The first run scored on a fielder’s choice and the other two runs came from RBI singles by right fielder Jeurys Lewin Mambru Felipe and center fielder Johan Villanueva.
They added another run in the third with a sacrifice fly from catcher Leo Cedeno to take a 4-0 lead. Relief pitcher and first baseman Henrick Soren Hanson silenced the London Capitals’ bats with 5.2 scoreless innings and 14 strikeouts. He gave two hits and walked one batter, with 14 of his 17 outs coming via strikeout.
Stockholm Baseboll was held scoreless for seven innings by starting pitcher Masa Hashiguchi. Stockholm Baseboll finally broke through with a run in the eighth, when Hanson hit an RBI double.
In the ninth, Stockholm Baseboll walked off on a two-run RBI single from center fielder Tobias Glimmerud. Hashiguchui took the loss pitching 8.1 innings, with five runs, four earned, and seven strikeouts. Stockholm Baseboll is 1-0 and the London Capitals are 0-1.
Schedule
Wednesday, June 12
6 a.m. EDT – (0-1) Kanus County (Lithuania) vs. (0-1) London Capitals (Great Britain)
Noon EDT – (1-0) Kutno (Poland) vs. 0-0 Tampere Tigers (Finland)
