Kranjski Lisjaki (Slovenia) 15, Valerenga Baseball (Norway) 0 5 Innings
The Kranjski Lisjaki of Slovenia won Saturday’s Baseball European Federation Cup Qualifier 2024 championship game 15-0 in five innings over Valerenga Baseball of Norway in Ljubljana, Slovenia, to secure a spot in next year’s Baseball European Federation Cup.
The World Baseball Softball Confederation has not announced the location and event dates for the Baseball European Federation Cup 2025.
The Kranjski Lisjaki were the tournament’s undeniable best all-around team, outscoring their five opponents 89 to seven to capture the title. They did not play a full nine-inning game once, as each game ended early due to a mercy rule.
On Saturday, Kranjski Lisjaki pitchers Johan Jose Paisano Belisario and Bruno Vincenzo Giacalone Daza combined to throw an abbreviated five-inning no-hitter against Valerenga Baseball. Belisario, the starting pitcher, struck out nine of the 13 batters he faced.
On offense for the Kranjski Lisjaki, right fielder Ryan Kazim Mirza smashed a two-run home run to center field in the bottom of the fifth and finished the tournament with a 1.662 OPS. The Kranjski Lisjaki led 2-0 after the third inning but broke through for nine runs in the bottom of the fourth and four in the fifth.
The game was over in the bottom of the fifth when Matic Lesnjak scored on a wild pitch thrown by Valerenga Baseball reliever Joe Rollwagen to score the 15th run for the Kranjski Lisjaki. Starting pitcher Yanni Ofranidis took the loss and allowed eight earned runs on 11 hits in 3.2 innings for Valerenga Baseball, who finished the tournament with an overall record of 3-2.
Final Standings
- Kranjski Lisjaki (Slovenia) 5-0
- Valerenga Baseball (Norway) 3-2
- Akademics Sofia (Bulgaria) 2-2
- Angels Trnava (Slovakia) 1-3
- Eagles Cluj (Romania) 0-5
You can watch every game at baseballeurope.tv.
