2024 Baseball European Federation Cup Group Croatia – Day 2 Recap

The 2024 Baseball European Federation Cup Group Croatia will be played from June 6-9 at Baseball Club Vindija in Varaždin, Croatia. 

All 2024 BEFC games in Group Croatia will be played at the Baseball Club Vindija. The Round Robin of the 2024 BEFC in Group Croatia will be played from June 6-8. 

The 2024 BEFC in Group Croatia championship game will be on June 9 at 8 a.m. EST. 

The four participating teams that are at the 2024 BEFC in Group Croatia are the Apollo Bratislava from the Slovenskej Baseballovej Federácie, the Sofia Blues from the Bulgarian Baseball Softball Federation, the Vindija Varaždin from the Hrvatski Baseball Savez, and the Zurich Challengers from the Swiss Baseball and Softball Federation. The Hrvatski Baseball Savez is also referred to as the Croatian Baseball Association.  

The WBSC run differential rule with the Total Quality Balance runs-for and runs-against will be determined for the top-two teams to play in the 2024 BEFC championship game in Group Croatia alongside their win-loss record. 

All 2024 BEFC in Group Croatia live games are streamed with a paid subscription on https://baseballeurope.tv/home.

June 7, 2024 

(2-0) Apollo Bratislava (SVK) 11, (1-1) Sofia Blues (BUL) 6 

The Apollo Bratislava beat the Sofia Blues on the second day of the 2024 BEFC in Group Croatia 11-6. 

Apollo Bratislava starting pitcher Juraj Bartok threw eight innings, allowing seven hits, five earned runs, four walks, and three strikeouts. 

Bartok dialed 114 pitches with 72 strikes on Friday prior to relief pitcher Timothy Dixon entering the game in the bottom of the ninth inning. 

Sofia Blues starting pitcher Panayot Zhaltov threw nine innings and allowed 11 hits, eight earned runs, eight walks, and five strikeouts. 

Zhaltov chucked 168 pitches and 93 strikes in Blues second game at the 2024 BEFC in Group Croatia. The Sofia Blues defense made six errors on Friday. 

Blues catcher Dimitar Nassapov launched a three-run home run over the left field wall in the bottom of the second inning, scoring second baseman Martin Shopski and first baseman Petre Gruev. Nassapov finished the day with four hits, four RBI, and scored twice in his five at-bats on Friday. 

Nassapov is leading the 2024 BEFC in Group Croatia in home runs with four and RBI with 12. Nassapov is also leading the tournament in average, hitting .800. 

Apollo Bratislava designated hitter Filip Zrubec drilled a solo home run in the top of the fourth inning and had two hits, two RBI, two walks, and scored twice in his three at-bats. 

Apollo Bratislava catcher Matej Rudohradsky launched a two-run home run in the top of the eighth inning, scoring second baseman Alexander Vaclavik. Rudohradsky had six at-bats and pounded three hits, three RBI, and scored one run. 

Apollo center fielder Adam Zacko had two hits, one RBI, and scored one run in his five at-bats. 

(0-2) Zurich Challengers (SUI) 7, (1-1) Vindija Varaždin (CRO) 10 

The Vindija Varazdin beat the Zurich Challengers 10-7 on Friday in the second day of the 2024 BEFC in Group Croatia. 

Vindija Varazdin starting pitcher Adam Seny Peguero threw eight innings, allowing eight hits, four earned runs, and 11 strikeouts. 

Peguero dialed 119 pitches with 80 strikes prior to relief pitcher Tibor Vitez coming into the game in top of the ninth inning. 

Pegeuro was also in the lineup as the designated hitter on Friday and had two hits, one walk, and scored once during his four at-bats. 

The Zurich Challengers pitching staff between starting pitcher Simon Alexander Steffen and relief pitcher Regis Lars Reinhard threw eight innings, allowing 15 hits, 10 earned runs, 10 walks, and two strikeouts. 

Zurich Challengers shortstop Leonel De Jesus Sosa Marte launched two home runs on Friday with a solo home run in the top of the first inning over the left field wall and a solo home run in the top of the third inning over the left field fence. Marte finished the day with two hits, two RBI and two runs scored in his four at-bats. 

Challengers right fielder Ryan Olivier Byrne smacked a two-run home run over the left field fence in the top of the ninth inning and finished the day with three hits, two RBI, and scored twice in his five at-bats on Friday. 

Challengers center fielder Louis Bischof had a solo home run in the top of the ninth inning and   pounded two hits, one RBI, and scored once in his four at-bats. 

Vindija Varazdin outfielder Peter Zalac had a two-run home run in the bottom of the third inning, scoring Niko Vucetic for their first-two runs of the game. Zalac had two hits, three RBI, one strikeout, and scored once during his six at-bats. 

Vindija Varazdin shortstop Juan Angel Morao Martinez launched a two-run home run in the bottom of the fifth inning, scoring catcher Rene Sebastian Bodalec during their five run inning. 

Martinez finished the day with three hits, three RBI, and scored two runs in his five at-bats. 

Bodalec in his three at-bats had one hit, one RBI, one walk, and scored once. 

Vindija Varazdin center fielder Isaac Antonio Cardenas Cordero had three hits and scored once in his four at-bats during Friday’s win. 

Vindija Varaždin third baseman Nino Kruhek  had one hit, one RBI, three walks, one strikeout, and scored twice in his three at-bats on Friday. 

2024 BEFC in Group Croatia Game Schedule
All Game Start Times Are Eastern Standard Time 

June 6, 2024
Sofia Blues (BUL) 11, Zurich Challengers (SUI) 0  F/8
Vindija Varaždin (CRO) 8, Apollo Bratislava (SVK) 10 

June 8, 2024
5 a.m. EST – Apollo Bratislava (SVK) vs. Zurich Challengers (SUI)
10 a.m. EST – Sofia Blues (BUL) vs. Vindija Varaždin (CRO) 

June 9, 2024
8 a.m. EST – Championship Game – 2nd Seed vs. 1st Seed