We’re at the midpoint of the first round at the European Cup Qualifiers. In Athens, Greece three games were played on Wednesday. Two more game days are until the schedule before the top two teams play in the finals on Saturday. The winner qualifies for the CEB Cup 2016.
Panathinaikos BC – Atletico Alexandria 12-2 (7)
After losing by one run on Monday and by two on Tuesday, Panathinaikos BC crushed Atletico Alexandria 12-2 in seven innings on Wednesday. Athens took a quick 6-0 lead after three frames on route to the win in the morning contest. A four-run seventh ended the contest early due to ten-run rule. Alexandros Gounaris went 3-for-5 with three RBI. Keith Gilmour was 3-for-3 with a double and two runs scored. Iason Zachos allowed four hits, two runs (1 ER) and two walks in seven innings to pick up the win. Andrei Mihai went the distance for Alexandria to take the loss.
Vienna Metrostars – Olympic Sports School 42 4-3
The Vienna Metrostars celebrated their second win in three games on Wednesday with a walk-off victory over the Olympic Sports School 42. Trailing 1-3 after six innings, Vienna cut the deficit to a run with a RBI single by Elias Niel in the bottom of the seventh. In the ninth Peter Ferak tied the game with a RBI single. Jakob Simonsen then stepped to the plate hit a ground ball to short, which couldn’t be handled by the shortstop helping Richard Alzinger to score the winning run. Viacheslav Vasilyev hit an inside the park home run for Moscow in the second. John Hilliard earned the win in relief. Denis Leonov took the loss despite striking out 14 in 8 1/3 innings and issuing just four runs (3 ER) on eight hits.
Buffaloes Blagoevgrad – Zurich Barracudas 15-2 (7)
In the early evening game at Helenikon ballpark in Athens the Buffaloes Blagoevgrad defeated the Zurich Barracudas 15-2 in seven innings. Five runs in the second and seven in the fourth gave the Buffaloes the decisive edge. Teodor Dimitrov scored three runs and drove in four. Dimitar Nassapov had three runs and two RBI. Christopher Kyle pitched six innings, allowing two unearned runs on five hits and a walk. Nderim Coma got charged with a whopping 14 unearned runs on 14 hits and two walks in just 3 2/3 frames to take the loss. The Zurich defense committed six errors in the game.
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Photo by Zurich Barracudas