Group A: Czech Republic – Great Britain
Great Britain 000 001 000 1 7 0 Czech Republic 110 200 00X 4 7 1
The Czech Republic improved to 2-0 in the European Championship on Saturday afternoon. In a Group A matchup they beat Great Britain 4-1 in Nieuw-Vennep to remain undefeated. They took a quick 4-0 lead and then defended the advantage, when couldn’t score anymore. Great Britain only was able to avoid the shutout and dropped to 0-2.
Former Dutch Hoofdklasse player Jakub Malik gave the Czech team a 1-0 lead in the first with a RBI single. In the second Petr Sila reached on a RBI fielder’s choice to push Petr Cech over the plate for run number two. In the fourth within a span of three pitches the Czech Republic doubled the score. Cech led off with a single. Then Petr Zyma stepped to the plate and drove the second pitcher over the wall in left field for a two-run home run. Brett Rosen provided the lone British run with a RBI single in the sixth. Zach Wiley crossed the plate to score.
Martin Schneider had kept Great Britain off the board with five strong innings. The utility player from Draci Brno issued just three hits and a walk in five scoreless innings to pick up the win. Petr Minarik and Daniel Mraz closed it out. Cody Chartrand took the loss. He gave up five hits, four runs and a base on balls in four innings. Greg Hendrix relieved him in the fifth and allowed just two more hits the rest of the way.