Serbia – Bulgaria 10-22 (7)
BUL 001 533 10 22 14 5 SRB 100 144 0 10 9 17
A game, which started slow with one run for each team in the first three periods, took a turn to the wild character in the fourth. Bulgaria scored 21 runs in the last four frames, including ten alone in the seventh. Serbia itself scored nine times for a final score of 10-22. The latter committed a whopping 17 errors in the game, leading to 16 unearned runs. Vladimir Markov and Georgi Trenkov both scored four runs for Bulgaria. Dimitar Nassapov and Martin Velinov drove in a combined four runs. Marko Nikolic and Borko Milankov scored twice for Serbia.
Martin Velinov (BUL) allowed three hits, five runs (2 ER) and ten walks in 4 2/3 innings. Teodor Dimitrov (W 1-0) picked up the win. Danijl Kozjak (L 0-2) gave up five hits, eight runs (1 ER) and two base on balls in four-plus innings.
Lithuania – Croatia 3-8
CRO 003 010 202 8 7 2 LIT 000 300 000 3 7 3
Croatia defeated Lithuania 8-3 on Thursday, moving their record to 3-0 before the last preliminary match on Friday. Ivan Racic gave them back a 4-3 lead in the top of the fifth with a RBI single. Lithuania had evened the game moment before, when they overcame a three-run deficit, scoring on an error and a RBI single by Vytautas Kirlys, who later stole home for the 3-3 tie. Branko Nenadic had three RBI for Croatia. Slobodan Gales scored four times.
Marin Farkas (W 1-0) struck out six in seven innings. He allowed seven hits, three runs (1 ER) and two walks. Edvardas Matusevicius (L 0-1) was charged with seven hits, eight runs (3 ER) and five bb in eight innings. He punched out eight.
