On day two of the Federations Cup in Brno, Czech Republic three games of the first round were played on Wednesday. In the morning the Buffaloes Blagoevgrad got their first win over SSHOR Moskvich. In the afternoon Apollo Bratislava prevailed over the Sölvesborg Firehawks giving both teams a 1-1 record. In the evening Draci Brno downed Belgian champion Deurne Spartans by a single run.
Buffaloes Blagoevgrad (BUL) – SSHOR Moskvich (RUS) 7-1
The Buffaloes Blagoevgrad got their first win in the tournament with a 7-1 victory over SSHOR Moskvich, which dropped to 0-2. Three runs in the first gave them an early lead and they didn’t look back. Teodor Dimitrov collected two RBI. Hristo Dundalov scored twice. On the mound Petyo Petkov issued just one run on five hits and eight walks in a complete game win. Pavel Maksimov got charged with six hits, seven runs (4 ER) and ten base on balls in eight innings to take the loss.
Apollo Bratislava (ROM) – Sölvesborg Firehawks (SWE) 5-4
In the afternoon game Apollo Bratislava edged out a 5-4 win over the Sölvesborg Firehawks. Apollo broke a 2-2 tie with a sac fly by Richard Gottschall and a RBI single by Jakub Horacek in the fifth. An insurance run through a RBI single by Denis Paksi one frame later turned out to be crucial, as Sölvesborg scored runs in the seventh and the ninth. However in the ninth Joel Johnson grounded out to end the game with runners on first and second. Lukas Zilavy pitched the whole nine innings, issuing seven hits, four runs (3 ER) and three walks. Simon Andersson took the loss after 5 2/3 frames, nine hits, five runs (3 ER) and three base on balls.
Deurne Spartans (BEL) – Draci Brno (CZE) 1-2
The evening game at MBS Stadium turned out to be a nail biter. Draci Brno won the duel against the Deurne Spartans with a score of 2-1. A RBI single by Martin Schneider in the third and Adam Hajtmar’s run through a wild pitch in the fifth gave Draci a 2-0 lead. Nick De Vriendt cut the deficit to a run with a RBI single in the seventh. But even though the Spartans put a couple of runners on base afterwards, they weren’t able to score again. Michal Sobotka gave up five hits, a run and a walk in 6 1/3 innings to pick up the win. Jason Jarvis closed it out for the save. Dave Van den Bosch took the loss, conceding ten hits, two runs and four base on balls in nine innings. He struck out eight.
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Photo by Draci Brno