Switzerland and Great Britain celebrated wins on day four of the Qualifier U15 European Championship in Huenenberg, Switzerland on Thursday. After losing to Great Britain in the afternoon the tournament is over for Belarus with a 0-4 record. The first round ends on Friday with Slovakia taking on Great Britain in the afternoon and Switzerland facing Poland in the evening.
Great Britain – Belarus 15-5 (5)
Great Britain earned their second win in three games at the tournament in Huenenberg with a 15-5 win over Belarus in the afternoon game. Belarus actually took a 5-0 lead midway through the second, but wasn’t able to score afterwards. A six-run rally in the bottom of the second turned the game for Great Britain. Three runs in the fourth and six more in the fifth ended the game due to ten-run rule. Graydon Koyanagi drove in three runs for GB. Aiden Pearce and Jamie Warren scored three runs apiece. Mikalai Novik crossed the plate two times for Belarus. Conor Baker-Latham pitched three scoreless no-hit innings for the win. Ilya Sladzinski got charged with the loss, surrendering ten hits, 12 runs (6 ER) and two walks in four-plus innings.
Switzerland – Slovakia 14-4 (5)
Switzerland earned their second win in the tournament with a 14-4 win over Slovakia on Thursday. 12 of the 14 runs were scored between the second and the fourth. Slovakia scored all four runs in the top of the fourth. Swiss leadoff Nicola Abt went 2-for-3 with two runs and three RBI to lead the way. Four more players of his team scored twice. Livio Bundi conceded five hits, four runs and a walk in four innings for his second win of the week. Alex Blandon drove in two for Slovakia. Jakub Lukac had two hits and a RBI. Marej Hrebicek got charged with nine hits, 13 runs (4 ER) and four base on balls in 3 1/3 innings to take the loss.
Standings after Day 4
Schedule for Day 5
Live play by play, box scores and statistics are available through CEB’s competition website www.baseballstats.eu. Local organizers have launched a dedicated Facebook page for the tournament at www.facebook.com/baseballem2016. Games of Great Britain will be live streamed on YouTube.