Sweden’s Rättvik Butchers finished group play at the 2022 Federation Cup qualifying tournament in Kutno, Poland, with an undefeated record after outlasting Lithuania’s BK Vilnius 9-4 (box score) in the lone game played on Day 4. The victory sets up a second meeting with Finland’s Tampere Tigers in the first knockout round on Friday, a team the Butchers shutout on Day 2.
Thursday’s final result obscures the fact that Vilnius bounced back from a 3-0 deficit to tie up the score in the fifth inning, with the two clubs then exchanging solo home runs in the seventh. The Butchers added two more homers and three runs in the eighth inning, including Joel Johnson’s second long ball of the day. Two additional runs were added in the ninth, giving starter Dylan O’Brien the W, a just reward for his 133-pitch complete game. O’Brien struck out seven and scattered eight hits while allowing just two earned runs.
At the plate, the aforementioned Johnson went 3-for-5, with two solo homers and a double. Judah Wollenburg was responsible for the second homer of the the eighth inning, a two-run blast.
For Vilnius, Martynas Sadzevicius homered in the seventh inning.
Friday’s schedule includes the aforementioned meeting between the Tigers and Butchers at 16:00 CEST, with Vilnius and the host Stal Kutno playing at 11:00 CEST. The winners of the two games will meet in Saturday’s championship game at 14:00 CEST.
For a wrap up of the previous days of the competition, go here for Day 2 and for Day 3, and for more information, visit the WBSC Europe 2022 Federation Cup qualifier tournament page.
Schedule and Results
| June 6 / Day 1 | ||||
| Stal Kutno v. Tampere Tigers | 15-0 | |||
| June 7 / Day 2 | ||||
| Rättvik Butchers v. Tampere Tigers | 8-0 | |||
| BK Vilnius v. Stal Kutno | 0-10 | |||
| June 8 / Day 3 | ||||
| Tampere Tigers v. BK Vilnius | 3-18 | |||
| Stal Kutno v. Rättvik Butchers | 4-6 | |||
| June 9 / Day 4 | ||||
| Rättvik Butchers v. BK Vilnius | 9-4 | |||
| June 10 / Day 5 | ||||
| BK Vilnius v. Stal Kutno | 11:00 CEST | |||
| Tampere Tigers v. Rättvik Butchers | 16:00 CEST | |||
| June 11 / Day 6 | ||||
| Championship Game | 14:00 CEST | |||