European Cup Playoff in Rouen, Day 2, September 18:
Solingen Alligators – Olimpija Karlovac 8-0
OLI 000 000 000 0 3 3 SOL 102 030 02X 8 5 0
The Solingen Alligators started into the European Cup Playoff in Rouen, France with two shutouts over Olimpija Karlovac on Saturday. In game one Dominik Wulf (W 1-0, 7 IP, 2 H, BB, 4 SO) and Robin Schliep (2 IP, H, BB, 2 SO) combined to allow just three hits through nine scoreless innings in an 8-0 win. Nils Hartkopf homered, doubled and drove in two. Wulf himself went 3-for-4 at the plate with two doubles, two runs and a RBI. Marin Vukmirovic (L 0-1) issued five hits, eight runs (5 ER) and nine bb in eight innings.
Olimpija Karlovac – Solingen Alligators 0-16 (5)
SOL 640 60 16 12 0 OLI 000 00 0 2 3
In the second game on Saturday the Alligators pummeled Karlovac 16-0 in five innings. Dustin Hughes hit a grand slam in a six-run opening frame and drove in five overall. Florian Goetze went 2-for-2 with a triple and three RBI. Sebastian Bernards (W 1-0) gave up just two hits in five scoreless innings for the win. He struck out four. Nikola Sertic (L 0-1) surrendered six hits, ten runs (6 ER) and five bb in two innings.
European Cup Playoff in Rouen, Day 3, September 19:
Rouen Huskies – Solingen Alligators 4-1
SOL 000 000 001 1 5 0 ROU 002 000 02X 4 6 3
With Rouen and Solingen having swept Olimpija Karlovac on the first two days, it came down to these two teams to determine the winner of the European Cup Playoff. And the Huskies did it to secure the last remaining French spot in the 2011 European Cup. In game one on Sunday Keino Perez (W 2-0) won the pitcher’s duel against Andre Hughes (L 0-1) to lead Rouen to a 4-1 win over the Alligators.
Oscar Combes and Joris Bert scored in the third to put the Huskies in front after a groundout by Luc Piquet and when Kenji Hagiwara was picked off first. They doubled the lead in the eighth on a two-run homerun by Bert. Solingen only managed to avoid the shutout with a solo homerun by Robin Drache in the ninth. Perez allowed five hits, a run and a walk in nine innings. Hughes conceded six hits, four runs and a bb in eight innings.
Solingen Alligators – Rouen Huskies 2-7
ROU 000 050 200 7 8 0 SOL 000 002 000 2 5 1
In the second game on Sunday, the Huskies used a five-run rally in the fifth en route to a 7-2 win and the tournament victory. Luc Piquet and Aaron Hornostaj had the big hits during the decisive frame with a two-run single and two-run double. Anthony Piquet (W 1-0), who like Perez too, already had pitched on Friday, allowed just four hits, two runs and three bb in eight innings for the win. Josh Rickards (L 0-1) gave up six hits, six runs (5 ER) and four walks in six-plus innings.
Final Standings:
- Rouen Huskies
- Solingen Alligators
- Olimpija Karlovac