The first round at the European Championship 2014 started with three games in Ostrava, Czech Republic. In the morning Spain downed Greece 15-3. The Spanish squad dominated, scoring in eight of the nine innings played, but missed out on an early ending. Jesus Ustriz and Oscar Angulo hit home runs. Angulo scored four times. Ustariz also had two doubles and drove in three. John Paul Koulotouros went deep for the Greek squad. On the mound Antonio Noguera struck out 13 in six innings.
In the afternoon the Netherlands flexed their muscles with a 19-2 pounding of Croatia. The game was practically over after a pair of eight-run rallies to start the contest. Six home runs, two by Gianision Boekhoudt and one each by Hainley Statia, Kalian Sams, Shawn Zarraga and Sharlon Schoop provided the highlights. Statia, Boekhoudt and Schoop combined for 13 RBI. Kevin Heijstek, Arshwin Asjes and Kevin Kelly pitched a three-hitter. Dejan Marin got charged with the loss.
In the evening a pitcher’s duel was seen by the fans in the ballpark, as Martin Schneider and Andrey Lobanov exchanged zeroes for the first five frames. But then the Czech Republic scored four runs in the sixth en route to a 5-0 shutout over Russia. Schneider won the pitcher’s duel in the end, going eight innings of two-hit ball. He struck out 13. Jakub Sladek homered and drove in two to pace the offense.
On Saturday three games will be on the schedule in Ostrava. In the morning at 11am Spain hosts Croatia. Afterwards Russia takes on Greece at 1pm. In the evening the Netherlands and the Czech Republic meet for one of the highly anticipated matchups of the first round at 7pm. Two years ago the Czech upset the Dutch.
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