Slovenia took care of business in a win-or-go-home against Serbia, and Bulgaria finished an unbeaten run through round robin play in a drubbing of neighbors Romania. Tomorrow, the two face off to determine who will play in the 2027 European Baseball Championship
Slovenia – Serbia
The B-Pool in Blagoevgrad, Bulgaria, entered its final day of round robin play with a matchup between two teams at 2-1. For the first five innings, Slovenia and Serbia continued to look evenly matched, with the former ahead 4-3. From that point, however, Slovenia shifted into high gear, scoring multiple runs in every remaining inning, including four in the ninth.
The two sides combined for 32 hits, including 12 for extra bases, along with six errors and 11 walks. Highlights included a pair of home runs and four ribbies from Bejzbol Srbija’s Nikola Prodanovich; and, for Slovenia, four hits, including a dinger and two doubles from Žan Primožič, who drove in six; four hits and three runs from Mark Rudolf; and five runs, two doubles, a single, and two base on balls by Matic Lešnjak.
Tevž Gantar, pitching on one day’s rest, was solid in the start for Slovenia, punching out four in 3.1 innings, surrendering one run on six hits and a walk.
Bulgaria – Romania
The host nation quickly got on the board, adding five runs to its 1-0 advantage in the third and holding a 9-0 margin heading to the bottom of the fifth. A bout of wildness by a relief pitcher led to five runs crossing the plate, but Bulgaria immediately retorted with a 10-run six and cruised from there.
Bulgaria pounded out a whopping 15 hits in seven innings, drawing 11 walks. Panayot Zhaltov and Michael Tchavdarov led the way with three safeties, three stolen bases, and four runs scored each, with the latter adding two walks and four RBI. Yordan Peychovski had the team’s only extra-base hit, a double, tacking on a single, two free passes, and a pair each of runs and ribbies. Petyo Petkov was exceptional as Bulgaria’s starting pitcher, striking out five in four shutout innings, the only baserunner against him a lone hit. Two relief pitchers allowed only three more base knocks the rest of the way.
Today’s winners will gun for a spot in the 2027 Baseball Euros tomorrow. Slovenia appeared in all three European Baseball Championships between 1995 and 1999, but has not appeared this century. Should Bulgaria win yet again, it would qualify for the first time ever.
Box scores are available here [link]. Previous coverage includes: Preview [link], Day 4 [link]. See also coverage of the Baseball Euros Poland Qualifier: Day 5 [link].
Results and Schedule
July 31
Slovenia 17 – Serbia 6
Bulgaria 22 – Romania 7 (7)
Aug. 1
Final: Slovenia – Bulgaria