In a matchup of undefeated teams, Slovakia put itself in the driver’s seat for qualification to the 2027 European Baseball Championship, putting on a complete performance against Ireland at the Baseball Euros B-Pool in Wrocław, Poland. In the nightcap, Poland recovered quickly from its own loss to Slovakia the night before, besting Ukraine by mercy rule at Wrocławska Arena Sportu Baseball Field. Earlier in the day, Norway mounted a dramatic comeback in its game versus Lithuania to earn its first win.
Slovakia – Ireland
Already up 2-0 after two, Matej Rudohradský doubled Slovakia’s lead with a round-tripper to dead center field, and the Central Europeans coasted from there. Daniel Just walked six in six frames for the victors, but permitted just two hits and whiffed five. Adam Zacko, Jakub Križan, Mario Gottschall, and Rudohradský each had a pair of base knocks, with the latter’s other hit a double. Križan and Rudohradský both drove in three. Seamus Brown walked all three times of Ireland
Ukraine – Poland
Hubert Zgórzyński led off the first with a double and later stole home, setting the tempo for a Polish baseball squad that simply did not let up. After two walks and a hit by pitch, Arthur Kowara drove in another. Two innings later, he doubled Poland’s lead with a big fly to left, and Michael Sosna made the lead stand up. The right-hander struck out eight in six shutout frames, permitting a single hit and two walks. Poland scored five in the fifth and sixth to end the game early. Zgórzyński later added another double, a single, and two stolen bases, driving in three.
Norway – Lithuania
Domas Kamandulis crushed a two-run homer in a five-run first for Lithuania as the Baltic nation got off to a strong start in its third game. Justinas Račkauskas also looked strong in the early going, with Norway finally breaking through for single runs in the fourth and the fifth. By the end of the eighth, though, Lithuania held a 7-3 lead, and looked like it would coast to the win.
In the ninth, however, Lars Liguori and Benjamin Davis went back-to-back against Račkauskas, prompting a pitching change. After a single sandwiched around two outs, though, Norway just kept hitting, with four of the next five batters all hitting singles, the other drawing a free pass. By the time the dust settled, Norge Baseboll had a 10-7 lead heading into the bottom of the frame. Although Kamandulis ripped a two-base hit and scored, that was all for Lithuania, and Norway claimed its first victory.
Liguori had a monster game, blasting two home runs and a double, drawing two walks, and scoring three times. Steffen Torgersen, Charles Conrad, Liguori, Davis, and Alexander Deutsch, the top five hitters in the Norwegian lineup, each had at least two hits, while Teddy Deutsch did as well. Davis hung on to throw 7.2 innings, with Torgersen recording the save.
Kajus Janušauskas had four hits and a stolen base for Lithuania, with Kamandulis and Braydon Titas adding a pair apiece.
Box scores are available here [link]. Previous coverage includes: Preview [link], Day 2 [link]. See also coverage of the Baseball Euros Bulgaria Qualifier: Day 2 [link].
Results and Schedule
July 29
Norway 10 – Lithuania 8
Slovakia 11 – Ireland 0 (7)
Ukraine 0 – Poland 14 (7)
July 30
Norway – Ireland
Ukraine – Slovakia
Poland – Lithuania
Standings
| Team | W-L | RF | RA |
| Slovakia | 3-0 | 33 | 10 |
| Ireland | 2-1 | 17 | 14 |
| Poland | 2-1 | 34 | 14 |
| Norway | 1-2 | 16 | 30 |
| Ukraine | 1-2 | 13 | 23 |
| Lithuania | 0-3 | 10 | 32 |