Croatia improved to 3-0 and is well on its way for the final at the B-Level European Championship in Karlovac, Croatia. The host defeated Slovakia on Wednesday. Bulgaria and the Ukraine also prevailed on the third of five first-round game days. The final is scheduled for Saturday.
Ukraine – Slovenia 10-2
The Ukraine improved to 2-1 in the tournament with a 10-2 win over the winless Slovenian team in the morning game in Karlovac. Pitchers Yevhenii Tkachenko and Ivan Skrynskyii combined to keep Slovenia to four hits in nine innings. Dmytro Nelipa collected three hits, two doubles, two runs and two RBI to lead the Ukraine on offense. Matevz Vodopivec surrendered three hits, four runs (3 ER) and four walks in 4 1/3 innings to take the loss.
Bulgaria – Switzerland 8-4
Bulgaria scored three runs in the sixth and four in the eighth to prevail 8-4 over Switzerland in the afternoon. Dimitar Nassapov connected for a home run. He scored twice and drove in two. Sven Leeman led the Swiss team with three hits, two RBI and a home run. Alexander Blagoev conceded just four runs (2 ER) despite giving up 11 hits in nine innings for the win. Andreas Ruesch gave up three hits, five runs (4 ER) and four base on balls in seven innings to take the loss.
Croatia – Slovakia 10-5
Prior to the game Croatia and Slovakia were 2-0 after the first two days of the competition in Karlovac. Croatia won the meeting of undefeated clubs with a 10-5 score. Four runs in the first erased an early 0-3 deficit. Four more runs in the fourth decided the outcome. Eight different players crossed the plate for Croatia. Mario Manojlov drove in two. Nikola Sertic and Slobodan Gales scored twice. Jaroslav Sitar went deep and drove in all five runs for Slovakia. Ernesto Pereira struck out ten in a complete game win. Pavol Teslik gave up ten runs in eight innings to take the loss.
Standings
|
Pos
|
Team
|
GP
|
WO
|
LO
|
AVG
|
GB
|
|
1
|
 Croatia |
3
|
3
|
0
|
1000
|
0
|
|
2
|
 Bulgaria |
3
|
2
|
1
|
667
|
1
|
|
3
|
 Slovakia |
3
|
2
|
1
|
667
|
1
|
|
4
|
 Ukraine |
3
|
2
|
1
|
667
|
1
|
|
5
|
 Slovenia |
3
|
0
|
3
|
0
|
3
|
|
6
|
 Switzerland |
3
|
0
|
3
|
0
|
3
|
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