Belgium – Switzerland 12-5
SUI 102 000 020 5 8 2 BEL 180 000 03X 12 11 5
After rain postponed the matchup till Friday morning, Belgium used an eight-run second en route to a 12-5 victory against Switzerland. They faced Austria in the evening, which already accounts for the first game of the final best-of-three series to determine the Qualifier winner.
Kim Wybo went two-for-five with a homerun and four RBI. Steven Delannoy had three hits, two runs and four RBI. Benjamin Dille scored three times. Stefan Koller scored twice for Switzerland. Tobias Siegrist drove in two.
Kenny Vandenbranden (W 1-0) allowed eight hits, five runs (2 ER) and a walk in nine innings to pick up the win. He struck out seven. Koller (L 0-1) was charged with four hits, seven runs (6 ER) and three bb in 1 1/3 innings.
Switzerland – Malta 16-6 (8)
MAL 200 011 20 6 5 7 SUI 204 017 11 16 19 4
Switzerland produced 16 runs on 19 hits and crushed Malta 16-6 in eight innings to finish in third place at the Qualifier in Antwerp. They scored seven runs alone in the sixth. Reto Siegel drove in three. Saentis Zeller scored three times. Six batters reached home at least twice. Stefan Koller had four hits, including two doubles. Mark Cauchi had two RBI for Malta.
Thomas Burger (SUI) started and struck out nine in four innings, allowing one hit, two unearned runs and four bb. Benjamin Montag (W 1-0) got the win. Charles Attard (L 0-1) gave up 17 hits, 14 runs (7 ER) and four walks in 5 2/3 innings.
Belgium – Austria 5-2
AUT 000 000 101 2 6 2 BEL 001 210 10X 5 9 1
In the last game of the preliminary round, Belgium defeated Austria 5-2. As both teams also play in the finals on Saturday, the Belgian victory was even more important, as they now already lead 1-0 in the best-of-three series to determine the Qualifier champion.
Benjamin Dille got Belgium in front with a RBI double in the third. They added three more in the next two periods for a commanding 4-0 advantage after five. Dille finished with three hits, two runs scored and a RBI. Kim Wybo, Sim Ruts and Kevin Roevens also drove in runs. Austria scored their runs in the seventh and ninth on two wild pitches. But it was too little too late.
Terence Antonacci (W 1-0) struck out eleven in eight-plus innings. He gave up six hits, two runs (1 ER) and two walks. Werner Harrasser (L 0-1) allowed nine hits, five runs (4 ER) and three bb in eight innings.
Standings after first round:
- Belgium 3-0
- Austria 2-1
- Switzerland 1-2
- Malta 0-3