Four games were played in Regensburg, Germany during the first round of the European Championship on Saturday. Sweden and Great Britain had to play two games on the second day of the tournament. In the morning they squared off against each other, making up Friday’s rainout. Spencer Kreisberg and Jakob Claesson were locked into a pitcher’s duel early on until Great Britain blew the score open for a 7-1 win. Zach Wiley and Mitch Evans connected for home runs.
In game two on the day Sweden had to take on Italy, losing 3-12. Alex Sambucci hit a three-run home run. Albert Mineo and Mario Chiarini collected two doubles apiece. Yomel Rivera threw 6 1/3 innings of two-hit, one-run ball. Kent Karlsson took the loss. Sweden’s runs crossed the plate through home runs of Adam Sorgi and Simon Emanuelsson.
In the third match France and Great Britain played a key game in the pursuit of the second round. The team of manager Eric Gagne prevailed 9-5 in ten innings, the first extra-inning game of the tournament. Home runs by Frederic Hanvi had tied the game at 3-3 and 4-4 in the third and the eighth. In the tenth five runs scored en route to the victory. It was their second win in as many days.
In the evening Germany downed Belgium 6-2. A two-run home run by Thomas de Wolf had given Belgium a 2-1 lead in the seventh after Harry Glynne had dominated before. Germany, which had left a ton of base runners on base against Kenny van den Brande, finally came through in the eighth. Max Boldt tied the contest with a RBI single. A two-run hit by Moritz Buttgereit put them ahead. Two more scored and closer Enorbel Marquez-Ramirez put the game in the books.
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