Day two at the European Cup Qualifier in Athens, Greece on Tuesday. Three games of the first round were on the schedule. The preliminary phase continues through Friday with the best two teams advancing to the final on Saturday.
Panathinaikos BC – Buffaloes Blagoevgrad 7-9
In the morning games at the European Cup Qualifier in Athens the Buffaloes Blagoevgrad celebrated a thrilling 9-7 win over host Panathinaikos Athens. The lead changed several times and the Buffaloes clinched the victory with a four-run rally in the eighth. Dimitar Nassapov and Alexander Tashev each had two hits, two runs and two RBI. Emmanuel Mazarakis hit an inside the park home run for Panathinaikos. Evgenii Chernozemsky struck out 15 in eight innings to pick up his second win in as many days. He allowed seven hits, seven runs (4 ER) and three walks, while throwing 128 pitches. Alexandros Gounaris took the loss.
Vienna Metrostars – Zurich Barracudas 4-5
The Zurich Barracudas improved to 2-0 in the tournament with a 5-4 nail-biter over the Vienna Metrostars. Two runs by Harry Wischnewski and Josh Crouse in the top of the seventh turned a 3-4 deficit into a one-run lead. Vienna just had scored three runs to get ahead in the bottom of the sixth. Alexander Hilliard had a two-run double during the rally and drove in three overall. Crouse also picked up the win in relief, allowing just two hits and a walk in three scoreless frames. Timothy Jones took the loss, surrendering four hits, four runs (3 ER) and two base on balls in six innings.
Olympic School 42 – Atletico Alexandria 14-12
The Olympic School 42 defeated Atletico Alexandria 14-12 in a slugfest in the early evening game. Moscow scored three runs apiece in the third, fourth and seventh and five in the sixth to decide the outcome. Alexandria never gave up, but weren’t able to tie the game in the end. Aleksandr Tarasov earned the win despite giving up nine walks in seven innings. Andrei Mirescu got charged with the loss. Maxim Monakhov went 4-for-5 with four runs scored. Viacheslav Vasilyev drove in three. Lucian Manole crossed the plate three times for Alexandria.
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