The Vienna Metrostars and the Buffaloes Blagoevgrad will play in the final of the European Cup Qualifier in Athens, Greece. The three last first round games were played on Friday. Vienna defeated the Buffaloes in the morning, as both concluded the round robin with four wins in five games. A three-way tie with the Zurich Barracudas would have been possible, but the Swiss vice champion lost to Atletico Alexandria. The winner of the ECQ secures a spot in next year’s CEB Cup for its respective federation.
Vienna Metrostars – Buffaloes Blagoevgrad 8-7 (10)
The Vienna Metrostars faced a must-win situation against the previous undefeated Buffaloes Blagoevgrad. Vienna delivered and prevailed 8-7 in ten innings. Dominik Loeffler’s walk-off RBI single in the bottom of the tenth ended the contest in favor of the Metrostars. They had tied the game in the ninth on a RBI single by Didier Letouze. The Buffaloes meanwhile had erased an early 2-6 deficit with five runs combined in the top of the eighth and ninth. Timothy Jones earned the win in relief, his second of the week. Alexander Blagoev had relieved a strong Yasen Nedelchev in the tenth to take the loss. Nedelchev had conceded just one run on five hits and two walks in 7 2/3 innings of relief.
Olympic School 42 – Panathinaikos BC 8-9
Last year’s Athens ECQ winner Olympic School 42 lost to Panathinaikos BC 8-9 on Friday afternoon. Athens claimed fourth place in the final standings with the win. Six runs in the top of the seventh decided the outcome. Moscow scored five runs afterwards, but a three-pitch strikeout ended the contest with the bases loaded. Dmitry Nefedov scored three runs on offense, but also gave up four (3 ER) in just 1 1/3 innings on the mound. Max Gouren struck out eight in 6 2/3 innings for a no decision. He also hit an inside the park grand slam home run during the decisive rally. Aleksandr Tarasov also had an inside the parker. Alexandros Gounaris picked up the win. Aleksander Muradov took the loss.
Atletico Alexandria – Zurich Barracudas 6-5
After prevailing in three one-run games this week the Zurich Barracudas were on the wrong side of the outcome for the first time on Friday evening. Atletico Alexandria used a wild pitch in the bottom of the ninth to win 6-5. Zurich had scored three runs in the seventh and eighth to erase a 2-5 deficit, but fell short in the end. Nderim Coma had two RBI for Zurich. Dan Panataiscu had three hits, a double and a RBI for Alexandria. Catalin Lazar went the distance for the win. Roger Salvodelli took the loss.
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