The preliminary round at the France International Baseball Tournament “Yoshida Challenge” ended on Saturday with two games. In the afternoon Germany prevailed 8-7 in a back and forth affair against the International Stars to clinch a spot in the finals. In the evening the Netherlands shut out host France for their third win in as many games.
International Stars 100 150 000 7 14 1 Deutschland 210 100 13X 8 14 0
The afternoon contest turned out to be another Max Boldt showcase. The player of the Mainz Athletics led Germany to an 8-7 victory over the International Stars. He scored three runs by himself including the game-winner on an error in a three-run eighth and drove in three runs of the first four German runs in the game. Germany had taken a 4-2 lead after four innings, but the Stars answered with five runs in the fifth. But the German squad fought back and turned the score around in the eighth. Chris Howard collected two RBI. Eric Brenk scored three times. Kevin Trisl, Maurice Wilhelm and Brenk took the mound for Germany. Eddie Aucoin, who pitched in the German Baseball-Bundesliga several seasons, conceded 12 hits, six runs and a walk in seven-plus innings for the International Stars. Tyson Walker got charged with the loss. Andrew Medeiros hit a solo home run.
France 000 000 0 0 2 3 Netherlands 101 024 2 10 8 0
In the evening game in Senart the Netherlands celebrated an easy 10-0 shutout over France. A RBI triple by Gianison Boekhoudt in the first gave them the lead and they didn’t look back behind a strong pitching performance. Rob Cordemans, Orlando Yntema and Jim Ploeger allowed just two hits and a walk in seven scoreless innings. Cordemans struck out seven in four one-hit frames. At the plate Boekhoudt also scored two runs. Christopher Garia crossed the plate twice as well. Owen Ozanich took the loss after giving up three hits, four runs (1 ER) and two base on balls in five innings. Thomas Langloys, Lorian Andro and Antoine Villard followed him on the mound.
Preliminary Round Standings:
1) Netherlands 3-0
2) Germany 2-1
3) International Stars 1-2
4) France 0-3
On Sunday the France International Baseball Tournament ends with the final and the game for third place. At 11am in the morning the International Stars take on France for bronze. At 3pm Germany hopes to payback against the Dutch national team. The Netherlands had won the first-round game 12-4 on Thursday. All information is available through www.yoshidachallenge.com