On Friday two games were on the schedule at the France International Baseball Tournament Yoshida Challenge in Senart, France. In the afternoon game the Netherlands shut out the International Stars 12-0 in eight innings. In the evening game Germany prevailed 10-8 in a wild game against France. The preliminary phase ends on Saturday with games between the French and the Dutch national teams, as well as an encounter between Germany and the International Stars. The Netherlands already have reached the final of the Yoshida Challenge.
Netherlands 400 300 14 12 14 0 International Stars 000 000 00 0 4 2
The Netherlands scored four runs in the first to decide things quickly in a 12-0 win over the International Stars on Friday afternoon. Three runs in the fourth blew the score open, four more in the eighth ended the contest via ten-run rule. Lars Huijer, Kevin Kelly, Bayron Cornelisse and Tom de Blok kept the Stars to four hits and a walk in eight scoreless frames. At the plate Kalian Sams had a home run and four RBI. Randolph Odober drove in three. Alex Carter had two of the four hits for the team of head coach Ty Eriksen. Matt Kemp got charged with the loss. Jack Shannon was the lone International Stars pitcher without allowing a run. David Jauss and Dustin Hamilton also pitched.
Germany 221 002 021 10 9 0 France 100 070 000 8 9 3
The Friday evening game turned out to be a wild slugfest. Germany prevailed 10-8 over France in the end. Thanks to a pair of home runs by Max Boldt and Chris Howard the German squad took a quick 5-1 lead. However relievers Lukas Steinlein, Benjamin Thaqi and Julius Spann allowed seven French runs in the fifth as France got ahead 8-5. But Germany answered with two runs apiece in the sixth and eighth to get back in front. Another run in the ninth secured the win. Marcel Jimenez and Boldt had the game-winning hits with a RBI triple and a RBI double. Tim Stahlmann pitched two strong innings to close it out. Bastien Dagneau had three hits and two RBI for France. Anthony Piquet got charged with the loss.
All information about the Yoshida Challenge can be found at www.yoshidachallenge.com