European Champions Cup 2018: day one

The European Champions Cup 2018 started today. The following games were scheduled:

Draci Brno @ Fortitudo Bologna, Rouen Huskies @ A.S.D. Rimini Pirates, Heidenheim Heideköpfe @ L&D Amsterdam Pirates and T&A San Marino @ Curaçao Neptunus

Draci Brno  1  –  4  Fortitudo Bologna
In the opening game of the tournament, Draci Brno starting pitcher Wesley Roemer, kept the Italians from scoring for three innings,  but in the fourth, Bologna loaded the bases with one out. But once again Aessadro Vaglio proved that a double play is a pitcher’s best friend as Vaglio grounded in a 6-4-3 inning-ending double play.
In the top of the fifth inning, Draci Brno took a 1-0 lead. Filip Mostek drew a walk, was bunted over to second on a sacrifice bunt by Arnost Dubovy and scored on Dondrei Hubbard through the right side. In the bottom of the same inning, the Italians played the same game. Beau Maggi got on base thanks to an HBP and was bunted over to second on a sac bunt. But Bologna failed to tie the game as Lorenzo Dobboletta struck out looking and one of the two Dutchiesplaying for Fortitudo, Kevin Moesquit, flied out.
Draci had a good opportunity to extend the score as Martin Cervenka tripled to center field with two outs. But he never had the chance to cross home plate as Pavel Budski struck out swinging. In the bottom of the sixth inning, Bologna managed to tie the game. Gilmer Lampe drew a leadoff walk, advanced to second when Osman Marval was hit by a pitch and scored from second base on a single through the right side by Giuseppe Mazzanti. A sac bunt by Robel Garcia moved the runners into scoring position, a move that was rewarded when Aessadro Vaglio hit a sac fly to left field to drive in Marval and to give Bologna a 2-1 lead.
In the seventh inning, three consecutive singles, two by the Dutchies Lampe and Moesquit, drove in two runs to extend Bologna’s lead to 4-1. Eventually, neither team scored and Antonio Noguera earned the win after 6.2 innings of work in which he gave up one run on six hits and two walks and struck out four. Wesley Roemer took the loss after six innings in which he gave up two runs on four hits and three walks and three strikeouts.
Best hitter for Fortitudo Bologna was Osman Marval, who went 2 for 3 with two RBI and a run scored.

Rouen Huskies  5  –  12  A.S.D. Rimini Pirates
A.S.D. Rimini Pirates stepped on it in the first three innings. A four-run first, a one-run second and a seven-run third was enough for the victory.  Rouen scored three runs in the third and two runs in the eighth so it never really was a game.
The sole Dutchie in the game at the side of Rimini,  Minguelito Llewellyn, went 0 for 4 with a walk and a run scored. Kevin Kelly pitched the final inning in which he allowed one hit and struck out two. Two singles, two doubles, three walks, a throwing error and an HBP allowed Rimini to score seven in the third inning.
Raul Ruiz earned the win after 5.2 innings in which he allowed three runs on five hitsand a walk and struck out six. Keino Perez took the loss. In 2.2 innings he gave up eightruns on eight hits and two walks.
Best hitter for A.S.D. Rimini Pirates was Federico Celli, who went 3 for 3 with two runs scored.