Isreal one win away from European A Group

This weekend Lithuania and Israel face each other in a play off series for a spot in the A group of the European baseball championship. Both countries won their group of the European B championship a few weeks ago. Israel won the first game of this play off series yesterday as it shoved aside Lithuania in a 12-2 victory. 

Despite the ten-run difference, Israel needed nine innings to finish the job. Nevertheless, it was a regular win in which Israel scored in every inning but the first two

Lithuania opened the score in the first inning when Mantas Cerniauskas singled to right-center field and allowed Arunas Dankovskis to score from second base. But from there the Lithuanian offense stalled a bit as they only scored one more run in the fourth inning. But by then Israel had taken a 3-1 lead already, which they would extend in the next innings.

After that fourth inning, Israel (or should we say USA II as most of the players are US-born) slowly walked away. In the fifth, Israel flexed its muscles when Tal Erel doubled, Mitch Glasser bunted him over to third, Rob Paller homered to right field, Simon Rosenbaum and Zach Penprase walked, Jake Rosenberg singled home Rosenbaum for a three-run fifth inning.

The Lithuanian team with one (perhaps two) US-born player(s) on the squad was no match for the foreign legion from Israel. Eventually, Israel would score a run in the sixth, the seventh and the eighth inning and three runs in the ninth to reach the final score.

Winning pitcher for Israel was Joey Wagman, who pitched six innings in which he allowed two runs (one earned) on seven hits, one walk and struck out ten. Eimantas Zickus took the loss. In 5.1 innings, he allowed seven runs (six earned) on eight hits, six walks and struck out two.

Best hitter for Israel was Rob Paller, who went 3 for 5 with two home runs, four RBI and two runs scored.

The six home runs Israel hit proved to be the difference as they drove in nine runs.

In today’s game, it will be a must-win situation for Lituania. The winner of this series will advance to the European Championship in Bonn that will be played early September.