European Cup 2015: Results of day four Rotterdam and Paris

UnipolSai Bologna @ Solingen Alligators  18 – 10

With a 12-2 score in the favor of Bologna, it looked that this would be another mercy rule, seven inning game.  But in the seventh inning, Solingen decided to spoil Bologna’s party.
Pietro Caldoni entered the game in relief for Justin Cicatello, much to the liking of the Alligators.
After Dominik Wulf struck out, Mike Hartkopf singled through the left side of the infield followed by a single by Dustin Hughes and a walk drawn by Markus Stryczek. After an infield fly hit by Sascha Steffens, Solingen gathered a fair bit of steam. Consecutive singles by Sascha Brockmeyer and Johannes Weidemann, followed by a walk drawn by Daniel Sanchez, drove in three runs. If this wasn’t enough, Tanner Leighton,  Dominik Wulf and Mike Hartkopf drove in five more runs for Solingen. But from that point there was no gas more left in the tank. In the ninth, Bologna scored four more runs to reach the final score of 18-10.
Ricardo de Santis earned the win after 5.0 innings of work. He allowed two runs (one earned) on four hits. He walked one and struck out one. Andre Hughes took the loss after pitching 3.1 innings. He gave up nine runs (six earned) on nine runs. Hughes walked one but did not strike out a hitter.
Guillermo Rodriguez went 4 for 4 for Bologna with a double and two runs batted in.  Mike Hartkopf was the best hitter for Solingen, goingn 3 for 5 with a double and two RBI.

Brest Zubrs @ T&A San Marino 0 – 15

We all knew this would be a mercy rule game, but one in five innings?
San Marino scored six runs in the second inning, four in the fourth and five in the fifth.
Wuillians Vasquez was the best hitter for San Marino, going 2 for 3 with a double, two RBI and two runs scored.
Even though a no-hitter is a no-hitter after nine innings, Alessandro Ercolani pitched a no-hitter… Okay, okay, five no-hit innings in which he walked one and struck out six.  Artsiom Lapchanka pitched four innings in which he allowed ten runs on ten hits. He walked four and threw a wild pitch.

PUC @ L&D Amsterdam Pirates  3-15

Another of almost three mercy rule games, even though it didn’t look that way after three innings, when L&D Amsterdam Pirates had a 5-2 lead. But in the next three innings, Pirates would flex their muscles and would score four in the fourth, two in the fifth and another four in the sixth inning. In the top of the seventh, PUC managed to score one more run, but that wasn’t enough to avoid the mercy rule.
Dennis Burgersdijk pitched all seven innings for Pirates and allowed three runs (one earned) on five hits. He gave up four walks and struck out six.  Daniel Camou lasted for innings and took the loss after giving up nine runs (five earned) on seven hits.  He walked for and did not strike out a hitter.
The best hitter for Pirates was (batting average wise) Steven van Reem, who went 1 for 1. The most impact though had Michael Duursma, who went 3 for 4 with a double, three RBI and a run scored.

Standings after day four:

Pos	Team	GP	WO	LO	AVG	GB
1	Amsterdam Pirates (NED)	4	4	0	1000	0
2	CNF Unipolsai Bologna (ITA)	4	3	1	750	1
3	T & A San Marino (SMR)	4	3	1	750	1
4	PUC (FRA)	4	1	3	250	3
5	Solingen Alligators (GER)	4	1	3	250	3
6	Brest Zubrs (BLR)	4	0	4	0	4

KNTU Elizavetgrad @ Heidenheim Heideköpfe  5 – 7

Heidenheim had a hard time this morning. At one time KNTU Elizavetgrad had a two run lead over Heidenheim. At the end of the seventh inning the game was tied at five.
In the bottom of the eighth, Heidenheim stepped on it as Luke Sommer hit a lead off double down the right field line. He advanced to third on a wild pitch. A walk drawn by Robert Gruber put runners on the bases. A single by Stefan Karpf drove in Luke Sommer and made Gruber advance to second. Eventually  Karpf scored from second base when Philip Schulz singled through  the middle of the infield.
Aaron Dunsmore pitched eight innings for the win. He allowed five runs (four earned) on eight hits. Dunsmore walked three and struck out five. Dmytro Kiliyevych took the loss as he gave up four runs on six hits and struck out as many as he walked: three.

Draci Brno @ A.S.D. Rimini Pirates  6 – 2

A huge surprise in the second game of today.  Brno took an early 1-0 lead in the first inning and scored two runs in the next two innings.  RImini cut Brno’s lead in half in the bottom of the sixth.  Draci eventually scored an insurance run in the top of the eighth when Frantisek Vasourek scored on a throwing error by second baseman Riccardo Babini.
Martin Schneider pitched a formidable complete game in which he gave up two runs (one earned ) on four hits. Schneider walked two and struck out eight. Carlos Richetti took the loss. He lasted seven innings in which he gave up five runs on nine hits. Richetti walked three and struck out seven.
Brno’s best hitter was Adam Hajtmar with three hits out of five at bats, an RBI and a run scored. Rainer Olmedo was the best hitter for Rimini, going 2 for 4 with a run scored.
Now all of a sudden Rimini’s trip to the final isn’t all so sure. If the team loses to Neptunus tomorrow and Draci will beat Heidenheim, the Czechs will advance based on the results vs Rimini today.

Curacao Neptunus @ Templiers de Sénart

Les Templiers de Sénart gave Curacao Neptunus a hard time tonight.  After Neptunus took a 1-0 lead in the second inning, the French tied the game in the fourth. With one out, Jason Mahood was hit by a pitch and advanced to second base on Rolando Merino’s single to right field. Pierrick Lemestre loaded the bases when he reached first base safely on a fielder’s choice/ fielding error. When Floris Timmer hit Florian Peyrichou with a pitch, Mahood scored the game tying run.
But in the seventh inning, Neptunus walked away. With the bases loaded thanks to a double, an intentional walk and a HBP, Gianison Boekhoudt singled up to the middle and drove in Dwayne Kemp and Stijn van der Meer. Kevin Kelly and Loek van Mil pitched the last three inniings, both in perfect fashion. Kelly struck out three in two innings and Van Mil fanned all hitters that he faced in the ninth. Kevin Kelly earned the win and Van Mil earned the save.
Jonathan Mottay took the loss and pitched 6.1 innings in which he allowed four runs on five hits. Mottay walked six.
Gianison Boekhoudt was the best hitter for Curacao Neptunus, going 2 for 4 with two RBI and a run scored.

Standings after day four:

Pos	Team	GP	WO	LO	AVG	GB
1	Curaçao Neptunus (NED)	4	4	0	1000	0
2	A.S.D. Rimini (ITA)	4	3	1	750	1
3	Draci Brno (CZE)	4	2	2	500	2
4	Heidenheim Heideköpfe (GER)	4	2	2	500	2
5	Templiers Senart (FRA)	4	1	3	250	3
6	KNTU Elizavetgrad (UKR)	4	0	4	0	4