Finland, and France Lead in Group A; Belgium, Italy, and Lithuania Vie for Supremacy in the Baseball5 European Championship

As the dust settles on an action-packed Day 1 of the Baseball5 European Championship 2023, Finland and France emerge as the dominant forces in Group A, boasting flawless records of 2 wins each. Meanwhile, in Group B, Belgium, Italy, and Lithuania each claim a vital victory, setting the stage for an exciting journey towards the European Baseball5 title.

Field 1 Results:

• Lithuania VS Moldova: Lithuania dominated with a 2-0 victory in the Best of 3 series, securing wins of 13-0 and 0-10.
• Estonia VS Italy: Italy emerged victorious with a 2-1 Best of 3 series win (6-5; 17-3; 6-0).
• Belgium VS Czechia: Belgium claimed a 2-0 Best of 3 series win with scores of 5-8 (extra inning) and 2-4.
• Netherlands VS Bulgaria: The Netherlands secured a 2-0 Best of 3 series win with scores of 1-4 and 4-1.
• Finland VS Romania: In a closely contested matchup, Finland emerged with a 2-1 Best of 3 series win (3-4; 1-6; 2-3 extra inning).

Field 2 Results:

• France VS Latvia: France dominated with a 2-0 Best of 3 series win, boasting scores of 0-17 and 8-1.
• Bulgaria VS Romania: Bulgaria secured a 2-1 Best of 3 series win with scores of 0-1, 2-1, and 1-4.
• Latvia VS Finland: Finland claimed a 2-0 Best of 3 series win with scores of 6-1 and 0-18.
• Spain VS France: France secured a 2-0 Best of 3 series win with scores of 9-1 and 0-3.
• Spain VS Netherlands: Spain clinched a 2-0 Best of 3 series win against the Netherlands with scores of 1-6 and 7-6 (2 extra innings).

All detailed box scores and additional information for Day 1 can be found in the daily report #1, accessible here.

Following one day of competition, Group A is currently led by Finland and France, both boasting records of 2 wins and 0 losses.
In Group B, Belgium, Italy, and Lithuania stand at the top with one victory each.
Standings can be found here.

The photogallery of day 1 is available on the WBSC Europe Flickr Profile.

The opening day set the stage for an exciting championship, with teams displaying a good level of play in their quest for the title of European Champions.

Cover Photo by Evaldas Žarkaitis