Israel shut
out Switzerland 5-0 in the final thanks to a strong pitching performance by
Aviv Bobrov and Akiva Epstein, who issued no hits and no runs in seven innings
on the mound. Their only blemish in the box score where a combined eight walks,
from which the Swiss team couldn’t take advantage of.
On offense Israel
got off to a strong start, scoring four of the five runs in the game in the
first two innings. In the first Aviad Schechter scored on a based loaded walk
to give Israel a 1-0 lead. Lyrr Friesem doubled the advantage with a RBI
single. Dovid Solomon then scored on a passed ball to make it 3-0 after the
first. A RBI double by Zev Moore and a RBI triple by Friesem secured the
victory for Israel.
Fabio Bundi
got charged with the loss, conceding seven hits, five runs (4 ER) and three
walks in 5 2/3 innings. Fabio Bundi and Oscar Hundt each walked twice for
Switzerland.
During the
preliminary round robin Israel already had dominated with four wins in as many
games to clinch a final berth. Switzerland came in second with a 3-1 record. Belgium,
Poland and Lithuania finished in third, fourth and fifth in the final
standings.
Zurich,
Switzerland hosted one of two B-Pool U-23 Baseball European Championships,
which are played this week with the second taking place in Budapest, Hungary.
All games
were streamed live through www.baseballeurope.tv.
Results and statistics for all games are available at www.wbsceurope.org.
Photo by Sue Fisher
