ITALY & CZECH REPUBLIC ARE EVENT’S TOP TWO TEAMS AS OLYMPIC QUALIFIER NEARS HALFWAY POINT

2003-06-25

In a slightly different change of pace from the first two days of play, today’s action at the Africa/Europe Olympic qualifier began with a game featuring host Italy, whose first two games of the tournament had been the last game, yesterday and Monday evenings. The result didn’t change though as the Italians improved to 3-0 with a 3-0 win over France. The winners got the only run they needed in the top of the fourth inning off an RBI from Natalie Anter, then added two insurance runs in the sixth. France was held to just two hits.

At the same time those two were playing in Macerata, Austria was getting its first win of the tournament, topping Belgium 2-1 in Cupramontana. The Austrians lost their first two games by a combined score of only 3-0, and were in another tight match, despite opening the game with two runs in the top of the first inning. Belgium cut it to 2-1 in the bottom of the fifth, but left a game total of six runners on base, unable to complete a comeback.

In a matchup whose participants had a combined 4-1 record, Great Britain edged Russia 3-2. The game was tied, 1-1, after 5½ innings before Great Britain struck for two runs in the bottom of the sixth, with Russia replying with a run of their own in the top of the seventh, only to come up short by one in their first defeat. The loss came despite Great Britain being outhit 7-5 and Russian pitcher Ekaterina Eronina striking out six over six innings.

Germany took on Croatia in an attempt to stay in the top half of Pool B, and did so with a 5-1 victory. The Germans got the winning run in the bottom of the third inning after Croatia had scored in the top of the third to tie the game at one run apiece. Croatia fell to 0-3 and was done in by committing four errors. Germany improved their record to 3-1.

As it became dinner time, Botswana and Spain squared off in Macerata, both hungry to improve their record to 2-2 and try to remain in the hunt in Pool A. In the end it would be Spain, by a large margin, that would be at .500, having crushed Botswana 14-0.

Meanwhile, Austria was back on the field for its second game of the day, taking on the Netherlands (2-1). The Austrians would not have the same result as their game earlier Wednesday against Belgium, losing this time, 10-1.

Play wrapped up with the Czech Republic taking on Croatia in Macerata and Italy going against Russia in Cupramontana.

The Czech Republic kept their perfect record intact with a convincing 13-2 win, and Italy’s won-lost mark also went to 4-0, after they registered a 7-0 triumph.

Thursday’s schedule will be a little lighter, with six games on tap, starting with the Netherlands vs. Belgium in Macerata and Russia vs. Botswana in Cupramontana, both at 14:00 (local time).

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