GB U-12 defeat Romania in opening game
Great Britain kicked off their U-12 European Championship campaign in winning fashion, defeating Romania 13-3 after five innings of baseball.
Photo by Lili Jasky (WBSC)
Ethan Farabaugh was the standout on the mound, throwing three shutout innings to begin the game which Great Britain were able to capitalise on.
GB ended the first inning up by a run after Farabaugh hit a home run to deep centre field.
By the middle of the second inning, Farabaugh had already collected six strikeouts before Corneille Vargas and Freddie Stokes were able to get hits in the bottom of the second.
Farabaugh’s second plate appearance ended in a double through the left side, taking GB into a 6-0 lead going into the third inning.
Farabaugh was able to shut out the Romanian side again and accumulated another two strikeouts in the game.
The 108 hosted the U-12 pre-tournament camp setting the team off on the right foot
In the bottom of the third, Stokes hit his second single of the game, this time to right field before Farabaugh’s multi-hit game continued with his third hit going to left field.
GB were up 10-0 going into the fourth, but Romania began to find some offense with a lead-off single up the middle by Stefan Tudorici, ending the no-hitter.
Farabaugh was able to strike out another three hitters but Romania were able to get on the board, scoring one run courtesy of Tudorici in the top of the fourth.
Great Britain were able to equal Romania’s fourth-inning run tally after Torin Kingsmill-Norton was walked and made it all the way round the bases with some great heads-up running.
Romania had their best inning of the game in the top of the fifth, adding two more runs after Tudorici’s single loaded up the bases and a fielding error brought him home.
GB won the game in the bottom of the fifth, gaining two more runs which sealed the mercy rule win, making it 13-3.
A four-hit day for Farabaugh including two home runs and striking out 10 hitters helped secure a win in the first game of the competition for Great Britain.
U12’s head coach, Chris Ward, spoke about the “relentless” performance that his team put on in the opening fixture.
GB U-12 squad and staff at the 108
He said: “Our whole squad did everything we asked of them today. We asked them to be relentless in the pursuit of winning battles, and there are battles everywhere in this environment.
“Every single player dominated their battles today, whether individually or as a group, and we will continue to focus relentlessly on that approach.”
Final score: Romania 3 - 13 Great Britain
Great Britain U12 will play their second game of the group on 3rd July at Janossomorja Rascals field against Slovakia.
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