Paris University Club won an exciting marathon of a game that lasted late into Sunday night 15-13 over the East Europe All-Stars and stayed in title contention. Both teams combined to score 21 of the game’s 28 runs in the final two innings, after East Europe tied the game at seven by the end of the sixth inning.
In the top of the sixth with two outs, Paris loaded the bases thanks to Ewan Hauser reaching on an error, a Jules Diego Rabearivelo walk and a Paul Stukas single. Samy Jamous reached on an error on a fly ball to left field, scoring Hauser, before Pierre Monbeig singled to center field, making it a 7-3 game.
East Europe had no quit in them with half an inning to play. Domas Kamandulis walked, but was out at second on a Danielius Rékus fielder’s choice. Maksim Charabulka walked, before Martynas Sadzevicius singled to left field, scoring Rékus (7-4). Then, Mindaugas Strimaitis saved the game for East Europe thanks to his triple to center field, and Strimaitis scored on a wild pitch during the next at-bat to tie the game at seven.
It was then that Paris went on an eight-run rally thanks to five hits (two for extra bases), two walks, a hit batsman and an error, but the game wasn’t over there (15-7). Three walks, two singles and an RBI ground out got East Europe within two runs with Strimaitis on third base. Norvydas Zukauskas walked to put runners on the corners, but Bird got the final and most important out of the game for Paris on a strikeout to win 15-13.
Stukas and Bird led Paris at the plate with three hits each, while four players recorded two RBI each for the French. For East Europe, Strimaitis and Aliaksandr Lukashevich both had a team-high three hits, while Sadzevicius and Strimaitis led East Europe with three RBI each.
Watch the gallery from our photographer Iris Drobny here