VIF Baseball
5× Norgesmester · 2× Seriemester · Stiftet 2022
5× Norgesmester · 2× Seriemester · Stiftet 2022
Baseball European Federation Cup 2026 · Trnava, Slovakia
Vålerenga Baseball are European Federation Cup champions. In the final in Trnava, the team crushed Poland's Stal Kutno 13–3 – decided after just five innings. But the story from Slovakia is just as much about what happened on the mound: over the week, Vålerenga threw two no-hitters in three days, and gave up next to nothing before the trophy was in hand.
Lukas Croton opened the tournament with a win. The bats spoke up right away – 16 runs on ten hits, with a homer and three RBI from Keyberth Mejías.
Lars Liguori threw a no-hitter with 14 strikeouts – not a single walk. He also went off with the bat, 4-for-4, while Cole Kreber and Yanni Orfanidis each drove in two runs.
The tournament's only loss. Vålerenga hung in for a long time – just 1–4 after six innings – before Kutno put it away with five runs in the seventh. The matchup would end very differently in the final.
Yanni Orfanidis answered with YET another no-hitter – two no-hitters in three days. Four runs on six hits was more than enough, led by Joe Rollwagen (2-for-3).
Decided by the mercy rule after five innings. The title goes to Vålerenga. Keyberth Mejías and Jonathan Whistler each hit a homer, and Lars Liguori and Cole Kreber each drove in three runs – twelve hits in all.
First a no-hitter with 14 strikeouts against Sofia Blues in the group stage. Then, four days later, back on the mound in the final: a complete game with 11 strikeouts – and 2-for-3 with 3 RBI at the plate. He won the game on both sides of the ball.
Two no-hitters in three days. Liguori kicked off the show against Sofia, and Yanni Orfanidis followed up in the semifinal against hosts Angels Trnava – seven innings, no hits, eight strikeouts, and 4–0. In the final, Orfanidis also went 2-for-3 with three runs scored from the leadoff spot.
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vålerenga | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 9 | 13 | 12 | 1 |
| Stal Kutno | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 2 |
A 9-run fifth inning blew the final open and ended the game on the ten-run rule after five.
Photo: Marek Jobek