European Baseball and Softball Roundup

EUROPE-E.J. Ruiz pitched a complete-game, two-hit shutout Friday to finish off a 7-6, 3-0 AFNORTH sweep of SHAPE in high school baseball. Ruiz struck out 12 and walked three in the nightcap of the season-opening doubleheader. Ruiz, a senior, and his younger brother Josh, a freshman, each went 2-for-3 at the plate in the the second game, with Josh Ruiz collecting a triple among his hits and E.J. driving in all three runs. Josh Ruiz and fellow freshman Jacob Reynolds combined to strike out 10 batters and walk four in the seven-inning opening game, won by AFNORTH on the "California tiebreaker." When the teams ended regulation tied 5-5, the tiebreaker, which awards the lead-off batter second base, went into effect. AFNORTH scored two runs on a SHAPE error in the top of the seventh; then held SHAPE to one in the bottom of the inning. In softball on Friday: AFNORTH 20-21, SHAPE 2-4: At SHAPE, Belgium, Bekah Puente and Lorna Anderson picked up the pitching victories for AFNORTH, according to SHAPE sponsor Barbara Humphrey.