The Malta Baseball Cup 2025 took place on the weekend of the 18th and 19th of October, bringing together four distinguished teams in an exciting display of baseball. Representing Malta were the Mellieħa Northenders and the Mustangs, joined by the Lombardia ABL Team from Italy and the Minsk Baseball Team from Belarus.
Proudly sponsored by SportMalta, the tournament followed a round-robin format, with each team facing one another once. The top two teams from the group stage then advanced to the final, where they competed for the title of Malta Baseball Cup 2025 Champion.
1st Game – Lombardia ABL Team (0) at Minsk Baseball Team (6)
The opening game of the Malta Baseball Cup 2025 saw the Minsk Baseball Team deliver a commanding performance against Italy’s Lombardia ABL Team, securing a 6–0 victory in five innings. Led by an efficient pitching rotation and timely hitting, Minsk maintained control from start to finish.
Starting pitcher Aliaksei Auramenka earned the win, combining with Ilya Sladzinski and Artsiom Motchalov to hold Lombardia to just one hit over five shutout innings. The trio allowed no earned runs and struck out ten batters collectively.
Offensively, Ilya Sladzinski stood out with a home run and three RBIs, while Mikhail Atrashonak, Aliaksei Auramenka, and Dzianis Payuta added key hits to extend the lead. Lombardia’s only hit came from Andrea Antonello, who reached base twice, but the Italian side struggled to generate offense against Minsk’s dominant pitching.
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2nd Game – Mellieha Northenders (3) at Mustangs (7)
The Saturday morning continued with a thrilling encounter between the Mustangs and the Mellieħa Northenders which saw the Mustangs defeat the Northenders by a score of 7–3. The Northenders struck first, posting two runs in the opening frame and adding another in the third.
The Mustangs’ pitching, led by Henry Wang, proved pivotal and held the Mellieha Northenders to just one earned run over three innings while striking out eight batters. Reliever Jorge Acosta closed out the game efficiently, preserving the lead. Offensively, Daniele Palumbo drove in three runs for the Mustangs, including a towering home run to left field, while Carmelo Martini and Jorge Acosta contributed key hits to sustain rallies.
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3rd Game – Mustangs (4) at Lombardia ABL Team (2)
As a sunny Saturday morning turned to a cloudy Saturday afternoon, the Mustangs took on the Lombardia ABL Team, in a winning effort.
Kevin Spiteri led the Mustangs on the mound, pitching four innings of solid pitching, allowing only one earned run and striking out two. Teammates Daniele Palumbo, Jorge Acosta, and Richard Borg provided enough run support for the win with timely hits.
Lombardia’s Giovanni Angino pitched four innings, conceding only two earned runs while keeping his team in contention. In a closely played game, reliever Andres Susarra ultimately pitched the the 5th inning to close out the game for the Mustangs and earn the save.
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4th Game – Minsk Baseball Team (11) at Mellieha Northenders (0)
As the Minsk Baseball Team were scheduled to take on the Mellieħa Northenders for the 4th game of the day, nature had other plans. Against all odds, while also being the away team, the Minsk Baseball Team were ready to swing the bat early and immediately erupted for 11 runs on six hits. Minsk’s offense capitalized on every opportunity, with standout performances from Ilya Sladzinski, Artsiom Motchalov, and Yauheni Karalevich, each collecting multiple hits and driving in key runs.
Eventually, the game had to be stopped in the top of the first inning due to inclement weather, with Minsk winning by 11 runs.
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5th Game – Minsk Baseball Team (6) at Mustangs (1)
On Sunday, the Minsk Baseball Team opened the day by securing a 6–1 victory over the Mustangs. After two scoreless innings, Minsk broke through in the third, posting three runs and gradually extending their lead with two more in the fourth and a final run in the fifth.
Uladzislau Khamenka led Minsk on the mound, earning the win with 3.1 innings pitched, allowing just one earned run while striking out three. He was supported by Ilya Sladzinski and Yauheni Rachkouski, who delivered scoreless relief appreances to maintain Minsk’s advantage.
Offensively, Minsk’s attack was led by Yauheni Karalevich, who collected two hits and scored twice, and Ilya Sladzinski, who added a hit and three RBIs. Artsiom Motchalov and Aliaksei Auramenka also contributed key hits, helping Minsk capitalize on every scoring opportunity.
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6th Game – Lombardia ABL Team (9) at Mellieha Northenders (0)
In the penultimate game of the day, the Lombardia ABL Team delivered a dominant performance against the Mellieħa Northenders, cruising to a 9–0 victory in three innings. Lombardia’s offense exploded in the third inning with an eight-run outburst, effectively putting the game out of reach.
Pitching was equally impressive for Lombardia, with starter Andrea Lussana earning the win. Lussana threw three scoreless innings, allowing no hits and striking out six batters while issuing three walks.
Offensively, Lombardia was powered by Philip Smith Herrera Suarez who went 1-for-1 with an RBI and a run scored, while Erik De La Rosa, Giorgio Giunta, Carlo Abbà, and others added timely hits to fuel the team’s decisive scoring outburst.
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FINAL – Mustangs (0) at Minsk Baseball Team (7)
The Malta Baseball Cup 2025 came down to a phenomenal final game between the Minsk Baseball Team and the Mustangs. Ilya Sladzinski was the highlight of the game, dominating from both sides of the diamond. On the mound, Sladzinski pitched seven scoreless innings and surrendered just a single hit, narrowly missing a perfect game with only one out remaining. He struck out nine batters and walked none, shutting down the Mustangs’ lineup with exceptional precision.
Offensively, Minsk capitalized early, scoring five runs in the first inning and adding two more in the second. Key contributions came from Artsiom Motchalov, Ilya Sladzinski, and Mikhail Atrashonak, each recording multiple hits, while Dzianis Payuta and Aliaksei Auramenka drove in critical runs to lead Minsk to a commanding 7-0 victory.
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Malta Baseball Cup 2025 Champions: Minsk Baseball Team
Malta Baseball Cup 2025 Most Valuable Player: Ilya Sladzinski (Minsk Baseball Team)
