Oleg Venger

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Biographical Information

Oleg Venger pitched for the Ukrainian national team in their first European Championship, the 1995 European Championship. He got the tough assignment of their first start, against traditional powerhouse the Netherlands. He allowed two hits, five walks and three runs (all earned) in two innings before Vladimir Kadiev relieved. He did strike out one. He took the loss against Erik Lommerde. He started the next game as well, versus France and Cedric Fournier. He gave up five hits, four walks and eight runs (one earned) in 1 2/3 IP, striking out two; Sergei Makarov succeeded him. He took the loss again, but did double off Fournier. In all likelihood, it was Ukraine's first European Championship double (Vitally Romanov also had one that game, but he entered as a substitute) and could have been their first extra-base hit (Igor Kovalenko homered that day). He also lost to Andrey Bogatyrev and Russia. Ukraine dropped their first six games, no surprise for a new team. They faced fellow newcomer (and 0-6) Slovenia in their last contest. Venger relieved Kadiev in the 4th with a 6-4 deficit, one on and no outs. He let the inherited run score but gave up only 3 runs over the next 6 innings (4 H, 3 BB) and fanned 7 to get the win as Ukraine rallied to beat Tine Zaletel. He had started the game in right field and finished with two runs and a RBI in the 11-10 victory. Venger thus got the decision for Ukraine's first win in a European Championship.

He finished the Euros at .333/.455/.444 on offense and 1-3, 8.53 on the mound. He handled five chances error-free. He tied Kovalenko for Ukraine's second average (.020 behind Romanov), was third in ERA (best among the qualifiers; he trailed Dmitri Breskin and Alexandre Baikov), had the team's lone win, led them in losses and led in Ks (11, as many as #2 Makarov and #3 Alekandre Riabikov combined). For the 1995 Euros, he tied for second with four games pitched (one behind Emiliano Ginanneschi), tied for first in starts (with Bogatyrev, Zaletel, Eelco Jansen, Samuel Meurant and Frank Mathijs), issued the most walks (14, one more than Manny Olivera, Vladimir Petrov, Zaletel and Meurant) and tied Zaletel for the most losses.

Source: Waybck Archive, 1995 European Championship