(Story by Marco Stoovelaar)
 DSS/Kinheim, Neptunus complete sweep; Tempers flare in Amsterdam
Nederlands
    AMSTERDAM / OOSTERHOUT / VLEUTEN / HAARLEM (Neth.) -
DSS/Kinheim and Curaçao Neptunus are the unbeaten leaders after completion of the Opening Series in the Dutch big league, which opened last Thursday.
On Sunday (April 14), the first 3-game series of the 2024 season ended and both DSS/Kinheim and Neptunus completed a sweep against respectively Worldwide Pharma Logistics Hoofddorp Pioniers and Oosterhout Twins.
UVV avoided a sweep by winning against RCH-Pinguïns today.
The rivalry between Amsterdam Pirates and HCAW was underscored again today, as the benches emptied in the sixth inning, causing a 9-minute on-field delay.
In Amsterdam, HCAW opened the score against reigning champion Amsterdam Pirates in the second inning off of starter Nelmerson Angela.
With one out, the lefthander gave up back-to-back doubles to Bob van der Meer and Jair van Borkulo, which produced a run.
It would remain the lone run until the seventh inning.
Amsterdam Pirates left a runner behind on third base in the first inning off of starter Kaj Timmermans, who gave up no basehits in the first four innings.
With two outs in the bottom of the sixth inning, Alex Madera singled for Pirates.
Moments later, after a pick-off attempt at first base by Timmermans, an exchange of words evolved and both benches and bull-pens emptied.
Although the umpiring crew quickly restored order, a 9-minute delay followed and two players (one from each team) were ejected for their part in the bench-clearing.
The remainder of the game was played without incident.
When the game resumed, Timmermans again made a pick-off and eliminated Madera at first base.
HCAW added two runs in the seventh and scored three more runs in the ninth inning, highlighted by a 2-run double by Jeandro Tromp, to win 6-0.
It was not the first time that tempers flared between Pirates and HCAW.
Last year, after completion of facing each other in the Semi-Final of the European Champions Cup-tournament, there also was an exchange of words.
In Oosterhout, Curaçao Neptunus completed a sweep by winning 10-1 against Oosterhout Twins.
Neptunus scored three runs in the second inning via a 2-run double by Jesse Aussems and a sacrifice fly by Keegan Pieternella.
Twins got one run back in the fourth on an error, but that would be its lone run.
Neptunus took more distance from the fifth inning on.
Singles by Kevin Dirksen and Darryl Collins accounted for two runs in the fifth.
A passed ball and a 2-run single by Arthur Bonevacia lifted the lead to 8-1 in the sixth.
Neptunus also scored a run in the eighth and ninth run on singles by Dirksen (3-for-4) and Den Seelbach.
Five Neptunian pitchers limited Twins to six hits, including three by rookie Wijnand Ruben.
In Vleuten, UVV recorded its first win of the season.
The team won 11-1 against RCH-Pinguïns, but scored ten of its runs from the fifth inning on to reach a mercy-rule total.
UVV broke an 1-1 tie in the bottom of the fifth, scoring twice thanks to a double by Kilian Bloat and single by Jurian Hansen.
Three runs were added in the sixth on a double by Timothy Rojas, grounder by Jordy Burger and an error.
With a 6-1 lead, the 10-run difference was reached via a 5-run rally in the seventh.
First, a run was scored on an error, then Rojas connected for an RBI-single.
With the bases loaded, an infield-hit by Tijmen Takke and a hit batter brought in two more runs.
With UVV now leading 10-1 and the bases still loaded, a force out at the plate led to the second out.
But hereafter, Jurian Hansen delivered a walk-off single.
In Haarlem, DSS/Kinheim also ended its game against Worldwide Pharma Logistics Hoofddorp Pioniers with a walk-off single in the eighth, which made it a 12-2 score.
DSS/Kinheim scored three runs in the third on a wild pitch, hit batter and a single by Nick Hofer.
Two runs were added in the fifth on three extra-basehits.
With one out, Jesse van den Berg tripled and he scored on a 2-out double by Hofer.
After a pitching-change, the latter scored on a double by Ilyas van den Bos.
Both teams scored twice in the seventh inning.
Pioniers on a grounder by Jayden van Atten and a single by Vincent Mevissen.
DSS/Kinheim on another RBI-double by Hofer and a wild pitch.
After Pioniers had left three runners behind in the top of the eighth, DSS/Kinheim rallied for five runs in its eighth to reach a 10-run difference.
A single by Donny Kuijper accounted for the first run.
With one out, Julian Toppen hit a 2-run double.
After a pitching-change and runners on second and third base, the game ended when Nick Hofer hit a 2-run single.
Hofer was 4-for-4 (two doubles) and batted in five runs.
More detailed and expanded recaps will be added later.
(April 14)
| 
Opening Weekend 2024 Season.