 ADO opens vs. Euro Stars with convincing win
Nederlands
 THE HAGUE (Neth.) -
ADO opened the best-of-five Promotion/Relegation Play-Off on Thursday-evening, September 1, with a convincing 9-4 win vs. Euro Stars, which played its third game in three days.
On Tuesday, Euro Stars lost a make-up game to RCH-Pinguïns to set up an one-game Play-Off vs. PSV on Wednesday to decide the championship in the 'Overgangsklasse'.
As Euro Stars, which is coached by former big league-coach Peter van den Akker, won that game, it had to play again today, but this time in the opener against ADO in the Play-Off that will decide either prolongation in the big league for ADO or relegation and therefore promotion to the highest division for Euro Stars.
In 2008, ADO and Euro Stars also faced each other in the Promotion/Relegation Series, which became a historical one.
The opening game between the two teams lasted 18 innings (five hours and one minute), which was won by ADO, 2-1.
The next day, the second game took 14 innings (4 1/2 hours) and again, ADO was the winning team, 9-8.
A week later, Euro Stars avoided a sweep by winning 5-4, then also won the next game, 4-1, to force a fifth and deciding game.
Game 5 was then won by ADO, again with an one-run margin, this time 3-2, to prolong their stay in the big league.
Today, the opener of their new series took 'only' nine innings, but lasted three hours and 15 minutes.
ADO took charge of the game quickly, holding a 5-0 lead after three innings off 45-year old starting pitcher Orlando Stewart, who played in the Dutch big league in the eighties and nineties for Giants Diemen and Sparta.
In the first inning, ADO scored twice, thanks to two other veterans.
After two singles and two stolen bases and with runners on second and third base, the first run was scored on a grounder by 40-year old Gino Henson, then the next run was scored when 38-year old Harvey Gumbs singled.
ADO added a run on an error in the second inning and scored two more runs in the third inning on a double by Henson and single by Remco Seitzinger to make it 5-0.
In the fifth inning, Henson reached on an error and scored on sac-fly by Kevin Nieveld, whose father René Nieveld was a teammate of Henson while playing for ADO together in 1994 and 1998.
In the next at bat, Henson batted in a run again himself, this time with a sacrifice fly.
ADO-starter Jurandy Girigori held Euro Stars hitless for 5 2/3 inning.
The lefthander then walked pinch-hitter Rik van Deursen and then gave up a single to Brent Buffa.
Another walk followed, but Euro Stars left the bases loaded.
But in the seventh inning, Euro Stars scored three runs.
Mark Schipperus and Dylan Nuts led off with singles, but the latter was thrown out while trying to advance to second base when the first moved to third base.
After a walk, Girigori made a throwing error on a force play-grounder by Allard Lammerts van Bueren which led to a run.
After a strikeout and passed ball, another run was scored on a single by Van Deursen.
Next, another walk followed and Girigori was relieved by rookie Ricky Voorn, who then walked Ben Groenendijk to bring in another run, but a flyout ended the inning.
ADO got two runs back immediately in its seventh on a basesloaded walk for Gregory Hassell and an error, which lifted the lead to 9-3.
Euro Stars was able to add only one more run in the ninth inning on a wild pitch.
Game 2 will be played next Saturday in Capelle a/d IJssel.
(September 1)
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