(Story by Marco Stoovelaar)
 Neptunus to prepare on Curaçao
Nederlands
 ROTTERDAM (Neth.) -
In less than two weeks, reigning Dutch champion Curaçao Neptunus will travel to the Caribbean island of Curaçao.
The trip will be part of its preparations for the upcoming season, the club announced on Thursday (March 3).
Neptunus, which also captured the European Champions Cup last year, will be leaving for Curaçao on March 15 to start a weeklong stay there.
The Rotterdam-based team will return home on March 21.
The trip to Curaçao has been made possible thanks to main sponsor Fundashon Bon Intenshon.
The sponsor also has made it possible that Neptunus will play three games during its stay on the island.
Neptunus first meets Aruban champion Marlboro Red Machine on Thursday, March 17 in a game that starts at 7:30 PM local time.
In the following weekend, Neptunus plays against Santa Rosa Indians on Saturday (7:30 PM) and Santa Maria Pirates on Sunday (2:30 PM).
All games will be 7-inning contests.
Besides playing, the team of course also will have several practice sessions and will conduct a clinic for local Little League-teams.
Neptunus opens its exhibition season on Saturday, March 12, against Orioles from Bergschenhoek.
The next day, Neptunus will play at the site of Orioles.
Neptunus opens the new regular season on Thursday, April 14 at Twins, which last season promoted to the Dutch big league.
The also will face each other two days later in Oosterhout.
Neptunus will then play its first home game on Sunday, April 17, hosting Twins.
Last year, Neptunus won the Holland Series against Kinheim 4-1 to remain Dutch champion.
Earlier, Neptunus faced UnipolSai Bologna (Italy) in the best-of-three Final for the European Champions Cup.
After losing the opener in Italy, Neptunus won the next two games at home to win the Cup.
It is not the first time that a Dutch big league-teams prepares itself on Curaçao for the new seasons.
In the eighties and nineties, ADO, Giants Diemen and De Spartaan all have traveled to Curaçao to practice and play there.
(March 3)
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