(Story & Photos by Marco Stoovelaar)
 HCAW wins big, but misses Play-Offs
Nederlands
 HAARLEM (Neth.) -
HCAW won big on Thursday-evening (August 4) with a 12-2 score against DSS in the opener of their final 3-game series of the regular season.
Before the game, HCAW was still in contention for a spot in the Play-Offs, but not only had to sweep DSS, it also had to hope that Kinheim would be swept by De Glaskoning Twins.
HCAW started well, but Kinheim also opened with a win, meaning the Haarlem-squad became the fourth and final team to reach the Play-Offs.
Despite winning, HCAW misses the Play-Offs, but has been in contention for a long time and for the first time in a lot of years.
HCAW will finish in fifth place in the Overall Standings and with that will open its first series in the Play-Downs next week with two away-games against the number 8, which will be either DSS or Pickles UVV.
...The new coaching-staff of DSS: Ivan Rodriguez (3B Coach),...
...Tom Geestman (Bench Coach), Nick Stuifbergen (Head Coach),...
...Rik Geestman (Pitching Coach) and Jerry Breek (1B Coach)...
(© Photo: Marco Stoovelaar) |
For DSS, tonight's game was the first under its new leadership.
After last Sunday's game, Head Coach Lennart Stut stepped down and informed the team of his decision.
Nick Stuifbergen was named as his successor for the remainder of the season, while Ivan Rodriguez and Jerry Breek were added to the coaching-staff of the Haarlem-squad.
On a chilly evening, the game wasn't one to get warm from either.
There were only three defensive errors in the game, but there were some mental errors and some nonchalant plays from both sides.
Besides that, the game was slow from the beginning and was officially valid after more than two hours of playing.
Initially, DSS had a fine start.
In the top of the first inning, HCAW opened the score on a double by Rowan van Hoek, who was 3-for-5, scored twice and batted in two runs.
However, he played in his final game for HCAW, as he will return to the USA for another year in college.
DSS came alongside in its first at bat on a single by Tino van Erk, then took the lead in the next inning on a single by rookie Ties van der Beeke.
HCAW then decided the game from the third inning on.
The Bussum-squad got nine batters in both the third and fourth inning, resulting in eight runs.
HCAW added a run in the seventh, then two more in the eighth to get a 10-run difference.
HCAW collected 16 basehits, including four by Vince Rooi.
(complete recap will be added later)
(August 4)
Standings 2nd half
Standings Overall
Schedule & Starting Pitchers
Team Rosters
|
Nick Stuifbergen (Head Coach DSS) makes his debut as Head Coach in the Dutch big league.