Kinheim vs. HCAW
With the addition of this game to the exhibition schedule, it meant that an umpiring crew had to be appointed.
Henri van Heijningen, who was to be the 3B Umpire at the game between L&D Amsterdam Pirates and Vaessen Pioniers in Amsterdam, was removed from that game to be the Home Plate Umpire in Haarlem.
Van Heijningen, who will start his 26th season in the Dutch big league this year, also made the calls at the bases, as he was the lone umpire in this game!
That only one umpire is assigned is of course unique, especially when you know that on the other side of the Pim Mulier Stadium in Haarlem, Kinheim's neighbour DSS played against UVV and there, a 3-man umpiring crew worked the game!
But it was reported that the experienced Van Heijningen did very well and had no problems handling the game on his own.
And he did the nine-inning game in under two hours!
Great job Henri!
Kinheim used six of its seven pitchers in today's game.
They gave up only three basehits, encountered almost no problems, but HCAW was able to come alongside in the ninth inning.
Tom Stuifbergen started for Kinheim.
He began with a strikeout in the first inning and then gave up a single to Roelie Henrique.
Another strikeout followed, but then Vince Rooi also singled.
That brought Henrique to second base and he would be HCAW's lone runner in scoring position until the ninth inning.
With runners on first and second base, a comeback-grounder to Stuifbergen ended the inning.
He then retired the side in the next inning.
David Bergman then took over and retired six batters.
In the fifth, Glenn Wassink also retired the side.
In the sixth, he saw lead-off hitter Levine Gabriëls reach on an error, but was then supported with a double play.
Nick Veltkamp threw an one-two-three inning in the seventh, then newcomer Reggie Bomberg hit lead-off hitter Vince Rooi with a pitch in the eighth, but then another double play followed.
...Umpire Henri van Heijningen did a great...
...job as an one-man crew...
(© Photo: Henk Seppen) |
With that, 13 consecutive HCAW-batters were retired in order since the first inning.
And only two batters out of 21 reached base from the second inning on.
HCAW had only three batters per inning from the second through eighth at bat.
Jim Ploeger started for HCAW.
The lefthander struckout three batters in the first inning (with one walk), then saw Kinheim get into scoring position in the second.
With one out, he walked rookie Giel Benkhorst, who advanced on a wild pitch, then gave up a single to Dexter de Weert.
But the two were left behind.
Kinheim then opened the score in the third inning.
The bases got loaded when rookie Thomas Bos led off with a single and Sander Paap and Niels van Weert also singled.
Veteran Bryan Engelhardt then delivered the fourth consecutive basehit and brought in the first run.
Engelhardt was then forced out on a grounder by Dudley Leonora, but that also enabled Paap to score and make it 2-0.
Ploeger followed with two strikeouts and two runners were left behind.
Kinheim was unable to take more distance in the remainder of the game.
Sander Helmendach took over the HCAW-pitching in the fourth and retired the side.
In the fifth, he walked lead-off hitter Sander Paap, then gave up a single to Niels van Weert, but a strikeout, force out and flyout followed.
Helmendach then retired the side again in the sixth.
Giovanni Tensen became HCAW's third pitcher in the seventh inning and also retired the side.
In the eighth, with two outs, he gave up a double to Giel Benkhorst and walked Dexter de Weert, but they also stranded.
In the top of the ninth, with Kinheim leading 2-0, Scott Ronnenbergh became the new pitcher for Kinheim.
He walked lead-off hitter Kevin Nieveld, but followed with a strikeout.
Next batter Jelle Blaauw also walked and a single by Marciano Philippi then loaded the bases.
Hereafter, Julian Goins grounded to to short stop Dudley Leonora, who forced out Philippi on second base, but Nieveld scored on the grounder.
In an attempt to complete a double play, second baseman Thomas Bos threw the ball past first base and that enabled Blaauw to score the tying run.
Ronnenbergh then closed the inning with a strikeout.
In the bottom of the ninth, Tim Niekerk pitched for HCAW and did fine.
He walked lead-off hitter Jasper Keijzer, but with one out, HCAW turned a double play that ended the game.
|
Kinheim & HCAW in balance in Haarlem
HAARLEM (Neth.) -
HCAW initially was schedule to travel to Merksem in Belgium on Sunday (March 20), where it would have played against Royal Greys.
However, that game was cancelled on Friday-evening by the Belgians.
HCAW contacted Kinheim, which had no games scheduled this weekend, and the Haarlem-club agreed to fill and host the Bussum-club.