(Story by Marco Stoovelaar)
 Pioniers shuts out DSS in lopsided game
Nederlands
 HOOFDDORP (Neth.) -
After the interruption for the Baseball Week Haarlem, the regular season resumed again on Thursday-evening (July 28).
In the remainder of the second half of the season, two 3-game series are scheduled for each of the eight teams.
Thereafter, the top-4 will continue in the Play-Offs, while the bottom-4 continues in the Play-Downs.
Vaessen Pioniers shut out DSS 11-0 in a lopsided, 6½ inning game.
With the win, Pioniers more or less secured itself of a spot in the Play-Offs.
In theory, Pioniers can end up in a tie for fourth place with HCAW.
In case of a tie, one ruling states that the head-to-head result between the teams concerned decides the ranking.
Pioniers has won two of its three games against HCAW in the second half, which means that it has clinched the Play-Offs based on this result.
Another ruling states that when two (or more) teams are tied in a ranking that is decisive for a relegation spot, a play-off game needs to be played.
As one of the teams will play in the Play-Offs and the other in the Play-Downs, one can state that this last series in decisive for relegation, as the team that will finish in last place of the Play-Downs has to play a Promotion/Relegation Series, which of course could end in relegation.
However, it probably will not come to a tie, as it is expected that Pioniers will secure its spot in the Play-Offs in one of the upcoming games.
Pioniers collected 14 basehits tonight, including three by Mervin Gario and Stephen Henson.
Gario also scored three runs, while Brian Raap hit a 2-run homerun in the first inning to give Pioniers an early 2-0 lead.
Pioniers rallied for five runs in the fourth inning.
The first two runs in this at bat were credited to Rik Geestman, who started the inning in relief of rookie-starter Alex Marcussen.
However, Geestman left the mound after facing only two batters (who both walked), due to a shoulder-injury.
Marcussen started instead of the announced Timo van Lingen, who was sick.
In the bottom of the fifth inning, the game was interrupted for 12 minutes due to maintenance to the pitching mound.
Shortly before, a hard drizzle had started to fall and because of that, some of the clay on the mound kept sticking to the shoes of the pitcher.
Lars Huijer went the distance for Pioniers, struckout eleven batters, gave up only four hits and won his ninth game of the season.
(complete recap will be added later)
(July 28)
Standings 2nd half
Standings Overall
Schedule & Starting Pitchers
Team Rosters
| 
12-minute on-field delay in bottom 5th inning due to maintenance to pitching mound.