(Story by Marco Stoovelaar)
 DSS closes Play-Downs with come-from-behind victory
Nederlands
 HAARLEM (Neth.) -
DSS closed the Play-Downs on Sunday (August 28) with a 7-4 victory against Pickles UVV, which closed its season.
Because of the victory today by De Glaskoning Twins, UVV finishes in third place in the Play-Downs, which is a seventh place overall.
DSS needed to sweep UVV in this series to secure its big league-spot.
By losing the opener on Thursday, the Haarlem-team ended in fourth (and last) place and has to play a best-of-five Promotion/Relegation Series against the champion of the second highest league ('Overgangsklasse').
This Series opens on Saturday, September 24 after completion of the European Championship in Hoofddorp and Nieuw-Vennep (Neth.).
Today, Storks won only 1-0 against RCH-Pinguïns to become unreachable and with that, the team from The Hague won the title in the second highest league.
With that, Storks will become the opponent of DSS in the Promotion/Relegation Series.
However, it has been rumored in the past weeks, but not yet officially confirmed, that Storks has no plans to promote.
With that, the team that finishes in second place might be considered for the Promotion/Relegation Series.
Second-placed Orioles today lost 11-10 to Onze Gezellen.
With two games left, this means that RCH-Pinguïns can still end up in a tie with Orioles, whom it beat twice a week ago.
Earlier in the season, Orioles won the first head-to-head series (2-0).
In case of a tie, the head-to-head results are 2-2, but the Run Average will be in favor of RCH-Pinguïns.
However, when the second-placed team is considered for the Promotion Series, an one-game play-off probably will be played in case Orioles and RCH-Pinguïns end up in a tie.
When no Promotion/Relegation Series will be played, DSS will remain in the big league.
In Haarlem, DSS initially led 1-0 after three innings, but then trailed 4-2 halfway the sixth inning.
They then scored a run in the bottom of the sixth and seventh inning to come alongside.
UVV scored three runs in the top of the sixth to take a 4-2 lead.
With the bases loaded, (pitcher) Kevin van Veen singled in a run, then Tijmen Takke walked in a run.
The next run was scored on a sacrifice fly by Gilian van Lith, also a pitcher.
A double by Sven van de Sanden (6th inning) and a sacrifice fly by Melvin Perdue (7th inning) tied the score.
DSS then rallied for three runs in the eighth inning to turn the game its way.
DSS took the lead on a throwing error, then added two runs on two wild pitches.
UVV used 21 players today, including Head Coach Ferenc Jongejan.
In its last game of the season, almost all players used played in unfamiliar positions.
Pitchers Timo van Ancum (2nd base), Matt Erickson (3rd base/Catcher), Kevin van Veen (Leftfield), José Moreno (2nd base), Gilian van Lith (Rightfield/Centerfield), Rick Heijman (Designated hiter) and Thijs Steenwijk (Designated hitter) all were used 'in the field' today.
On the other hand, six position players were used as pitchers.
Catcher Sven Jongejans was the starting pitcher, then was followed by infielders Dennis Ribbens and Mike Bazuin.
Outfielders Rick Kuipers, Sergino Martis and Norbert Jongerius followed.
With one out and runners on first and third base, the final pitching change of the season was made, as Head Coach Ferenc Jongejan took the mound himself.
This was his first pitching appearance at the big league-level, since pitching during the postseason for Neptunus in 2004.
He played his last game in the big league on April 20, 2014 when he was the designated hitter against Amsterdam Pirates, which was his lone game at the highest level since 2004.
Today, Jongejan walked the first batter he faced, with ball-four ending in a runscoring wild pitch.
Hereafter, the lefthander struckout two batters, while walking another in the middle.
Last Friday, UVV announced the resignation of Jongejan as Head Coach after completion of the season after having led the team for four years.
With today's pitching appearance, Jongejan ended his coaching periode with the team from Vleuten.
DSS used two players in unfamiliar positions.
Reliever Max Ploegstra played the last three innings in leftfield, while reliever Kevin Geestman was used as a pinch-hitter in the ninth and struckout.
UVV outhit DSS 12-7.
Cecil Comenencia was 3-for-5, but there were also basehits registered by pitchers Timo van Ancum, Matt Erickson (triple) and Kevin van Veen (two).
(complete recap will be added later)
(August 28)
Final Standings Play-Downs
Final Overall Standings
Schedule & Starting Pitchers
Team Rosters
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Play-Downs.