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(Story by Marco Stoovelaar) HCAW wins Urbanus Tournament Nederlands BUSSUM (Neth.) - HCAW is the winner of the 35th edition of the In Memoriam Charles Urbanus Sr. Tournament. On Sunday (April 9), the host of the event played an 8-8 against Hoofddorp Pioniers and lost 4-3 to L&D Amsterdam Pirates, but nevertheless ended up in first place. That was the result of Pirates losing 4-2 to Pioniers in the second game of the day. It marked the first time since 2013 that HCAW won the event and the eighth time overall. The tournament was first organized in 1981, but then by Amsterdam-based Amstel Tijgers. HCAW hosts the tournament since 1990. When the first game on Sunday ended in an 8-8 tie, it meant that Pioniers was eliminated for first place. Amsterdam Pirates had two games left and could move into first place when it would have won both. However, the Amsterdam-squad lost to Pioniers and with that, HCAW became the tournament-winner. The final game of the event was then decisive for second place and that was claimed by Pirates when it won against the host. Pirates won the tournament a year ago. Shurman Marlin of Pioniers was named Most Valuable Player of the tournament. The award for Best Pitcher went to Kaj Timmermans (HCAW) and Remco Draijer (Pirates) was the Best Hitter of the event for the second year in a row. With these games, the exhibition season ended for these three teams. Coming Thursday (April 13), the regular season opens. Amsterdam Pirates, which last year reached the Holland Series, opens the new season against DSS at Haarlem. HCAW also opens the season on the road and will play at Hoofddorp Pioniers. (April 9) Complete regular season schedule Related Articles: HCAW wins twice on Day 1 of Urbanus Tournament. (April 8) Rachid Engelhardt joins HCAW for Urbanus Tournament. (April 7) Tom de Blok signs contract with Detroit Tigers. (April 4) Neptunus splits double-header vs. Pirates & Pioniers. (April 2) Productive HCAW wins comfortable at DSS. (April 2) DSS strikes in fifth inning against HCAW. (April 1) Neptunus wins against Pioniers in attractive game. (April 1) DSS unbeaten winner Van de Vegte Memorial. (March 26) Game Amsterdam Pirates vs. UVV ends in tie. (March 26) Pioniers, DSS, HCAW win on first day Van de Vegte Memorial. (March 25) Amsterdam Pirates holds UVV scoreless. (March 25) HCAW plays two 6-inning games and wins twice. (March 19) Pirates wins twice to win Loek Loevendie Tournament. (March 19) Pioniers again wins against RCH-Pinguïns. (March 19) Pioniers opens exhibition season with two wins. (March 18) Two games end in tie at Loek Loevendie Tournament. (March 18) Neptunus registers huge exhibition-victory. (March 12) Neptunus wins exhibition game at HCAW. (March 11) Exhibition games Amsterdam Pirates cancelled. (March 11) HCAW opens exhibition season with small win. (March 4)

HCAW vs. Hoofddorp Pioniers In the first game on Sunday, HCAW scored three runs in the second inning and led 4-1 when the sixth and final inning began. In this inning, the bullpens of both teams failed to hold onto a lead. In the top of the sixth, Pioniers suddenly came back into the game, rallied for seven runs and took an 8-4 lead! However, in the bottom of the sixth, HCAW answered with four unearned runs to come alongside. The HCAW-defense turned a double play in the top of the first inning, but then left three runners (who all walked) behind in the bottom of the first inning off of starting pitcher Nick Keur. But the Bussum-squad then struck with three runs in the second at bat. Rachid Engelhardt and Raoell Kortstam led off with singles, then both moved on a wild pitch. The first run was scored when Boyd Tuhumury followed with a single. With two outs, Vince Rooi connected for a 2-run double that made it a 3-0 score. HCAW added another run in the fourth inning. With one out, Boyd Tuhumury reached second base when his fly into the outfield was missed. He advanced on a single by Roelie Henrique, which led to a pitching change. Maickel Rietel took over, but he saw Delano Selassa hit a sacrifice fly that lifted the lead to 4-0. After being supported with a double play in the first inning, strong throwing HCAW-starter Steven van Groningen retired the side in the next three innings. With a 4-0 lead and after having faced only 12 batters, Van Groningen's No-Hitter ended when Jeffrey Arends led off the fifth with a single. However, he was eliminated when he tried to stretch it into a double. Next batter Shurman Marlin homered. With a 4-1 lead, rookie Jasper Popken took over the HCAW-pitching in the top of the sixth, but he and his successors Tim Niekerk and Sedley Karel ran into problems, as Pioniers struck with seven runs on only three hits. Popken walked pinch-hitter Quintin De Cuba, but he was forced out on a grounder by Joey Eeman. Next batter Sander Paap walked and Dudley Leonora followed with a runscoring single. The bases then got loaded when Jeffrey Arends was hit by a pitch. Hereafter, Tim Niekerk took over the pitching, but he gave up an RBI-single to Shurman Marlin, uncorked a runscoring wild pitch that led to the tying run and gave up a runscoring single to Brennan Nijhof that put Pioniers ahead, 5-4. Another pitching change followed, as Sedley Karel took over. He got a grounder from Glenn Bakker, but also led to another run. The bases got loaded again when Karel walked Duco Nuijten and Quintin De Cuba. Karel had problems finding the strike-zone, as he also walked next batters Joey Eeman and Sander Paap, which gave Pioniers two more runs and made it an 8-4 score. Three runners were left behind when a grounder ended the at bat, but the game had clearly turned the way of Pioniers. That quickly changed moments later, as HCAW also had a productive sixth inning after a pitching change and scored four unearned runs. With an 8-4 lead, Scott Ronnenbergh became the new pitcher for Pioniers. He walked lead-off hitter Raoell Kortstam, who reached second base safely with one out when an error was made on a force play-grounder by Roelie Henrique. A strikeout followed, but Ronnenbergh then gave up a runscoring single to Vince Rooi. Another run was scored when Henrique was awarded home plate on a balk. Hereafter, Rossini Frolijk walked and Kevin Dirksen followed with a 2-run double to make it an 8-8 score. Darryl Jamoena then became the new Pioniers-pitcher and ended the inning.

HCAW - Hoofddorp Pioniers 8-8 (6 inn.) R H E Hoofddorp Pioniers 000 017 - 8 6 3 HCAW 030 104 - 8 8 0 pitchers Pioniers inn. SO BB H R ER Nick Keur 3.1 2 3 5 4 3 Maickel Rietel 1.2 - - 1 - - Scott Ronnenbergh 0.2 1 2 2 4 - Darryl Jamoena 0.1 - - - - - pitchers HCAW inn. SO BB H R ER Steven van Groningen 5 1 - 3 1 1 Jasper Popken, H (1) 0.1 - 2 1 4 4 Tim Niekerk, BS (1) - (*) - - 2 2 2 Sedley Karel 0.2 - 4 - 1 1 (*) - Niekerk pitched to two batters in the sixth inning Homerun: Pioniers: Shurman Marlin (3)(5th,solo,off Van Groningen). Final Exhibition Standings Exhibition Scores Schedule Umpires: HP-Roy van de Wateringen, 1B-Peter de Haan, 3B-Edwin Louisa. Official Scorer-Feiko Drost. Public Address Announcer-none. Scoreboard Operator-Nico van de Luitgaren. Starting Time-10:00 AM. Time Played-2:09 hrs. Site-Rob Hoffmann Vallei, Sportpark Zanderijweg, Bussum. Game Notes: Exhibition Game. Game 4 - In Memoriam Charles Urbanus Sr. Tournament. Weather conditions at game time: Sunny, 13,4° C (56,1° F); wind direction south-southeast; wind speed 12 kmh (7,8 mph); wind force 2 Bft; humidity 41%.

Hoofddorp Pioniers vs. L&D Amsterdam Pirates Pioniers-starter Glenn Wassink saw Pirates getting close to a run in the first and third inning, but held the team scoreless. In the top of the first inning, Remco Draijer led off for the Amsterdam-squad with a double and Gilmer Lampe singled. But with runners at the corners, a pop-fly by Nick Urbanus ended in a double play and a flyout closed the at bat. In the third, Rashid Gerard led off with a single and moved to second base on a grounder. With two outs, Gilmer Lampe walked, but Pirates again stranded two runners. Pioniers also got into scoring position early off of Robin Schel. Lead-off hitter Dudley Leonora could have been eliminated twice, before he indeed was eliminated shortly thereafter in a new situation. He first reached on a fielding error, then should have been eliminated in a pick-off by the catcher, but that also ended in an error. However, Leonora left he base, thinking he was out, and started walking towards the dug-out, then was tagged out by first baseman Kenny Berkenbosch in what was the third different situation to eliminate him. With two outs, Shurman Marlin doubled, but was left behind. In the bottom of the third inning, Pioniers scored three runs when the Amsterdam-defense committed two more errors. Duco Nuijten led off with a single, then an error followed on a force play-grounder by Joey Eeman. A double by Dudley Leonora and a wild pitch produced two runs. With one out, Shurman Marlin walked, then reached second base safely when an error was made on a force-play grounder by Jeffrey Arends, which led to another run. A double play ended the at bat, by Pioniers led 3-0. Pirates got one run back in the top of the fifth. Rashid Gerard led off with a single, moved on an one-out single by Remco Draijer and a wild pitch, then scored on a single by Gilmer Lampe. Hereafter, Wassink was relieved by Angelo Wicklert, who saw Nick Urbanus ground into an inning-ending double play. In the bottom of the fifth, Pioniers added another run off of new pitcher Nick Veltkamp. He walked lead-off hitter Joey Eeman, then got the bases loaded with two outs when he also walked Shurman Marlin and Jeffrey Arends. Another walked followed, this time for Quintin De Cuba, resulting in the run. Pioniers then stranded three runners when a flyout ended the at bat. In the top of the sixth, Kenny Berkenbosch led off for Pirates with a walk and Linoy Croes singled, but hereafter, Wicklert again was supported with a double play. He was then relieved by Darryl Jamoena, who saw Berkenbosch score on a wild pitch that made it a 4-2 score. With the result of this game, HCAW became unreachable and with that was the winner of the tournament.

Hoofddorp Pioniers - L&D Amsterdam Pirates 4-2 (6 inn.) R H E L&D Amsterdam Pirates 000 011 - 2 7 4 Hoofddorp Pioniers 003 010 - 4 4 0 pitchers Pirates inn. SO BB H R ER Robin Schel, L (1-1) 4 2 3 4 3 1 Nick Veltkamp 2 3 4 - 1 1 pitchers Pioniers inn. SO BB H R ER Glenn Wassink, W (2-2) 4.1 1 2 6 1 1 Angelo Wicklert, H (1) 1.1 - 1 1 1 1 Darryl Jamoena, SV (1) 0.1 - 1 - - - Final Exhibition Standings Exhibition Scores Schedule Umpires: HP-Edwin Louisa, 1B-Roy van de Wateringen, 3B-Peter de Haan. Official Scorer-Feiko Drost. Public Address Announcer-Huub Baaij. Scoreboard Operator-Nico van de Luitgaren. Starting Time-12:40 PM. Time Played-1:55 hrs. Site-Rob Hoffmann Vallei, Sportpark Zanderijweg, Bussum. Game Notes: Exhibition Game. Game 5 - In Memoriam Charles Urbanus Sr. Tournament. Weather conditions at game time: Sunny, 16,2° C (61,2° F); wind direction south-southeast; wind speed 12 kmh (7,8 mph); wind force 2 Bft; humidity 37%.

L&D Amsterdam Pirates vs. HCAW HCAW again took the lead in this game, but like in the earlier game today, the team was unable to hold into it. The difference this time was that it took an early lead, then trailed from the second inning on. In the top of the first inning, HCAW opened the score off of starter Kyle Ward. The lefthander gave up a lead-off single to Roelie Henrique, who then moved on a passed ball and a single by Delano Selassa. While the latter was forced out on a grounder by Vince Rooi, Henrique scored. Rossini Frolijk followed with another single, but two runners were left behind when the next two batters flied out. Amsterdam Pirates turned the game its way in the bottom of the second inning off of starter Ian Delemarre. Kalian Sams led off with a double, then Kenny Berkenbosch walked and Patrick Bok followed with a runscoring single that tied the score. The bases got loaded when Max Clarijs also singled. Amsterdam took a 2-1 lead thanks to a sacrifice fly by Norbert Jongerius, but two runners stranded when two grounders followed. Pirates added two more runs in the bottom of the third inning. Nick Urbanus led off with a single, then Gilmer Lampe reached on an error. Hereafter, two quick outs followed. Lampe was forced out on a grounder by Kalian Sams, who himself was eliminated moments later at first base with a pick-off But hereafter, Kenny Berkenbosch and Remco Draijer delivered back-to-back runscoring doubles to increase the lead to 4-1. It also led to a pitching change. In the top of the fourth, HCAW narrowed the deficit to 4-3 by scoring twice. With two outs, Raoell Kortstam walked and Sven Jongejans singled. Pinch-hitter Kevin Dirksen followed with a 2-run double to make it a 4-3 score. Daan Hendrix took over the Amsterdam-pitching and closed the at bat. In the fifth, Hendrix gave up a lead-off single to Delano Selassa and walked Vince Rooi. After a flyout, the Amsterdam defense turned an inning-ending double play. In the sixth and final inning, the righthander gave up an one-out single to Boyd Tuhumury. A flyout followed, then a strikeout ended the inning.

L&D Amsterdam Pirates - HCAW 4-3 (6 inn.) R H E HCAW 100 200 - 3 8 1 L&D Amsterdam Pirates 022 000 - 4 9 0 pitchers HCAW inn. SO BB H R ER Ian Delemarre, L (1-2) 2.2 1 1 7 4 4 Giovanni Tensen 2.1 1 1 - - - Oscar Meuris 1 1 - 2 - - pitchers Pirates inn. SO BB H R ER Kyle Ward, W (2-0) 3.2 3 1 6 3 3 Daan Hendrix, SV (1) 2.1 1 1 2 - - Final Exhibition Standings Exhibition Scores Schedule Umpires: HP-Peter de Haan, 1B-Edwin Louisa, 3B-Roy van de Wateringen. Official Scorer-Feiko Drost. Public Address Announcer-Huub Baaij. Scoreboard Operator-Nico van de Luitgaren. Starting Time-3:05 PM. Time Played-2:01 hrs. Site-Rob Hoffmann Vallei, Sportpark Zanderijweg, Bussum. Game Notes: Exhibition Game. Game 6 - In Memoriam Charles Urbanus Sr. Tournament. Weather conditions at game time: Sunny, 18,6° C (65,5° F); wind direction south-southeast; wind speed 12 kmh (7,8 mph); wind force 2 Bft; humidity 39%.

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