Belgium was off to a surpise start and took a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning.
On Friday, Belgium already had recorded a surprise win against Germany in the Quarter Final to reach the Semi-Final.
The lead was shortlived, as the Netherlands came alongside in the second inning, then took more distance from the third inning on.
Initially, it appeared that the Netherlands was to open the score in the top of the first inning off of Belgian starter Kyran Weemaels.
With one out, Max Draijer and Jelle Kroft both singled, but the inning when Denzel Richardson grounded into a double play.
Belgium then struck with three runs moments later on Orange-starter Nick Keur, who gave up four hits.
The lefthander gave up a lead-off single to Sam Buelens, who then advanced to second base when a pick-off ended in an error.
Moments later, he scored the first Belgian run when a throwing error from the outfield followed a single by Benjamin Goffaux, who ended up on second base.
After he had advanced to third base on a flyout, Keur hit Lucas Rizzi with a pitch.
The next Belgian run was then scored on a following single by Tim Veraghtert, who last season briefly played in the Dutch big league for Pickles UVV.
Hereafter, Keur struckout the next batter, but then saw Rizzi steal third base and score the third run when Axel Poesmans also singled.
A grounder ended the at bat, but the Netherlands trailed 3-0.
The Netherlands recovered and answered with three runs of its own in the top of the second inning, hitting four consecutive basehits to start the at bat.
With one out, Rachid Engelhardt doubled and Ruar Verkerk singled.
Max Clarijs and Nick Peels followed with runscoring singles to make it a 3-2 score.
Peels was then forced out on a grounder by Delano Selassa.
With the latter on first base and Clarijs on third base and two outs, Max Draijer walked.
On what would be the ball-four-pitch, Selassa took off towards second base.
On a 3-1 count, the ball was low, but Belgian catcher Axel Poesmans made a mental error and nevertheless threw the ball high to second base.
When that happened, Clarijs took off from third base and scored the tying run.
...Nick Peels...
...4 RBI's, 2 basehits, triple...
(© Photo: Henk Seppen) |
In the third inning, the Orange again rallied for three runs to take a 6-3 lead.
Denzel Richardson and Kendrick Delima led off with singles and performed a double-steal with one out.
The go-ahead was then scored when Ruar Verkerk reached on an error and Max Clarijs followed with an RBI-double.
The bases got loaded when Nick Peels walked.
A grounder by Delano Selassa accounted for the next run and lifted the lead to 6-3.
In the bottom of the third inning, Nick Keur again ran into problems.
The lefthander gave up singles to Lucas Rizzi and Tim Veraghtert, but was then supported with a double play.
However, he then got the bases loaded when he walked Axel Poesmans and hit his brother Yves Poesmans with a pitch.
That led to a pitching change, as Tim Halderman took over.
With the bases loaded, he closed the inning with a rare strikeout-fielder's choice.
Strike-three was in the dirt and when catcher Max Clarijs got the ball, he stepped on the plate to force out the runner from third base to end the inning.
The seventh Orange-run was added in the fourth inning.
Jelle Kroft then led off with a walked, moved on a wild pitch and a grounder, then scored on a grounder by Kendrick Delima.
The defense of both teams then made some nice plays in the following innings.
In the bottom of the fourth, Halderman gave up two singles with one out, but the Dutch defense then made it second consecutive double play.
In the top of the fifth, it was Belgium that made an inning-ending double play.
In the bottom of the fifth inning, Belgium narrowed the deficit to 7-5 by scoring twice.
With one out, Tim Halderman gave up three consecutive singles.
First, Rob Lewis and Axel Poesmans singled, then Yves Poesmans followed with a runscoring single.
With runners on first and third base, Poesmans was forced out on a grounder by Lino Ballardini, but a run also was scored.
Moments later, Ballardini stole second base, but then was left behind.
...Jelle Blaauw appears to have contact with the base while 1B Lino Ballardini...
...has not yet received the ball during the double play-situation in the 6th inning...
...At left is 1B Umpire David Kulhánek, at right is 1B Coach Eugène Kingsale..
...Looking on is pitcher Brendan Verspreet...
(© Photo from livestream of Playo.tv) |
In the top of the sixth inning, Orange lead-off hitter Max Draijer was hit by a pitch.
Next batter Jelle Blaauw then grounded towards short stop Robin Roevens, who forced out Draijer at second base.
Second baseman Lucas Rizzi tried to complete a double play, but threw the ball into the ground on an one-hop to first base.
Before first baseman Lino Ballardini received the ball, Blaauw appeared to already have touched first base.
However, Czech umpire David Kulhánek saw it differently and called Blaauw out, completing a double play.
While this was a judgement-call, Orange Manager Sidney de Jong asked for an explanation, but the experienced umpire didn't change his decision.
In the bottom of the sixth, Maickel Rietel became the third Dutch pitcher and retired the side.
In the top of the seventh inning, the Netherlands scored two much-needed insurance runs.
With one out, Rachid Engelhardt singled and with two outs, Max Clarijs did the same.
Both scored when Nick Peels delivered a triple into left-centerfield to make it a 9-5 score.
Rietel also retired the side in the seventh and eighth inning.
After the Belgian defense had turned its fourth double play in the eighth, the Netherlands added another run in the ninth.
Rachid Engelhardt led off with a single, moved to third base when Ruar Verkerk also singled, then scored on a sacrifice fly by Nick Peels.
In the bottom of the ninth inning, Rietel hit Belgian lead-off hitter Benjamin Goffaux with a pitch after having retired the previous nine batters he faced.
After striking out the next hitter, the righthander gave up a single to Lucas Rizzi.
Rietel then struckout the next two batters to end the game.
Rietel threw four strong innings and was credited with the win.
When the starting pitcher has not thrown five complete innings when he is replaced with his team leading, he cannot become the winning pitcher.
When more than one reliever is used thereafter and the team stays on top, it is up to the Official Scorer to determine the most effective pitcher in the remainder of the game, who is than credited with the win.
In today's game, the Netherlands collected 16 basehits, including three by Rachid Engelhardt, Ruar Verkerk and Max Clarijs.
Engelhardt scored three runs, while Nick Peels batted in four.
Belgium recorded 12 bashits.
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Netherlands Under-23 in Final European Championship
BRNO / BLANSKO (Czech Rep.) -
The Netherlands Under-23 Baseball Team has reached the Final of the European Under-23 Championship!
On Saturday (August 12), the Orange-squad won 10-5 against Belgium in the first Semi-Final to become the first finalist of the event.
With that, the Netherlands also qualified for next years Under-23 World Championship.
Belgium will play for the Bronze Medal on Sunday (2 PM).
The Final of the first-ever European Championship for players of 23 and younger will be played on Sunday-evening (7 PM).
In the all-deciding game, the Netherlands will meet the Czech Republic, which won 7-3 against Spain in the second Semi-Final on Saturday-evening with Dutch umpire Roy van de Wateringen behind the plate (again).
Spain meets Belgium in the game for third and fourth place.
