(Story by Marco Stoovelaar)
   Netherlands Cadets reach European Championship-Final
Nederlands
  WIENER NEUSTADT / ROHRBACH IN OBERÖSTERREICH (Austria) -
The Netherlands Cadets Team has reached the all-deciding Final of the Under-15 European Championship Cadets on Saturday (July 22) by winning 6-2 against France in the Semi-Final.
Earlier in the day, Germany became the first finalist by winning only 9-8 against reigning champion Czech Republic, which was dethroned as European champion because of this loss.
The Czechs now will play for the Bronze Medal against France.
With today's win, the Orange-squad stayed unbeaten at the Championship, which is played in Austria.
The Netherlands got a fine outing today from starting pitcher Chris Stuart, who struckout eight batters, walked none and gave up only three hits in the six innings he pitched.
In the top of the first inning, Stuart got two quick outs, but then saw a batter reach on an error and gave up a single, but the two runners were left behind.
The Netherlands then got a chance to open the score in the bottom of the first inning, but left the bases loaded.
With one out, Tyriq Kemp walked, Emile Haswell reached on an error and Chris Stuart was hit by a pitch to load the bases.
But the three runners were left behind when a strikeout and groundout followed.
In the second inning, France had a runner on third base with one out, but Stuart closed with two strikeouts.
In the bottom of the second, a Dutch runner also stranded on third base.
Nick Boxelaar led off with a double, moved on a grounder, but a strikeout and grounder ended the at bat.
After Stuart had struckout the side in the top of the fourth inning, the Netherlands opened the score with two runs.
Jesse Velders led off with a walk, which was followed by a pitching change.
Velders then moved on a sacrifice bunt and Jason Netten also walked.
The two runners advanced on a passed ball, then respectively scored on a fielder's choice-grounder by Luca Pastor and a grounder by Raydley Legito.
After four complete innings, a 35-minute rain-delay followed, but when the game resumed, the Netherlands added three more runs in the bottom of the fifth.
Emile Haswell led off with a double and after a pitching change, Chris Stuart singled.
Haswell was then eliminated at the plate trying to score on a grounder by Ayran Araya Lemaire, but Jesse Velders followed with a 2-run triple and Nick Boxelaar added a runscoring single to make it a 5-0 score.
In the sixth, the Orange scored another run.
With one out, Raydley Legito singled and later scored on a wild pitch, but in this inning, three Dutch runners stranded again.
Leading 6-0, Chris Stuart was relieved by Jayden Gonesh in the seventh inning.
He walked the first two batters he faced and they advanced on a passed ball.
Two runscoring singles followed to make it a 6-2 score, but the Dutch defense then turned a double play.
Hereafter, another French basehit was recorded.
With runners on first and second base, Kyshon Giterson became the new Dutch pitcher.
He closed the inning and the game with a strikeout.
(July 22)
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35-minute rain-delay after 4 complete innings with the Netherlands leading 2-0.