(Story by Marco Stoovelaar)
             
Netherlands Juveniles eliminated for Final
Nederlands
 BUDAPEST (Hungary) -
The Netherlands Juveniles Team was eliminated for the Final of 13th European Championship Juveniles on Saturday (July 7) after losing 10-5 in the Semi-Final against the Czech Republic.
Earlier in the day, Italy became the first finalist by winning its Semi-Final against Russia, 5-4.
The Final of the event in Hungarian capital Budapest will be played on Sunday-afternoon.
The Netherlands will play for Bronze against Russia.
In the first Semi-Final today, Italy trailed 3-1 after three innings against Russia, but came alongside in the fourth.
Russia took another lead in the fifth inning, but Italy again was able to come back, scored twice and went on to win 5-4.
Dutch umpire Antoine Loock was behind the plate in this game.
In the second Semi-Final, the Netherlands opened the score with three runs in the top of the first inning.
The lead was briefly, as opponent Czech Republic, anwered with two runs, then scored three more in the second at bat.
With the win, the Czechs remained unbeaten, as is its opponent in the Final, Italy.
In the top of the first inning, the Orange-squad scored three runs on an error and doubles by Mats van het Land and Jayden van Atten.
The Czechs got two runs back in its first at bat off of starter Kimi Verkruijssen.
In the next inning, his successor Guido Feldkamp saw the Czechs come alongside.
Jayden van Atten then became the third Dutch pitcher, but he also was unable to stop the Czechs from scoring and gave up two runs.
After the Czechs had scored another run in the fourth, the Netherlands narrowed the deficit to 6-5 in the top of the fifth.
The bases got loaded when Otis Ward reached on an error, Pepijn Beerman singled and another error was made on a grounder by Junairo Ostiana.
A single by Mats van het Land then led to a run and kept the bases loaded.
With one out, Beerman took off from third base after Jayden van Atten flied out and scored when an error at the plate was made.
But hereafter, two runners were left behind.
The Czechs then decided the game with a 4-run rally in the bottom of the fifth.
(July 7)
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