...Akswasi Frimpong throws the ceremonial first pitch...
(© Photo: Henk Seppen) |
Before the start of today's game, the ceremonial first pitch was thrown by Akwasi Frimpong.
In February, Frimpong participated in the Olympic Winter Games in Pyeongchang (South Korea).
There, he represented Ghana in skeleton.
Amsterdam Pirates got its first runner in scoring position in the top of the first inning off of starter Elton Koeiman.
The righthander walked lead-off hitter Remco Draijer, who advanced on a grounder, but then stranded on second base.
Neptunus also got into scoring position in its first at bat when Dwayne Kemp doubled with two outs off of starter Kyle Ward, but he also was left behind on second base.
Amsterdam got its next scoring opportunity in the third inning.
With two outs, Nick Urbanus doubled and Gilmer Lampe singled, but a force play ended the at bat.
Lampe played in his first game of the season for Amsterdam.
Last Wednesday-evening, Lampe won the Italian Championship-title with UnipolSai Fortitudo Bologna.
Pitcher Kevin Kelly also returned to the mound for Neptunus after having played in Italy this season.
In the fourth, it was Neptunus' turn to get its second runner into scoring position.
Dwayne Kemp led off with a single, advanced on an one-out single by Darryl Collins, but again stranded on second base.
With one out in the top of the fifth, Amsterdam got two baserunners.
Aidan Finnegan then reached on an error and Remco Draijer singled, but a double play closed the inning.
The same scenario followed in the sixth inning.
With one out, Kenny Berkenbosch singled for Amsteram, which led to a pitching change.
Loek van Mil took over from Elton Koeiman, but was greeted with an infield-hit by Linoy Croes.
Hereafter, the Neptunian defense turned another double play.
In the next four innings (which included the tenth), Van Mil retired the side.
After stranding a runner on second base in the fourth, Neptunus got a runner on first base only twice off of Kyle Ward.
In the eighth inning, Robin Schel took over the Amsterdam-pitching and retired the side.
Neptunus then became the first to get a runner on third base in this game.
Gianison Boekhoudt led off with a single and moved to second base on a sacrifice bunt by Darryl Collins.
Next hitter Shaldimar Daantji then walked and the two runners advanced on a grounder by Quintin De Cuba.
But the two were left behind on second and third base when Greg Muller flied out.
And so, the game went into extra innings for the second consecutive day.
In the top of the eleventh, Brendan Schoemaker took over the Neptunus-pitching, replacing Loek van Mil.
With two outs, Schoemaker walked Gilmer Lampe.
Hereafter, Kenny Berkenbosch connected well and drilled the ball over the leftfield-fence for a 2-run homerun.
Next hitter Linoy Croes doubled, but was left behind.
In the bottom of the eleventh, Robin Schel retired the side to become the winning pitcher.
With that, Amsterdam Pirates completed a 3-game sweep against the reigning champion.
| 
Amsterdam Pirates completes sweep against Neptunus
ROTTERDAM (Neth.) -
L&D Amsterdam Pirates completed a 3-game sweep on Sunday (September 9) against Curaçao Neptunus to close the Championship Pool.
Last Thursday, Amsterdam Pirates opened the series with a convincing 10-3 win in Rotterdam.
Akwasi Frimpong, 2018 Olympic Winter Games participant in skeleton for Ghana, threw out the ceremonial first pitch.