(Story by Marco Stoovelaar)
  Netherlands ends up short in exhibition vs. Japan
Nederlands
 HAARLEM (Neth.) -
The Netherlands Baseball Team played an exhibition game against Japan on Thursday-evening (July 12) at the site of Onze Gezellen in Haarlem.
Japan won the 7-inning game with a 4-1 score.
For both teams, it was a final preparation for the 29th edition of the Baseball Week Haarlem, which opens on Friday, July 13.
Besides the Netherlands and Japan, the other participating teams are Chinese Taipei, Cuba, Germany and Italy.
Misja Harcksen was the starting pitcher for the Orange-squad and with that, he made his debut in the National Team.
The righthander threw four innings and gave up the four Japanese runs.
In the first inning, Teruaki Sato led off with a walk and later scored the first run on a single by Toshiya Sato.
Hereafter, the Dutch defense turned a double play.
In the third at bat, a walk also led to the second run.
Yoshiaki Watanabe led off with a walk, advanced on a passed ball and a grounder, then scored on a grounder by Sato.
Japan took more distance in the fourth inning.
Shoki Katsumata led off with a single, then next hitter Yuma Tongu had good contact and hit a homerun.
Lars Huijer, Kevin Kelly and Berry van Driel succceed Harcksen on the Dutch mound.
Huijer retired the side, while both Kelly and Van Driel got a baserunner, but avoided giving up additional runs.
The Netherlands squad reached base in both the first and second at bat, but the Japanese defense turned a double play both times.
Trailing 4-0, the team scored its lone run in the fifth inning, but could gave scored more.
The bases got loaded when Gilmer Lampe, Nick Urbanus and Rodney Daal all walked.
Hereafter, Lampe scored on a single by Denzel Richardson, who also made his Orange-debut.
With one outs, two force play-grounders ended the at bat.
And that was to be all for the Netherlands.
The following Dutch players played:
Stijn van der Meer (SS), Dwayne Kemp (3B-2B), Yurendell de Caster (1B), Gianison Boekhoudt (DH), Gilmer Lampe (LF), Roelie Henrique (LF), Nick Urbanus (2B), Dudley Leonora (3B), Rodney Daal (C), Denzel Richardson (RF), Rachid Engelhardt (PH), Remco Draijer (CF), Misja Harcksen (P), Lars HuijerKevin Kelly (P), Berry van Driel (P).
(July 12)
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