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(Story by Marco Stoovelaar; Photos by Alfred Cop Fotografie)
 HCAW shuts out Neptunus to win Urbanus Tournament
Nederlands
 BUSSUM (Neth.) -
HCAW shutout Curaçao Neptunus 3-0 in the final game of the 36th edition of the In Memoriam Charles Urbanus, Sr. Tournament on Sunday-afternoon (April 22) to win the event for the second year in a row.
With the win, HCAW ended a 9-game winning streak of Neptunus.
It was the ninth time overall that HCAW won the tournament.
Neptunus is the record-holder with ten tournament-titles.
Earlier in the day, L&D Amsterdam Pirates also recorded a 3-0 shutout-win against Hoofddorp Pioniers to finish in third place.
For Pioniers, this was its eighth consecutive loss.
Neptunus participated in the event for the first time since 2001.
That also was the last year, the complete top-four of the previous season formed the field of participants.
The last time that a reigning champion participated was in 2013.
Back then, Kinheim, who won the title in 2012, belonged to the field of participants.
In 1981, Amsterdam-based Amstel Tijgers introduced the tournament in remembrance of Charles Urbanus, who had passed away in 1980.
Urbanus had been a longtime coach of the Netherlands National Baseball Team, as well as OVVO from which Amstel Tijgers was created.
He was the brother of legendary National Team-pitcher Han Urbanus and the uncle of Charles Urbanus (Jr.), who the last few years has been the Head Coach of Amsterdam Pirates.
Early 1989, Amstel Tijgers merged with HCAW, which then also took over the organization of the tournament.
In 1990, the tournament was first played at its home-site in Bussum.
Twice, the tournament was not played.
The first time, it was cancelled due to rain, the second time, it was cancelled when both Neptunus and Kinheim withdrew, as they faced each other in the European Super Cup in the same weekend.
Since the beginning, the three best teams of the previous season were invited to join host club Amstel Tijgers or HCAW.
As both teams belonged to the top-four almost yearly themselves in those seasons, the four best teams participated almost annually.
However, the last time that the complete top-four of a previous season participated in the tournament was 2001.
Since then, the three best teams mostly participated.
They joined host HCAW, which had dropped from the top-four itself.
Last year, HCAW reached the top-four after a long absence.
Remco Draijer of Amsterdam Pirates was the Best Hitter of the tournament for the third consecutive year, setting a record.
Like last year, it was HCAW that had the Best Pitcher of the tournament, as that award went to Chris Pfau.
Gregory Muller of Neptunus was named Most Valuable Player of the event.
Final Standings:
1. HCAW, 2. Curaçao Neptunus, 3. L&D Amsterdam Pirates, 4. Hoofddorp Pioniers.
With this tournament, the exhibition season ended for the four teams.
They will open the regular season coming Thursday-evening (April 26).
Neptunus then opens at home in Rotterdam against Pioniers, while HCAW will begin on the road at Quick Amersfoort in Amersfoort.
Amsterdam Pirates also begins on the road and meets DSS in Haarlem.
(April 22)
Scores
Complete Schedule Regular Season
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Game 5 - L&D Amsterdam Pirates vs. Hoofddorp Pioniers
Amsterdam Pirates got some fine pitching from Kyle Ward, Nick Veltkamp, Maickel Rietel and Jim Ploeger, who threw a combined 2-hitter against Hoofddorp Pioniers.
On the other hand, the Amsterdam-offense was silenced by Pioniers-starter Luuk ter Beek in the first four innings, but then opened the score in the fifth at bat.
Amsterdam won 3-0 to finish in third place, while Pioniers ended up fourth.
In the first four innings, Pioniers got into scoring position only once.
That was done in the top of the third inning off of starter Kyle Ward.
With one out, he gave up a single to Tyler Boersma, who last season played in the second team of Amsterdam and transfered to Hoofddorp in the off-season.
The rookie advanced to second base on a grounder, but then was eliminated trying to advance on a grounder to third base.
Pioniers was then retired in order in the fourth by new pitcher Nick Veltkamp.
Amsterdam got two runners into scoring position in the first four innings.
In the first inning, Nick Urbanus singled with two outs off of Luuk ter Beek.
He stole second base, but then stranded.
In the third inning, Remco Draijer walked with one out, but also was left behind on second base.
Pioniers got close to opening the score in the top of the fifth inning.
Glenn Bakker led off with an infield-hit, then moved on a sacrifice bunt by Joey Eeman and a wild pitch.
With Eeman at third base, Angelo Wicklert lined out, then Tyler Boersma walked, but the two runners were left behind.
Pirates then opened the score with two outs in the bottom of the fifth inning.
With one out, Max Clarijs doubled, but was eliminated at third base, trying to stretch it into a triple.
Next hitter Remco Draijer singled, advanced on a wild pitch and scored the first run when Zerzinho Croes followed with a single.
Nick Urbanus added an RBI-double to make it a 2-0 score.
The Amsterdam-squad added a run in the sixth off of new pitcher Alexander Valdes.
He was greeted with a lead-off single by Linoy Croes, who moved on a wild pitch and a grounder by Rodney Daal.
With two outs, Croes scored on a pinch-hit double by rookie Aidan Finnegan, who batted for Max Markies.
Finnegan and Markies were added to the Amsterdam-roster for today's game from the club's second team.
Maickel Rietel and Jim Ploeger completed the game for Amsterdam.
Both threw one inning and retired the side.
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| L&D Amsterdam Pirates - Hoofddorp Pioniers 3-0 (6½ inn.) |
| R | H | E |
| Hoofddorp Pioniers | 000 | 000 | 0 | - | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| L&D Amsterdam Pirates | 000 | 021 | X | - | 3 | 9 | 0 |
| pitchers Pioniers | inn. | SO | BB | H | R | ER |
| Luuk ter Beek, L (0-1) | 5 | 2 | 1 | 7 | 2 | 2 |
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| Alexander Valdes | 1 | - | - | 2 | 1 | 1 |
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| pitchers Pirates | inn. | SO | BB | H | R | ER |
| Kyle Ward | 3 | 2 | - | 1 | - | - |
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| Nick Veltkamp, W (1-0) | 2 | - | 1 | 1 | - | - |
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| Maickel Rietel, H (1) | 1 | 2 | - | - | - | - |
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| Jim Ploeger, SV (1) | 1 | 1 | - | - | - | - |
Umpires: HP-Edwin Louisa, 1B-Roy van de Wateringen,
3B-Stenar van Groningen Schinkel.
Official Scorers-Rob Schuurman, Feiko Drost.
Starting Time-12:30 PM.
Time Played-1:37 hrs.
Site-Rob Hoffmann Vallei, Sportpark Zanderijweg, Bussum.
Game Notes:
 Exhibition Game.
Game 5, In Memoriam Charles Urbanus, Sr. Tournament 2018. |
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Game 6 - HCAW vs. Curaçao Neptunus
The sixth and final game of the tournament was also decisive for first place.
HCAW and Curaçao Neptunus both had won twice, meaning the winner of this game would also be the winner of the tournament.
While HCAW was leading 2-0 halfway the seventh inning and the playing time had expired, the inning had to be completed according to the tournament-rules for the statistics.
Oddly enough, the previous game between L&D Amsterdam Pirates and Hoofddorp Pioniers ended after 6½ inning.
At that moment, Amsterdam led 3-0 and the bottom of the seventh was not played.
HCAW-starter Chris Pfau threw six strong innings.
The lefthander struckout five hitters and gave up only three basehits.
Oscar Meuris added a hitless seventh inning to earn a save.
Neptunus got into scoring position only three times.
In the top of the first inning, Benjamin Dille reached on an infield-hit with one out and moved on a grounder, but stranded on second base.
With two outs in the third, Jochem Koedijk walked, but also was left behind on second base.
The third time Neptunus got a runner in scoring position was in the sixth.
Dille again reached on an infield-hit with one out, but again stranded on second base.
HCAW was retired in order in the first inning by Mike van den Berg, who made his first start of the exhibition season.
The Bussum-squad then scored twice in the second at bat.
With one out, Bryce Cherry homered to open the score.
Hereafter, Seb Visser reached on a ground-rule double, moved on a grounder by Patrick Bok and scored the second run on a wild pitch.
In the next two innings, HCAW got a baserunner with one out, but both times, the Neptunian defense turned a double play to end the at bat.
HCAW was retired in order in the fifth inning and Neptunus turned another double play in the sixth inning.
In the top of the seventh, Oscar Meuris took over the HCAW-pitching.
With one out, he walked Gregory Muller, but he then struckout the next two hitters.
Berry van Driel threw the seventh inning for Neptunus and gave up HCAW's third run.
He walked lead-off hitter Vince Rooi, then gave up a single to pinch-hitter Roland Laurens,which led to runners at the corners.
Rooi then scored on a grounder by pinch-hitter Berend Ruben.
A grounder and strikeout then ended the inning, the game and the tournament.
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...Left: Chris Pfau was the winning pitcher and also was named Best Pitcher of the tournament...
...Right: The players of HCAW celebrate the win vs. Neptunus and the win of the tournament... |
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...HCAW's Team Manager Frank Mooijman hands out the first prize trophy to Jeandro Tromp of HCAW (left)...
...and the award for Most Valuable Player to Gregory Muller of Neptunus...
(© All Photos: Alfred Cop Fotografie) |
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| HCAW - Curaçao Neptunus 3-0 (7 inn.) |
| R | H | E |
| Curaçao Neptunus | 000 | 000 | 0 | - | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| HCAW | 020 | 000 | 1 | - | 3 | 6 | 1 |
| pitchers Neptunus | inn. | SO | BB | H | R | ER |
| Mike van den Berg, L (0-1) | 3 | - | 1 | 3 | 2 | 2 |
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| Elton Koeiman | 3 | 1 | - | 2 | - | - |
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| Berry van Driel | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
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| pitchers HCAW | inn. | SO | BB | H | R | ER |
| Chris Pfau, W (1-0) | 6 | 5 | 1 | 3 | - | - |
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| Oscar Meuris, SV (2) | 1 | 2 | 1 | - | - | - |
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| Homerun: HCAW: Bryce Cherry (2)(2nd,solo,off Van den Berg). |
Umpires: HP-Roy van de Wateringen, 1B-Stenar van Groningen Schinkel, 3B-Edwin Louisa.
Official Scorers-Rob Schuurman, Feiko Drost.
Starting Time-3:00 PM.
Time Played-1:45 hrs.
Site-Rob Hoffmann Vallei, Sportpark Zanderijweg, Bussum.
Game Notes:
Exhibition Game.
Game 6, In Memoriam Charles Urbanus, Sr. Tournament 2018. |
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Copyright © 1997-2018 Marco Stoovelaar / Grand Slam * Stats & News.
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