Two veteran pitchers took the mound in this first Semi-Final.
45-year old righthander Rob Cordemans started for Amsterdam Pirates, while 38-year old lefthander Orlando 'Junior' Oberto Amoroso was the starter for Parma.
Parma opened the score in the top of the first inning off of Rob Cordemans.
Segundo Paolini and Aldo Koutsoyanopulos began the game with singles, which led to runners on first and third base.
Paolini then scored a run when everyone was safe on a fielder's choice-grounder in front of the plate by Charlie Mirabal.
Parma now had runners on first and second base and still no outs.
The runners advanced on a sacrifice bunt by Sebastiano Poma.
With runners now on second and third base, Cordemans kept his cool and showed his experience.
He ended the early threat by striking out the next two batters.
Amsterdam Pirates immediately answered with a 5-run rally in its first at bat off of starter Junior Oberto.
The Venezuela-born lefthander, who has an Italian passport, plays in Italy since 2003 and has pitched in the highest league since 2006 for Grosseto, Bologna and San Marino.
Last year, Oberto was the Manager of the baseball-team of Bollate, but he decided to return as an active player himself and joined the team of Parma.
He pitched for the Italian National Team in several events, including the Intercontinental Cup (2006), World Championship (2007) and World Baseball Classic (2017).
With the National Team of Venezuela, Oberto played in the 2002 Intercontinental Cup.
Amsterdam scored its five runs with two outs.
Roelie Henrique led off with a flyout, then Sharlon Schoop grounded out.
Hereafter, six of the seven next batters hit a basehit and eight consecutive batters would reach base.
With two outs, Denzel Richardson hit his third homerun of the tournament to tie the score.
Hereafter, Kenny Berkenbosch and Delano Selassa both singled.
Linoy Croes followed with a runscoring single, then two more runs were added on a double by Niels van Weert.
Next batter Max Clarijs walked, but then another run was scored on a single by Victor Draijer, which made it a 5-1 score.
The inning ended when Clarijs was forced out on third base on a grounder by Roelie Henrique.
Parma got one run back in the top of the second inning.
Rafael Vinales then led off with a triple and scored on a sacrifice fly by Luca Scalera.
...Victor Draijer batted in three runs for Amsterdam Pirates...
(© Photo: Henk Seppen) |
In the next four innings, Rob Cordemans encountered no problems and allowed only one batter to reach base.
After having retired 13 batters in a row, Cordemans walked Charlie Mirabal with one out in the sixth, but then retired the next two batters again.
Pirates added two more runs in the bottom of the third inning.
Linoy Croes led off with a single and Niels van Weert walked.
The two moved on a sacrifice bunt by Max Clarijs and both scored on a following single by Victor Draijer.
When next batter Roelie Henrique reached on a bunt-single, a pitching change followed.
Canadian-born righthander Marc-André Habeck took over and he got an inning-ending double play.
But Pirates now lead 7-2.
Amsterdam added an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth off of Habeck, who pitched for the French National Team during the 2016 European Championship.
With one out out, Sharlon Schoop walked.
He then stole second base and was able to continue to third base, as the pitch ended in a wild pitch.
With two outs, Schoop scored when Kenny Berkenbosch reached on an error.
In the top of the seventh, Parma was able to do something again off of Cordemans.
Lead-off hitter Alex Sambucci reached on an error, but next batter Rafael Vinales grounded into a double play.
Hereafter, Mattia Mercuri walked and scored on a double by Luca Scalera.
When Cordemans walked next batter Segundo Paolini, his afternoon on the mound ended.
With runners on first and second base, Mike Groen took over and closed the inning with a strikeout.
In the top of the eighth, Nick Veltkamp became the next pitcher for Amsterdam.
He walked lead-off hitter Charlie Mirabal (who moved on a grounder and a wild pitch), then also walked Alex Sambucci with two outs, but closed with a strikeout.
In the ninth, Parma scored another run.
Mattia Mercuri led off with a double.
With one out, his pinch-runner Riccardo Flisi advanced on a grounder.
With Flisi on third base, Maickel Rietel was inserted as new pitcher for Amsterdam.
He was greeted with a runscoring single by Aldo Koutsoyanopulos that made it an 8-4 score.
Moments later Koutsoyanopulos stole second base, but the inning and the game then ended when Charlie Mirabal grounded out.
With that, Amsterdam Pirates became the first finalist of this years European Champions Cup-tournament.
|
Amsterdam Pirates first finalist after convincing win against Parma
BOLOGNA (Italy) -
L&D Amsterdam Pirates became the first finalist of the European Champions Cup-tournament by winning 8-4 against Parmaclima (Italy) in the Semi-Final on Friday-afternoon (June 7).
Amsterdam Pirates briefly trailed 1-0, but then decided the game with an early 5-run rally in the first inning.
Semi-Final European Champions Cup 2019.