(Story by Marco Stoovelaar; Photo by Henk Seppen)
  Lars Huijer makes pitching-debut in German Bundesliga
Nederlands
 REGENSBURG (Germany) -
On Saturday-afternoon (September 5), Lars Huijer was the starting pitcher for Heidenheim Heideköpfe against Buchbinder Regensburg Legionäre in the German Bundesliga.
The day before, his addition to the team was announced by the club where he now is a teammate of another Dutch pitcher, Mike Bolsenbroek.
...Lars Huijer pitching for Hoofddorp Pioniers...
(© Photo: Henk Seppen) |
This season, Lars Huijer was one of the pitchers in the Dutch big league for Hoofddorp Pioniers, the club for whom he played in the highest league since 2010.
The righthander pitched for Pioniers in 2010-2011, then again since 2015.
In between, the 26-year old Huijer pitched professionally in the organization of the Seattle Mariners (2011-2014).
In his four professional seasons, Huijer pitched in Rookie League and Single-A, before returning to the Netherlands.
This season, Huijer made four starts for Pioniers and was 2-0 with an 1.50 ERA.
In 24 innings, the righthander struckout 31 batters, walked ten and gave up 14 basehits.
He started his last game for Pioniers on August 22 when he threw a 7-inning complete game in a 12-1 win against Twins Oosterhout.
Thereafter, Pioniers and Huijer separated and he was not in the starting rotation for the next 3-game series.
On Saturday, wearing uniform 36, Lars Huijer was the starting pitcher for Heidenheim Heidenköpfe in an away-game against Regensburg Legionäre at Armin-Wolf-Arena.
Huijer pitched six innings, struckout eight batters, walked none and gave up eight basehits.
He also gave up three runs (one earned) that were scored by Regensburg in the first (one) and third inning (two runs).
Heidenheim came alongside by scoring in the third, fourth and sixth inning, but Huijer ended up with a no-decision.
The starting pitcher for Regensburg was Czech Jan Tomek, who in 2017 pitched briefly in the Dutch big league for Neptunus.
He also has a no-decision.
Huijer retired the side in the first inning, beginning with a strikeout.
In the second inning, he got the bases loaded via three singles (two with one out), but then struckout the next batter and a grounder ended the at bat.
The Dutch international gave up his first run in the third inning on an one-out single by Matt Vance, but closed with two more strikeouts.
In the fourth, Regensburg's lead-off hitter Lukas Jahn reached when Huijer made an error, then a single followed.
The two runners advanced on a passed ball, a sacrifice fly accounted for a run, but Huijer again closed with a strikeout.
Huijer also ended the fifth inning with a strikeout when Regensburg had a runner on second base.
He then gave up another unearned run in the sixth.
Catching for Heidenheim was 37-year old veteran Simon Gühring, who also is one of the coaches of the team.
In 2004, Gühring played in the Dutch big league for ADO.
With the score at 3-3, Huijer was relieved by Enorbel Marquez-Ramirez in the bottom of the seventh.
The 44-year old Cuban-born lefthander ran into problems quickly.
The first batter he faced reached on an error, then the bases got loaded when Marquez-Ramirez hit the next two batters with a pitch.
David Grimes then delivered a 2-run double and Pascal Amon followed with a 3-run homerun.
Hereafter, Lukas Jahn singled and then Elias Von Garssen hit a 2-run homerun.
When Marquez-Ramirez walked next batter Eric Harms, he was relieved by 17-year old rookie Lou Helmig
Marquez-Ramirez had faced eight batters, who all had reached base.
Regensburg added one more run in this 8-run rally and went on to win 14-3.
Marquez-Ramirez joined Heidenheim last season after having pitched for Rimini in Italy for several seasons.
With the win, Regensburg won its ninth game in a row since the start of the German season, while Heidenheim suffered its first loss.
On Sunday, Heidenheim handed Regensburg its first loss by winning 12-7.
Winning pitcher for Heideköpfe was Wes Roemer (4-0), while Mike Bolsenbroek threw the last four innings to earn his second save.
The two teams now share first place in the Southern Division of the Ben's Baseball Bundesliga with a 9-1 record.
Coming Friday, Heidenheim Heideköpfe will play the first of two home-games against It Sure Falcons Ulm.
(September 6)
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