www.grand-slam.nl	Baseball
	Headlines

Compiled and Copyright © 1997-2020 by Marco Stoovelaar

(Story by Marco Stoovelaar; Photos by Robert Bos & Henk Seppen) Urbanus Tournament: Neptunus wins; HCAW vs. Amsterdam Pirates ends in tie Nederlands BUSSUM / ROTTERDAM (Neth.) - On Thursday-evening (July 16), the first two games were played of the 38th edition of the In Memoriam Charles Urbanus Sr. Tournament, which will be held this year on four different sites. Tournament-organisor HCAW played at home in Bussum and faced reigning champion L&D Amsterdam Pirates. HCAW trailed several times, but the 9-inning game ended with an 8-8 tie. At Rotterdam, home-playing Curaçao Neptunus also trailed against Hoofddorp Pioniers, but won 5-2 thanks to a grand slam homerun in the eighth inning. The Urbanus Tournament was scheduled for April 17-19, but had to be cancelled due to an adjustment in the schedule of the regular season. When the Final Olympic Qualifier in Taiwan was postponed from April to June due to the coronavirus-pandemic, some games of the regular season in the Dutch big league were moved to other dates. Initially, the season was to open on Thursday, April 23, but a 3-game series from June was moved to earlier in the schedule, which moved Opening Night from April 23 to April 16. HCAW then hoped to re-schedule the tournament to earlier in the exhibition schedule. However, due to the measures taken against the spread of the coronavirus, the entire exhibition season was cancelled and the start of the regular season was postponed several times. On June 25, it was announced that the regular season will open on Thursday, July 23. A new exhibition schedule was compiled, but was changed shortly thereafter. Included in the new schedule was the Urbanus Tournament with participants HCAW and Neptunus playing at home tonight and Amsterdam Pirates and Hoofddorp Pioniers playing at home on Saturday. The tournament then will close with two games on Sunday at HCAW's site in Bussum. Two other exhibition games were initially included in tonight's schedule. DSS/Kinheim was to play at home against Silcon Storks, but that game already was cancelled. Twins Oosterhout was to host Quick Amersfoort at Rosmalen, but that game was cancelled earlier this week. These teams will face each other coming weekend. (July 16) Standings Exhibition Season Scores Schedule

...Delano Selassa had two basehits (one double), scored twice... ...and batted in two runs for Amsterdam Pirates... (© Photo: Henk Seppen) HCAW vs. L&D Amsterdam Pirates In an attractive game, HCAW and L&D Amsterdam Pirates traded leads throughout and then settled for an 8-8 tie. Pirates took the lead four times, but each failed to hold onto. HCAW was leading in the eight, but then saw Pirates turn the game its way again. The bullpens of both teams were unable to save the lead and that led to four Blown Saves. The game started with a time-play in the top of the first inning off of starter Luuk ter Beek. Roelie Henrique led off for Pirates with a basehit. With one out, he stole second base, then advanced to third base on a wild pitch. Pirates got another baserunner when Kalian Sams walked. Next batter Kenny Berkenbosch then flied out to leftfield. After the ball was caught, Henrique took off to score, while the ball was thrown back to the infield. Sams returned too late to first base, resulting in a double play, but in the meantime, Pirates had opened the score. Amsterdam-starter Rob Cordemans allowed only one batter to reach base in the first two innings, but then gave up the tying run in the bottom of the third. With one out, Berend Ruben doubled, moved on a grounder by Jeandro Tromp and scored on a single by Bob van der Meer. Pirates re-took the lead in the sixth inning. Kalian Sams led off with a double, which was the second basehit allowed by Ter Beek, who had walked four batters in the previous five innings. With Sams on second base, Ter Beek hit Kenny Berkenbosch with a pitch, then gave up a runscoring single to Delano Selassa. Hereafter, Gio de Graauw took over the pitching, but he was greeted with a runscoring single by Rashid Gerard that gave Pirates a 3-1 lead. In the bottom of the fourth, Tom de Blok became the second pitcher for Amsterdam. The righthander threw three scoreless innings and allowed only one player to reach base. That was Patrick Bok, who did it twice, hitting a lead-off single in the fourth and a 2-out double in the sixth. In the seventh, with Pirates leading 3-1, Matz Schutte relieved De Blok and saw HCAW come alongside. He got the bases loaded when Kevin Dirksen singled, (former Pirate) Linoy Croes doubled and Arthur Bonevacia walked. Moments later, Dirksen scored on a wild pitch and Croes scored the tying run on a grounder by Berend Ruben. In the top of the eighth, Amsterdam Pirates took the lead for the third time. De Graauw walked Kenny Berkenbosch and Delano Selasssa, then everyone was safe on a fielder's choice-sacrifice bunt by Rashid Gerard. With the bases loaded and no outs, Niels van Weert delivered a 2-run single to make it a 5-3 score. With runners on second and third base, De Graauw recovered and struckout the next three batters. In the bottom of the eighth, it was HCAW's turn to score again. This time, the home-team scored three runs to take the lead for the first time. Schutte got the bases loaded with one out. First, he hit lead-off hitter Bob van der Meer with a pitch, then walked pinch-hitter Arthur Lugtmeijer. With one out, Kevin Dirksen singled to load the bases. That was followed by a runscoring single by Linoy Croes, which to a pitching change. Mike Groen took over and began with a strikeout, but then then walked Leandro Anasagasti, which brought in the tying run. Berend Ruben then singled to give HCAW a 6-5 lead. With the bases still loaded, Groen closed with a strikeout. HCAW's lead also didn't last long, as Pirates answered with three runs in the top of the ninth. Gilmer Lampe and Kalian Sams began with singles. The latter was then forced out on a grounder by Kenny Berkenbosch. With runners at the corners, Johannes Verroen Garcia took the mound for HCAW. He was greeted with a 2-run double by Delano Selassa which made it a 7-6 score in favor of Pirates. Selassa scored himself on a single by Rashid Gerard. But Amsterdam's fourth lead was erased in the bottom of the ninth. This also would be the last at bat, as the games will last of nine innings, according to the tournament-rules. With Pirates leading 8-6, rookie Naut Kragt became Amsterdam's fifth pitcher of the evening. Like his predecessor, he got the bases loaded quickly. Bob van der Meer led off with a single, Arthur Lugtmeijer walked and Rodney Daal singled. After Dion Frank had entered the game as pinch-runner for Daal, Kragt struckout the next batter, but then uncorked a wild pitch enabling Van der Meer to score. Shortly hereafter, Kragt made a throwing error on a comeback-grounder from Linoy Croes. That led to the tying run and runners on second and third base. With first base open, Arthur Bonevacia was walked intentionally to set up a force play. HCAW left three runners behind, as a flyout and strikeout ended the at bat. And with that, the final score was 8-8.

HCAW - L&D Amsterdam Pirates 8-8 (9 inn.) R H E L&D Amsterdam Pirates 100 002 023 - 8 10 1 HCAW 001 000 232 - 8 12 1 pitchers Pirates inn. SO BB H R ER Rob Cordemans 3 - - 3 1 1 Tom de Blok 3 2 - 2 - - Matz Schutte, BS (1) 1.1 - 2 4 5 5 Mike Groen, BS (1) 0.2 2 1 1 - - Naut Kragt, BS (1) 1 2 2 2 2 1 pitchers HCAW inn. SO BB H R ER Luuk ter Beek 5 (*) 3 4 3 3 3 Gio de Graauw 3.1 3 3 5 4 4 Johannes Verroen Garcia, BS (1) 0.2 - - 2 1 1 (*) - Ter Beek pitched to three batters in the sixth inning Umpires: HP-Martijn Bosschaart, 1B-Efrem Silvania. Official Scorer-Rob Schuurman. Technical Commissioner-Peter Brink. Public Address Announcer-Huub Baaij. Scoreboard Operator-Nico van de Luitgaren. Starting Time-7:33 PM. Time Played-3:16 hrs.. Site-Rob Hoffmann Vallei, Sportpark Zanderijweg, Bussum. Game Notes: Game 1, In Memoriam Charles Urbanus Sr. Tournament 2020. Weather conditions at game time: Partly cloudy, 17° C (62,6° F); wind direction northwest; wind speed 16 kmh (9,2 mph); wind force 3 Bft; humidity 75%.

...Quintin De Cuba is greeted after his grand slam homerun... (© Photo: Robert Bos) Curaçao Neptunus vs. Hoofddorp Pioniers The game between Curaçao Neptunus and Hoofddorp Pioniers remained scoreless in the first four innings, as lefthanded starters Chris Pfau and Diegomar Markwell both did well. But it was Pioniers that broke the scoreless tie in the top of the fifth inning off of Markwell, who gave up only three basehits in the five innings he pitched. Markwell retired the first seven batters he faced. In the third inning, Pioniers left runners behind on first and third base. In the fifth, Markwell hit lead-off hitter Duco Nuijten with a pitch. The lefthander then made a throwing error on a sacrifice bunt by next batter Nolan Beugeling, which led to runners at the corners. With one out, Nuijten scored in a double-steal situation. With two outs, Beugeling scored the next run on a single by Jaison Gijsbertha. He was eliminated himself on second base trying to advance on the throw to the plate. With a 2-0 lead, Pioniers-starter Chris Pfau gave up the first Neptunus-run in the bottom of the sixth. Lead-off hitter Jarreau Martina reached third base on a throwing error by Pfau, then scored on a grounder by Greg Muller. Pfau gave up only four basehits and striking out five batters in the six innings he pitched. After last season Pfau returned to Pioniers after having played for HCAW for whom he pitched in 2018 and 2019. In the top of the sixth, Berry van Driel had taken over the pitching for Neptunus and threw a scoreless and hitless one-two-three inning. In the next three at bats, Pioniers also was unable to score or record a basehit off of Jiorgeny Casimiri and Kevin Kelly. Casimiri's first inning began with two errors, but with runners on first and second base and one out, he struckout the next two batters to close the inning. As it had done in its previous exhibition games, Neptunus struck late to turn the game its way. Facing new pitcher Daniël Vos, the home-team got the bases loaded. Shaldimar Daantji led off with a walk, but was forced out on a grounder by Darryl Collins. Hereafter, Benjamin Dille singled. With two outs, the bases got loaded when Greg Muller walked. Moments later, Quintin De Cuba contacted well on a delivery by Vos and hit a towering grand slam homerun! With that, Neptunus took a 5-2 lead. In the top of the ninth, Kevin Kelly closed the game for Neptunus and earned a save.

...Diegomar Markwell and Chris Pfau were the starting pitchers in tonight's game... (© Both Photos: Robert Bos) ...Peter de Haan (HP), Rudsel Schoobaar (1B) and rookie Jeffrey Bentsnijder (3B) were the umpires... (© All Photos: Robert Bos) ...Left: Shaldimar Daantji makes contact for Neptunus... ...Right: Jorrit Penseel (Pioniers) dives back to first base where 1B Benjamin Dille waits for the ball... ...Umpire Rudsel Schoobaar closely follows the action... (© Both Photos: Robert Bos) ...Duco Nuijten slides into third base for Pioniers... (© Photo: Robert Bos) ...Left: Veteran Neptunus Bench Coach Jan Collins looks into a play at the plate... ...Right: Nolan Beugeling slides past catcher Gianison Boekhoudt to score for Pioniers... (© Both Photos: Robert Bos) ...Berry van Driel, Jiorgeny Casimiri (Neptunus), Nathan Diaby and Daniël Vos (Pioniers) pitched in relief... (© All Photos: Robert Bos)

Curaçao Neptunus - Hoofddorp Pioniers 5-2 (8½ inn.) R H E Hoofddorp Pioniers 000 020 000 - 2 3 1 Curaçao Neptunus 000 001 04x - 5 6 4 pitchers Pioniers inn. SO BB H R ER Chris Pfau 6 5 - 4 1 - Nathan Diaby, H (1) 1 1 - - - - Daniël Vos, BS (1), L (0-1) 1 1 2 2 4 4 pitchers Neptunus inn. SO BB H R ER Diegomar Markwell 5 2 1 3 2 - Berry van Driel 1 - - - - - Jiorgeny Casimiri, W (2-0) 2 3 - - - - Kevin Kelly, SV (1) 1 1 - - - - Homerun: Neptunus: Quintin De Cuba (1)(8th,grand slam,2 outs,off Vos). Umpires: HP-Peter de Haan, 1B-Rudsel Schoobaar, 3B-Jeffrey Bentsnijder. Scorer-Jan van der Sande (Neptunus). Technical Commissioner-Henk van der Linde. Public Address Announcer-Jan van der Sande. Scoreboard Operator-Lex Looijen. Starting Time-7:30 PM. Time Played-2:07 hrs.. Site-Neptunus Familiestadion, Sportpark Abraham van Stolkweg, Rotterdam. Game Notes: Game 2, In Memoriam Charles Urbanus Sr Tournament 2020. Weather conditions at game time: Partly cloudy, 17° C (62,6° F); wind direction north-northwest; wind speed 18 kmh (11,2 mph); wind force 3 Bft; humidity 76%.

Thank you for visiting this site. Mail your suggestions and questions to stoov@wxs.nl Copyright © 1997-2020 Marco Stoovelaar / Grand Slam * Stats & News.