Both teams got into scoring position in the first at bat in the low-scoring game.
There also weren't that many basehits, but there were a lot of pitchers, ten in total.
In the top of the first inning, off of starter Diegomar Markwell, Max Draijer doubled for Hoofddorp Pioniers, but stranded on second base.
In the bottom of the first inning, Neptunus got runners on second and third base off of starter Yassir Lachkar.
Stijn van der Meer led off with a single, then moved to third base on a 2-out single by Gianison Boekhoudt, who later advanced on a passed ball.
They also were left behind.
In the bottom of the second inning, Neptunus opened the score.
Benjamin Dille and Gregory Muller led off with singles, then moved on a grounder by Shaldimar Daantji.
With two outs, Dille scored on a single by Stijn van der Meer, but Muller stranded on third base.
Pioniers got into scoring position again in the top of the third.
Bodhi de Vreede led off with a single, then a throwing error on a bunt by Mark Smit led to runners on first and second base.
A double-steal attempt failed, as De Vreede was caught stealing at third base.
Smit moved to second base in this situation, then advanced to third on a grounder by Victor Draijer, but was left behind.
Trailing 1-0, Pioniers came alongside in the top of the fourth.
With one out, Diegomar Markwell got the bases loaded when he walked Mervin Gario, gave up a single to Duco Nuijten and also walked Jorrit Penseel.
Next, Gario scored on a grounder by Daan Kuit, but the other two runners were left behind on second and third base, as Markwell closed with a strikeout.
Neptunus immediately re-took the lead in the bottom of the fourth inning off of new pitcher Sebastian Kok.
The lefthander made only his second appearance this season in the main-squad.
Kok gave up a lead-off double to Benjamin Dille, who was then awarded third base on a balk.
With one out, Shaldimar Daantji walked.
Hereafter, Dille scored on a sacrifice fly by Coco Johnson.
With Neptunus now ahead 2-1 and two outs, Daantji stole second base, then Stijn van der Meer walked.
The inning ended when Daantji tried to advance to third base on a passed ball, but he was eliminated.
In the next two innings, Neptunus was held scoreless by rookie Matthijs Oosterbeek, who made his big league-debut a few weeks ago.
The righthhander began with a strikeout in the fifth inning.
With two outs, he walked Gianison Boekhoudt, then gave up a single to Dudley Leonora.
However, Boekhoudt tried to advance to third base on the hit, but was eliminated there, thanks to a nice throw from centerrfielder Mark Smit.
Oosterbeek retired the side in the sixth.
In the meantime, Pioniers was kept off the bases from the fifth inning on.
After giving up the tying run in the fourth, Diegomar Markwell retired the side in the fifth and sixth inning.
His reliever Aaron de Groot also retired the side in the seventh.
In the bottom of the seventh, Neptunus added an insurance run.
Nick Loos took over the Pioniers-pitching, but walked pinch-hitter Darryl Collins and Stijn van der Meer.
Hereafter, Angelo Wicklert took over the pitching, but he got the bases loaded when he also walked John Polonius.
A 5-2-3 double play was then turned on a grounder by Dwayne Kemp, but moments later, Van der Meer scored on a passed ball.
Neptunus got another runner in scoring position in the bottom of the eighth off of Nathan Diaby, the sixth pitcher for Pioniers this evening.
He gave up a lead-off single to Dudley Leonora, who then stole second base and moved on a grounder by Benjamin Dille.
But he was left there, as Diaby closed with two strikeouts.
Trailing 3-1, Pioniers got a chance to come alongside in the top of the ninth, as the team had runners on second and third base with one out.
New pitcher Misja Harcksen gave up singles to Mervin Gario and Duco Nuijten (his third in this game).
Harcken followed with a strikeout, then was relieved by closer Kevin Kelly.
He saw the runners advance to second and third base on a wild pitch, but then struckout the next two batters to end the inning and the game.
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Neptunus opens second Top-4 round with small win vs. Hoofddorp Pioniers
ROTTERDAM (Neth.) -
Curaçao Neptunus opened Round 2 of the Top-4 Pool with a small 3-1 win against Hoofddorp Pioniers on Thursday-evening (September 17).
Last week, Neptunus played only one game in its opening series against reigning champion L&D Amsterdam Pirates.
After the opening game, the next two games were postponed, due to some positive tests of the coronavirus in the Amsterdam-team.
Therefore, Pirates postponed the two games, as well as this week's 3-game series against HCAW.
No make-up dates have been announced yet.
Top-4 Pool.