In tonight's game, Sparks Haarlem opened the score in the top of the first inning.
That would be the lone run in the first three innings.
Sparks then rallied for six runs in the fourth at bat, took a comfortable lead and added more runs in the following innings.
In the top of the first inning, Twins-starter Thijs Rijpstra walked lead-off hitter Jesse van de Berg, who moved to third base on an one-out single by Ruben Hoek.
On a grounder towards short by next batter Jimmy Osinga, Hoek was forced out at second base, but Van de Berg scored.
Another force play-grounder followed, which ended the opening at bat.
Twins Oosterhout also came into scoring position in its first at bat off of starter Menno Soederhuizen, but was unable to come alongside.
With one out, Thijmen Peters singled, stole second base and moved to third base on a grounder by Jerzy van Gool.
Hereafter, Berend Ruben walked and also stole second base.
But both runners were left behind, as Soederhuizen closed with a strikeout.
...Kevin Nieveld was the closer for Sparks Haarlem...
(© Photo: Robert Bos) |
In the second inning, Twins left another runner behind on third base.
Lead-off hitter Ben van Dulken reached on an error, stole second base and advanced to third base on a grounder by Albin Lebron.
This time, a flyout ended the at bat.
In the bottom of the third inning, the home-team got another runner in scoring position.
With two outs, Jerzy van Gool reached on an error and stole second base, but stranded there.
Sparks got only one baserunner in the second and third inning combined, but then struck with a 6-run rally in the top of the fourth inning on four basehits.
The Haarlem-team got the bases loaded with one out.
Lead-off hitter Jimmy Osinga singled and Michael Wernik walked.
With one out, Joffrey Heus also singled, which loaded the bases and led to a pitching change.
Jeffrey Levenstone took over and a run was then scored when he hit Yasar Guntekin with a pitch.
Another run was added when his brother Arno Guntekin singled.
Jesse van de Berg followed with a 2-run single (and moved on the throw) and the next run was added via a sacrifice fly by Wessel Pirovano.
On this flyout, Van de Berg advanced to third base.
He then scored the sixth run in this at bat when next batter Ruben Hoek reached on an error.
Twins got two runs back in the bottom of the fourth.
Matthew Joossens led off with a single and Ben van Dulken reached on an error.
After a double steal and with one out, Joossens scored on a grounder by Albin Lebron.
With Van Dulken on third base, Dick van Heesch was hit by a pitch and Marnix Ruben followed with a double, which narrowed the deficit to 7-2.
Twins then got the bases loaded when Thijmen Peters also was hit by a pitch.
The three runners were left behind, as a flyout ended the at bat.
In the top of the sixth, Sparks Haarlem added two more runs.
Arno Guntekin led off with a walk and moved into scoring position via a wild pitch.
He then scored on a single by Jesse van de Berg, who later scored when Wessel Pirovano reached on an error.
Hereafter, Ruben Hoek walked and Sparks got runners on second and third base via a passed ball.
They were left behind, as Jeffrey Levenstone struckout the next three batters.
In the top of the seventh, Levenstone was less successful, as he saw the first three batters reach base.
Two of them scored.
Lead-off hitter Joffrey Heus struckout, but reached on a passed ball, Yasar Guntekin walked and Arno Guntekin singled.
A pitching change followed and Tobias Cox took over.
Heus then scored on a sacrifice fly by Jesse van de Berg.
With two outs, another run was added on a wild pitch.
In this game, Van de Berg accounted for seven of his team's eleven runs.
He scored three and batted in four.
Trailing 9-2, Twins got the bases loaded (again) with two outs in the bottom of the sixth.
With one out, Marnix Ruben and Thijmen Peters both walked, which led to a pitching change.
Utility player Kevin Nieveld took over.
After a double steal and with two outs, Nieveld got the bases loaded when he walked Berend Ruben.
The three runners were left behind, as a grounder ended this scoring opportunity.
Trailing 11-2, Twins rallied for four runs in the bottom of the seventh.
Kevin Nieveld saw the first four batters reach base and all would also score a run.
Stefan Schoonheydt led off with a single, Gijs van Zalingen was hit by a pitch and Albin Lebron walked.
A single, followed by an error, by Esra van den Berg then led to two runs and runners on second and third base.
Hereafter, Lebron scored on a sacrifice fly by Marnix Ruben and Van den Berg scored on a balk-call.
But was to be it for the home-team
As the seventh inning was completed, the 10:30 curfew-time had been reached and so, the game ended due to the rule that no new inning can be started after that time.
|
Pilot-Pool: Sparks Haarlem opens final series vs. Twins Oosterhout with win
OOSTERHOUT (Neth.) -
On Thursday-evening (September 15), the final three 3-game series in the Major League/First Division Pilot-Pool were scheduled to go underway.
But due to weather-conditions, only one game could be played.
One game was cancelled before game-time, another one was halted after one inning.
Both games will be made up coming Tuesday-evening (September 20).
In Oosterhout, the game between the second team of Twins Oosterhout and Sparks Haarlem went underway as scheduled.
Despite some drizzling rain now and then, a complete game could be played.
However, it ended after seven complete inning, due to the 10:30 PM curfew-rule.
Sparks won the game with an 11-6 score.
Major League/First Division Pilot-Pool.