Hoofddorp Pioniers led 2-0 after four innings, 2-1 after six innings and 3-2 after eight innings, but was unable to hold onto it.
In the top of the ninth inning, Twins Oosterhout scored three runs to win its season-opener.
Twins Oosterhout came close to the opening-run in the top of first inning off of starter Sem Lauf, but stranded a runner at third base.
Marnix Ruben led off with an infield-hit, stole second base, then moved to third base when Railison Bentura flied out.
Moments later, Ruben was picked off at third base by catcher Duncan Beljaards in what was a close play.
In the bottom of the first inning, it was Hoofddorp Pioniers that got three runners on base off of starter Koen Postelmans, but failed to score.
With one out, Terrance Heemskerk walked, then the bases got loaded when Duncan Beljaards singled and Daan Terstall was hit by a pitch.
A strikeout and groundout followed.
After Twins stranded a runner on second base in the top of the third inning, Pioniers opened the score moments later in its third at bat.
And that included the same trio as in the first inning.
With one out, Terrance Heemskerk walked and Duncan Beljaards singled.
Daan Terstall followed with a runscoring single.
Twins got another runner on third base in the top of the fourth.
Yurdion Martie led off with a walk, advanced on a wild pitch and a grounder, but was left behind.
...Marnix Ruben is tagged out at 3rd base in the 4th inning, before...
...Jerzy van Gool touches home plate; Home Plate Umpire...
...Edwin Louisa has a clear overview of the situation...
(© Photo: Marco Stoovelaar (screenshot)) |
Pioniers then doubled its lead in the bottom of the fourth.
Lead-off hitter Jack van Gorkum reached on a throwing error.
Van Gorkum, who made his big league-debut tonight, then stole second base.
With one out, he was unable to advance when Max Vonk also reached on an error.
But shortly thereafter, Van Gorkum scored on a single by Miquel Willem.
Twins cut the deficit in half in the top of the fifth.
With one out, Onne van Gool walked, then Jerzy van Gool was hit by a pitch.
The bases got loaded when an error was made on a force play-grounder by Marnix Ruben.
With two outs, the first Van Gool scored on a single by Yurdion Martie, but it also led to the third out.
Jerzy van Gool also was en route to the plate, while Ruben approached third base.
However, centerfielder Miquel Willem got the ball in time at third baseman Max Vonk, who tagged out Ruben moments before Van Gool crossed the plate.
And with that, Van Gool's run didn't count, meaning the score now was 2-1.
Twins then did score the tying run in the top of the seventh.
When Onne van Gool led off with a walk, a pitching-change followed.
Kaien Oukes took over.
He saw the runner move to third base via a sacrifice bunt by Jerzy van Gool and a flyout for Marnix Ruben.
After Railison Bentura had walked, Van Gool scored on a single by Yurdion Martie.
Bentura and Martie advanced to third and second base on a wild pitch, but they were left behind, as Oukes closed with a strikeout for Luuk Bun.
Pioniers immediately re-took the lead in the bottom of the seventh off of new pitcher Terrence Garcia, who made his big league-debut.
Coincidentally, the first batter he faced had the same name, but is written somewhat different, Terrance Heemskerk.
He popped out.
With two outs, Daan Terstall and Vincent Mevissen connected for back-to-back doubles, resulting in a 3-2 lead.
After a scoreless eighth inning, closer Nick Loos took over the pitching for Pioniers in the top of the ninth.
In the previous two games, Loos was credited with a save.
But tonight, he gave up three runs and got a blown save behind his name.
With one out, the bases got loaded via Marnix Ruben (single), Railison Bentura (walk) and Yurdion Martie (single).
Ruben then scored the tying run on a wild pitch.
Moments later, both Bentura and Martie scored when a fly by Luuk Bun ended in an error (and thus also a sacrifice fly).
A strikeout and foul pop-fly ended the at bat, but Twins had taken a 5-3 lead.
In the bottom of the ninth, Pioniers was retired in order.
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Twins Oosterhout strikes in 9th inning in opener vs. Hoofddorp Pioniers
HOOFDDORP (Neth.) -
In its first game of the 2023 season, Twins Oosterhout trailed against Hoofddorp Pioniers, but then scored three runs in the ninth inning to win 5-3 on Friday-evening (April 14).
The opener of the 3-game series was initially scheduled for Thursday-evening.
Although it was a bright, sunny afternoon with a blue sky, the game then was cancelled due to field-conditions, were were the result of rain-showers overnight.
A week ago, in the Opening Series, Hoofddorp Pionies swept Quick Amersfoort in three games.
As there are nine teams in the highest league this season, one of them is off each round.
Last week, Twins was the team that had no games scheduled, so this is Opening Weekend for the team from Oosterhout.
Game was originally scheduled for Thursday, April 13, but then cancelled in the afternoon due to field-conditions after rain and re-scheduled for tonight.