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Compiled and Copyright © 1997-2023 by Marco Stoovelaar

(Story by Marco Stoovelaar) Exhibition (tournament)-games played, cancelled or moved on cold Sunday Nederlands AMERSFOORT / BUSSUM / CAPELLE a/d IJSSEL / DORDRECHT / HAARLEM / HEEMSTEDE (Neth.) / ANTWERP / BORGERHOUT / DEURNE (Belgium) - Sunday was a pretty cold and uncomfortable day. Despite the weather conditions, some games were played as scheduled. Several games were cancelled. And others were moved to another site. Quick Amersfoort played its first exhibition-game of the season. The team hosted UVV and lost with an 9-6 score. Hoofddorp Pioniers had to play against Euro Stars in Capelle a/d IJssel, but that game rained out. The same happened with Saturday's game, which was to be played in Hoofddorp. Towards the end of Saturday-afternoon, it became clear that the field of RCH Memorie Sieraden also not not be playable for today's three games of the Ringvaart Tournament. After the field had been declared unplayable, HCAW opted to move the games to its site in Bussum. And that is what happened. Despite the cold, it stayed dry and so, the three games could be played and the three participating teams were able to play after all. HCAW nipped Amsterdam Pirates 2-1 and then shutout RCH-Pinguïns, 4-0. In the first game, RCH won 3-0 against Pirates. The two games on Day 2 of the annual Wim Oosterhof Tournament were played as scheduled. Host DSS/Kinheim won 11-3 against Sparks Haarlem in the afternoon. Earlier in the day, Omron Pioniers, the second team of Hoofddorp Pioniers, recorded a convincing 8-0 shutout-win against the second team of DSS/Kinheim. The final day of the annual Johan Veraghtert Tournament, with games scheduled at the sites of Antwerp Eagles and Deurne Spartans, was cancelled in the morning, due to rain and field-conditions. Six games were scheduled, three at each site. Twins Oosterhout was to play in the Championship Round against Cologne Cardinals (Germany), the winner of Pool B, and Borgerhout Squirrels, the winner of Pool A, at the site of Antwerp Eagles. Initially, those games were to be played at the site of Borgerhout Squirrels, but it was decided on Saturday to move to the scheduled games at that site to nearby Antwerp. ,,We were to play against against Cardinals from Germany and another game against Borgerhout, but unfortunately, these could not be played due to heavy rain'', Twins Oosterhout's Head Coach Rob Hendriks said. ,,Despite that, we've had a successful weekend in which teambuilding was the most important part of this weekend.'' In Dordrecht, the second and final day of the annual Rob Noorlander Tournament was scheduled at the site of The Hawks. However, due to the weather conditions, the three games that were to be played, including the Final between Jeka and Schiedam, were cancelled. (March 26)

Quick Amersfoort vs. UVV Quick Amersfoort today played its first exhibition-game. In the weekend of March 11-12, the team had two games scheduled against HCAW, but both were cancelled due to the weather-conditions. Last weekend, Quick had no games scheduled. Yesterday, the first game against UVV rained out. Initially, it appeared that there would be no game again today. In the morning, there was a green light to play, but the teams arrived at the field, it started to rain again and it looked like the game would be cancelled. However, both teams wanted to play. Players and coaches then worked together to dry up and prepare the field and so, at 3 PM, an hour later than scheduled, the game went underway. Nine complete innings were played and the game ended around 6:30 PM. Quick Amersfoort Head Coach Elton Koeiman inserted seven pitchers. Jack Wagner started and threw the first two innings, then Brian van Laar threw the next two. Thereafter, Riley Gonesh, Jhan Rifaela, Joel Martis, Deef van Leersum and Jasper Popken each threw one inning. UVV opened the score with a run in the top of the first inning, but Quick Amersfoort came alongside in its first at bat. The home-team then rallied for five runs in the second inning off of starter Allard Helms and Gijs van den Brink. Five of the six Quick-runs were scored off Helms, but two of them were unearned. The sixth run was credited to Van den Brink. The scoring stopped there for Quick, as the team was kept scoreless in the next seven innings by relievers Sam van der Meer, Aaron Isenia, Sean Wout and Reangelo Willems. However, in the three middle innings and trailing 6-1, UVV scored five runs to come alongside off of Van Laar, Gonesh and Rifaela, as the Quick-defense made some errors. In the top of the seventh inning, UVV took the lead off of new pitcher Martis, then added two more in the ninth off of Popken. UVV collected ten basehits, including four by newcomer Quin Coton. The American also scored twice. Timothy Rojas batted in two runs and had two basehits. Reangelo Willems batted in three runs for UVV and also earned a save as pitcher. Despite losing the game, Quick's Head Coach Elton Koeiman had a good feeling about the game. ,,Yeah, finally, we could play a game. It didn't look that way as it started to rain again. But we both wanted to play and in the end, it really was a fine game'', Koeiman reacted.

7th Ringvaart Tournament As mentioned, after the field in Heemstede had been declared unplayable, HCAW offered to host the games at its site in Bussum. All three participating teams agreed and so, the three games were played after all. Umpires Peter de Haan and Paul Timmermans, who were originally assigned to lead all three games in Heemstede, also traveled to Bussum. There, they got company from Aad Otsen. With that, they led all three games as a 3-man crew, rotating around. Also, Rob Schuurman acted as the Official Scorer in the second third game today. HCAW even arranged Public Address Announcers for the three games. Huub Baaij, Marja Ruisch and Frank de Bruijn were behind the microphone respectively. To be complete, Nico van de Luitgaren handled the scoreboard and Rudy Dirksen took care of the music for all three games. In the first game today, pitcher T'sean Martina had a good outing for RCH Memorie Sieraden against Amsterdam Pirates. He went the distance in the 6-inning game and only gave up two basehits in the last inning. RCH was able to do some scoring off of Amsterdam-starter and former teammate Sven van de Sanden, who last season played for the team from Heemstede. In the second game, HCAW recorded a small 2-1 win against Amsterdam Pirates with both teams collecting six basehits. After being retired in order in the first inning, the Bussum-team scored twice in the second at bat off off starter Nelmerson Angela. Shurman Marlin led off with a single and Victor Draijer followed with a double. They respectively scored on an one-out single by Jair van Borkulo and a 2-out single by Bob van der Meer, who both were left behind themselves. In the next four at bats, HCAW got only five more baserunners and was kept scoreless. In the fourth, Angela was relieved by Finn Kragt, who then retired the side. With one out in the fifth, he gave up a double to Van der Meer and walked Julian Goins, but an infield-fly followed, then Kragt closed with a strikeout. Ben Meyer threw the sixth inning for Pirates. He got two baserunners, but was supported with an inning-ending double play. Amsterdam Pirates got several runners in scoring position, but scored only once. After having stranded a runner on third base in the first inning off of starter Dennis Burgersdijk, the team was retired in order in the second. With one out in the third at bat, Jason Jakobus reached on an error and Jorrit Penseel singled. Next batter Roelie Henrique followed with a line drive, but that ended in a double play. Pirates got a bigger scoring opportunity in the fifth inning off off new pitcher Arjen Nijkamp. He got the bases loaded quickly when (former HCAW-player) Jules Cremer led off with a walk, rookie Tieme Nahuis singled and Iverson Martinez (also a rookie) also walked. Next batter Jason Jakobus then grounded into a double play, which enabled Cremer to score. A walk for Jorrit Penseel then led to another baserunner, but a grounder ended the at bat. In the sixth inning, off of closer Sedley Karel, Pirates got the bases loaded again, this time with one out. Denzel Richardson then singled and Oliver van der Wijst Severino doubled. After Kenny Berkenbosch had walked, the three runners were left behind, as a flyout and strikeout followed. ,,Today, it wasn't about winning yet'', Pirates Head Coach Mervin Gario looked back. ,,But more at looking at how we are playing and what we have to improve. The best thing was that we all were able to play baseball with each other. It was nice to see everyone again.'' In the third game today, HCAW shutout RCH Memorie Sieraden, 4-0. The team opened the score with one run in the top of the first inning off of Mike van den Berg, who went the distance for RCH-Pinguïns and gave up eight basehits. He gave up a lead-off double to (former Pirates-player) Delano Selassa, who moved to third base on an error, then scored on a sacrifice fly by Victor Draijer. HCAW added its next run in the second at bat, which also began with a lead-off double, this time hit by Quintin d Cuba. After next batter Jair van Borkulo had been hit by a pitch, De Cuba scored on a single by Max Draijer. Delano Selassa also scored the third and fourth run for HCAW. In the third inning, he led off with a single, stole second base, then scored on a single by Jeandro Tromp. The two also accounted for the fourth run in the fifth inning. This time, Selassa led off with a walk and stole second base, then scored when Tromp followed with a double. RCH-Pinguïns got only baserunner off of four pitchers in five at bats. HCAW-starter (and winning pitcher) Nathan Diaby retired all six batters (two strikeouts) he faced in the two innings he was on the mound. With a 3-0 lead, three relievers then completed the game. Jasper Elfrink first threw the third inning. He gave up a lead-off single to Geoffrey Verhoef, who would remain the lone baserunner for RCH-Pinguïns. With one out, Verhoef was forced out when Daan Groenewoud grounded into a double play. Ruben Dekker and Nick Keur then both retired the side in the next two innings.

4th Wim Oosterhof Tournament In the first game today, Omron Pioniers, the second team of Hoofddorp Pioniers, recorded a convincing 8-0 shutout-win against the second team of host DSS/Kinheim. Starting pitcher Lars Broersen threw four solid innings for Pioniers, then former pro Swen Huijer completed the game and threw the next two innings. The pitchers of DSS/Kinheim walked a lot of batters and that combined with a few errors and some Pioniers-basehits led to eight runs. In the afternoon, DSS/Kinheim won with an 11-3 score against First Divisionist Sparks Haarlem. Initially, Sparks Haarlem took an early 3-0 lead off of starting pitcher Donny Breek, who was relieved by Bas Timmer with two outs in the second inning. DSS/Kinheim was able to turn the game around and went on to reach a comfortable run-difference. Timmer threw 2 1/3 inning for DSS/Kinheim. He was followed on the mound by Rick Timmermans, Finn Blokker and Robyn Clara, who all threw one inning. As the first game of DSS/Kinheim against Pioniers lasted only five innings on Saturday, Head Coach Etienne Meijer was unable to use all his pitchers this weekend. Instead, Rick Rizvić threw the final inning for Sparks Haarlem in this game. ,,It went well today, but it was very cold, I'm glad to be home'', Meijer reacted afterwards. In the original schedule, the first and second team of DSS/Kinheim also were to play against each other today. That game was moved to last Thursday-evening, but then rained out. The game is now scheduled to be played coming Thursday-evening (March 30) in the Pim Mulier Stadium.

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