(Story by Marco Stoovelaar)
 Opening-game Urbanus Tournament ends in tie
Nederlands
 BUSSUM (Neth.) -
The opening-game of the 43rd edition of the annual In Memoriam Charles Urbanus Sr. Tournament ended in a scoreless tie.
On Friday-evening (April 4), host/organisor HCAW and Amsterdam Pirates met and were unable to score in the Rob Hoffmann Baseball Valley.
The Dutch champions of respectively 2022 and 2023 both recorded only one basehit.
HCAW got two runners in scoring-position, Pirates one.
Both teams stranded a runner on third base.
Pirates got its lone scoring opportunity in the second inning off of starter Dennis Burgersdijk.
With one out, the righthander gave up a double to Luca Pastor, then walked newcomer Denzel Brooks, who last season played for HCAW.
The latter was forced out at second base on a grounder by Jorrit Penseel.
That moved Pastor to third base, but he stranded there, as a grounder ended the at bat.
Pirates got two more baserunners in the remainder of the game.
With two outs in the third, Roelie Henrique reached on an error, but he was left behind on first base.
In the fifth, also with two outs, pinch-hitter Jason Jacobus walked, but he was caught stealing.
Rick Rizvić threw the final two innings for HCAW.
The lefthander, who last season played for DSS/Kinheim, retired all six batters he faced.
HCAW got its first baserunner in the first inning when Delano Selassa singled with two outs off of starter Pim Vijfvinkel.
It was to be HCAW's lone basehit and Selassa stranded on first base.
In the second inning, Jair van Borkulo led off with a walk, but hereafter, Vijfvinkel struckout the next three batters.
HCAW got into scoring position in the bottom of the third inning.
Newcomer Marnix Ruben, who came to Bussum from Oosterhout Twins, led off and reached on an error.
He advanced on a sacrifice bunt by Brendly Martina, then moved to third on a flyout by Jeandro Tromp.
Van Borkulo stranded on third base, as a grounder followed.
HCAW got its second runner in scoring position in the sixth off of Daniël Vos, who had taken over the pitching in the previous inning.
With two outs, Vos walked Selassa, who stole second base.
A grounder ended the inning.
Selassa was the lone batter to reach base in the three innings Vos pitched.
(April 4)
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Game 1 - 43rd In Memoriam Charles Urbanus Tournament 2025..