(Story & Photo by Marco Stoovelaar)
 Starting Pitchers Coming Series; Memorable Opening Series
Nederlands
 AMSTERDAM (Neth.) -
The Opening Series of the 2025 is in the books.
And we can conclude that it was a very memorable Opening Series.
We had a game declared a forfeit-win due to an ineligible playerr, an extra-inning-game in which the tie-break rrule was not used, a protest being filed, a game in which an unnecessary inning was played, resulting in an adjustment in the final score and a game that started, but then was suspended due to a problem with the mound on a recently renovated playing site, resulting in a make-up game.
Oh, we also had a home-half on an inning that was played, while the home-team was ahead, but that was according to the rules.
For RCH-Pinguïns, their Opening Series unfortunately was filled with bad luck.
Communication is a key-word for many situations.
Whether or not that has been the reason for two games that didn't end according to the rules, remains the question.
Fact is that the ffinal score of two games had to be adjusted.
A game that was played on Saturday even has to be replayed from the tenth inning on, while another game (played on Sunday) lasted one inning too many.
But let's first go back to Opening Night, last Thursday-evening, whch had two 'situations'.
Reigning champion Curaçap Neptunus opened with a 4-1 win at Oosterhout Twins and HCAW outscored Worldwide Pharma Logistics Hoofddorp Pioniers 11-1 in a 7-inning game in Hoofddorp.
In Haarlem, the game between Kinheim and UVV ended with a 15-8 win for Kinheim in a game that was halted due to the 10:30 PM curfew-rule.
No new inning may be started when that time has been reached.
In this game, the time was reached in the top of the eighth.
After completion of that half, Kinheim led 11-8.
Would this have been the ninth inning, the game would have ended.
Also, a game ends when a home-team is ahead 10 (or more) runs or is reached in the home-half of the 7th or 8th.
In previous seasons, there have been some evening-games that ended after the top-half of an inning (before the ninth and without the mercy-rule) with the home-team leading, due to the curfew-rule.
Other games continued with the home-team completing the at bat, despite a lead.
On Thursday-evening, although the home-team was ahead and the curfew-time had been reached, the game also continued.
Kinheim batted in the bottom of the eighth and added four more runs.
This was correct, as innings have to be completed in case of a home-lead and before the ninth, unless there is a mercy-rule lead.
In Amsterdam, Amsterdam Pirates won its Opening-Game against RCH-Pinguïns with a 13-2 mercy-rule score in 8 innings.
This was a home-game for RCH-Pinguïns, but its home-site in Heemstede was not available, as its new light-installation was scheduled for inspection the next day.
Apparently, RCH-Pinguïns had a shortage of available players, as two pitchers played an infield-position, Jim Hoyer was the first baseman, Chris Koeiman the second baseman.
Assistant Coach Sigmar Eustacia was the designated hitter.
Last season, Eustacia appeared in three games for the Heemstede-team.
However, this time, Eustacia was listed in the coaching-staff, but not on the active roster of players, which made him an in-eligible player.
And so, on Friiday, the game was declared invalid and a 9-0 forfeit-win for Pirates, while RCH-Pinguïns got two points subtracted.
On Saturday, Neptunus nipped Twins 3-2, HCAW defeated Pioniers 9-3 and Pirates outscored RCH-Pinguïns 11-3.
In Vleuten, Kinheim led 9-3 halfway the sixth inning at UVV.
But then, UVV came back, scored eight runs, including a 5-run rally, and led 11-9 after eight innings.
In the top of the ninth, Kinheim came alongside to force extra innings.
In the eleventh inning, Kinheim took a 13-11 lead, but UVV answered with three runs to win 14-13.
However, in the 10th and 11th inning, the tie-break rule was not applied.
According to this rule, a new inning begins with runners on first and second base.
Kinheim filed a protest, which was awarded.
And so, the 10th and 11th inning were declared invalid and the game will resume from the 10th inning on with an 11-11 score.
The game will be completed on Sunday, June 1, before the regular scheduled game in Vleuten.
On Sunday, Neptunus completed a sweep against Twins, winning 14-4 (in nine innings, while Kinheim won at home against UVV with a 10-6 score.
In Hoofddorp, HCAW also completed a sweep against Pioniers, recording a convincing shutout.
The game ended with a 17-0 score after seven innings.
However, for this season a new mercy-rule (run-ahead) is introduced.
When a team reaches a 15-run lead, a game can end after five or six innings (or 4½, or 5½ in case it consders the home-team).
After six complete innings, HCAW led 15-0, meaning the game should have ended at that moment.
However, the game continued, at the 'normal, 7-inning, 10-run, mercy-rule' was applied, as no one was aware of the new 15-run, mercy-rule.
HCAW added two more runs in the top of the seventh.
During the seventh, it was confirmed that this inning should not have been played and so, it was erased from the statistics, making it a 15-0 final score after six innings.
In Heemstede, the game between RCH-Pinguïns and Amsterdam Pirates went underway on schedule.
However, it quickly became clear that something was wrong with the mound.
Pirates was retired in order in the top of the first innng by T'sean Martina.
But in the bottom of the first inning, with an 2-2 count on the lead-off hitter, Pirates-starter Chris Stuart encountered problems with the mound.
A brief 2-minute delay followed with the mound and the landing-spot being inspected by the umpires.
When the game resumed, Stuart completed a strikeout and a pop-fly accounted for the second out.
When Stuart was about to take his position for the next batter, the pitching-plate appeared to be broken or loose..
Another interruption followed for field-maintenance to the mound.
A new plate was installed, but it was also concluded that the underground of the mound was too soft and that it could not be solved.
And so, after a 14-minute, it was determined by the umpires that this situation could create problems for the pitchers.
Out of a safety-concern, the game was suspended.
Only thirteen minutes had been played.
The home-field of RCH-Pinguïns was renovated in the past months and was inspected last week.
By the way, the field, which has an artificial turf, looks beautiful.
...RCH-Pinguïns-player Ruendrick Piternella is carted of the field,...
...applauded by players and coaches of Amsterdam Pirates and the umpires...
(© Photo: Screenshot Marco Stoovelaar) |
The game was completed on Tuesday-evening at the site of Pirates in Amsterdam.
However, some 2½ hours before the scheduled starting time, it started to rain.
But that cleared in time and so, the game could be completed.
Oh, by the way, Chris Koeiman, as mentioned one of the pitchers of RCH-Pinguïns, this time was the catcher, as regular catcher Ruendrick Piternella was the designated hitter.
Koeiman replaced Aldrich Guzman, who was the initial catcher in Sunday's game.
Unfortunately, bad luck struck RCH-Pinguïns again on Tuesday-evening.
With Pirates leading 2-0, RCH-Pinguïns cut the deficit in half in the bottom of the sixth inning and had Jeldwin Orman at third base and Ruendrick Piternella at first base with two outs.
Piternella then stole second base, but sustained a severe injury during his sliding, as he remained lying on the ground and a long injury delay followed.
After 24 minutes, an ambulance arrived.
After Piternella had been attended behind second base, he was eventually carted of the field on a stretcher some 18 minutes later.
After a 44-minute delay, the game resumed with (pitcher) Eeuwe Winkel as pinch-runner on second base.
A strikeout ended the at bat.
Pirates won 4-1 in a game that ended after eight innings due to the curfew-rule.
On Thursday, it was confirmed that Ruendrick Piternella has sustained a fractured ankle and will be sidelined for a long time.
Since Monday, talks followed to determine how it could be possible that the mound at the newly renovated of RCH-Pinguïns was not in a good condition and apparenttly had been given the green light to be used in games.
And who is responsible for that.
Also, in the mean time, work is done to prepare the field.
However, that will not be ready in time for the upcoming series.
On Thursday, it was confirmed that RCH-Pinguïns will play its home-game against UVV on coming Saturday in Amsterdam at the site of Amsterdam Pirates.
As of now, the home-opener of the thereafter following RCH-Pinguïns vs. HCAW series coming Wednesday (April 23), as well as the third game (Sunday, April 27) are scheduled to be played in Heemstede.
But there was more in the Opening Weekend.
On Saturday in Amsterdam, before the game of Amsterdam Pirates and RCH-Pinguïns, uniform number 10 of former player Kenny Berkenbosch was officially retired.
He became the fourth Pirates-player to get this honor, following Peter van Erk (# 35), Ronald Stoovelaar (# 5) and Rikkert Faneyte (# 19).
A few years ago, the number of coach Charles Urbanus (# 14) was also retired.
Berkenbosch, who played in 18 seasons for Pirates, also threw the ceremonial first pitch.
In Bussum, former pitcher Jurriaan Lobbezoo threw the ceremonial first pitch before the first home-game of HCAW on Saturday.
Lobbezoo's career ended abruptly after the 2000 season due to an arm-injury.
There were no Opening Day-ceremonies before the first home-games of Neptunus and UVV on Saturday.
UVV has scheduled a ceremony before coming Sunday's game.
On Sunday, all four games were preceeded by an Opening Day-ceremony.
In Haarlem, Kees Tromp threw the ceremonial first pitch on behalf of Kinheim.
For many seasons, Tromp had been the Dug-Out Scorer and also has been Kinheim's club-secretary.
In the past seasons, he is one of the Scoreboard Operators, which he also was during Sunday's game.
In Hoofddorp, longtime youth-coach Peter van Kampen threw the first pitch before the first afternoon home-game of Pioniers.
In Oosterhout, the home-season of Twins was opened with the first pitch by Mayor Gerdo van Grootheest.
Since January 15 of this year, he is the new Mayor of Oosterhout.
And in Heemstede, before the home-game of RCH-Pinguïns, the season in Heemstede was opened with a ceremonial first pitch by the club's chairman Frits van Iperen.
Unfortunately, the game lasted only 13 minutes and had to be suspended due to the problems with the mound.
Eight homeruns were hit in the Opening Series, including two special ones.
On Thursday, at home in Haarlem, Kinheim-player Amarensio Franka accounted for the first homerun of the 2025 season in the big league.
On Sunday, also in Haarlem, rookie Pim de Vries, also a player of Kinheim, belted the first homerun in his career.
De Vries was added to the roster before the weekend and his homerun also was his first big league-basehit.
With this special homerun, he became a member of a small and elite group of players, who had accomplished the same feat.
Beneath are the announced (probable) starting pitchers for the second 3-game series of the 2025 season that opens on Thursday-evening, April 17.
As always, these pitching assignments can change on game-days.
(April 16-17)
Rosters
Live play-by-play & live-streams
| Roster | CURAÇAO NEPTUNUS (3-0) | vs. |
WORLDWIDE PHARMA LOGISTICS HOOFDDORP PIONIERS (0-3) | Roster | Game-info |
| # | Starting Pitchers Neptunus | G | # | Starting Pitchers Pioniers |
| Date, Time & Site |
| 37 | RHP Tom de Blok (1-0) | 1 | 27 | LHP Maarten Smit (0-1) | Th. April 17, 7:30 PM, Rotterdam (1) |
| 39 | RHP Shairon Martis (1-0) | 2 | 4 | LHP Maxwell Cornelissen (0-1) | Sa. April 19, 2:00 PM, Hoofddorp (2) |
| 30 | RHP Koen Postelmans (0-0) | 3 | 44 | RHP Lars Broersen (0-1) | Su. April 20, 2:00 PM, Rotterdam (1) |
| (1) - Neptunus Familiestadion, Sportpark Abraham van Stolkweg, Rotterdam; (2) - ETO Ballpark, Sport Park21, Hoofddorp |
| Roster | HCAW (3-0) | vs. |
KINHEIM (2-0) | Roster | Game-info |
| # | Starting Pitchers HCAW | G | # | Starting Pitchers Kinheim |
| Date, Time & Site |
| 21 | LHP Nelmerson Angela (1-0) | 1 | 17 | RHP Joris Meinsma (0-0) | Th. April 17, 7:30 PM, Bussum (3) |
| 7 | RHP Dennis Burgersdijk (1-0) | 2 | 76 | LHP Tijn Fredrikze (1-0) | Sa. April 19, 2:00 PM, Haarlem (4) |
| 16 | RHP Kaj Timmermans (0-0) | 3 | 15 | RHP Dylan Eshuis (0-0) | Su. April 20, 2:00 PM, Bussum (3) |
| (3) - Rob Hoffmann Vallei, Sportpark 'De Sportvallei', Bussum; (4) - Pim Mulier Stadium, Pim Mulier Sportpark, Haarlem |
| Roster | AMSTERDAM PIRATES (3-0) | vs. |
OOSTERHOUT TWINS (0-3) | Roster | Game-info |
| # | Starting Pitchers Pirates | G | # | Starting Pitchers Twins |
| Date, Time & Site |
| 3 | RHP Martijn Schoonderwoerd (0-0) | 1 | 14 | RHP Wyatt Lankford (0-0) | Th. April 17, 7:30 PM, Amsterdam (5) |
| 25 | RHP Pim Vijfvinkel (1-0) | 2 | 19 | RHP Misja Harcksen (0-0)
(to be confirmed) | Sa. April 19, 2:30 PM, Oosterhout (6) |
41
34 | RHP Daniel Vos (0-0) or
LHP Chris Stuart (1-0) | 3 | 15 | RHP Jack Wagner (0-1) | Su. April 20, 2:00 PM, Amsterdam (5) |
| (5) - Loek Loevendie Ballpark, Sportpark 'Ookmeer', Amsterdam; (6) - Sportpark 'De Slotbosse Toren', Oosterhout |
| Roster | UVV (0-2) | vs. |
RCH-PINGUÏNS (0-3) | Roster | Game-info |
| # | Starting Pitchers UVV | G | # | Starting Pitchers RCH-Pinguïns |
| Date, Time & Site |
| 35 | RHP Mike van den Berg (0-1) | 1 | 40 | RHP Perry Moonen (0-0) | Th. April 17, 7:30 PM, Vleuten (7) |
| 13 | RHP Jurjen van Zijl (0-0) | 2 | 35
29 | LHP Lucca van der Schouw (0-1) or
RHP T'sean Martina (0-1) | Sa. April 19, 2:00 PM, Amsterdam (8) |
| 25 | LHP Colin van Laar (0-0) | 3 | 35
29 | LHP Lucca van der Schouw (0-1) or
RHP T'sean Martina (0-1) | Su. April 20, 2:00 PM, Vleuten (7) |
| (7) - Sportpark 'De Paperclip', Vleuten; (8) - Loek Loevendie Ballpark, Sportpark 'Ookmeer', Amsterdam (site Amsterdam Pirates) |
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