(Story by Marco Stoovelaar; Photo by Henk Seppen)
 Starting Pitchers Coming Series
Nederlands
 AMSTERDAM (Neth.) -
Three rounds of 3-game series have been played in the 2026 season.
Reigning champion Curaçao Neptunus is still the lone unbeaten team after having recorded its third 3-game sweep against Worldwide Pharma Logistics Hoofddorp Pioniers.
Neptunus also swept Oosterhout Twins and HCAW.
Twins has no games scheduled in the upcoming series.
...Arij Fransen with the Netherlands Team...
...in the 2023 World Baseball Classic...
(© Photo: Henk Seppen) |
In the upcoming games, HCAW has to do without Arij Fransen.
On Thursday, the righthander will leave for Canada, where he will join his new professional club Winnipeg Goldeyes, with whom he signed in February.
The team plays in the (independent league) American Association and opens the new season on May 15 against Milwaukee Milkmen in Franklin, Wisconsin (USA).
Preparations for the season begin on May 3.
This season, Fransen pitched in relief in three games for HCAW and was 2-0 with nine strikeouts in seven innings, giving up only one hit and no runs.
Last year, Fransen played for Chattanooga Lookouts, the Double-A team of Cincinnati Reds.
He appeared in 30 games and was a 4-4 record.
Fransen played in the Reds-organization since 2021.
He pitched for the Rookie League-team in 2021 and 2022.
During the 2022 season, Fransen promoted to Single-A, where he also played in 2023 and 2024.
During the 2024 season, Fransen pitched in one game (1/3 inning) for the Reds Triple-A team.
In five Minor League-seasons, Fransen pitched in 116 games (34 starts) and was 16-24 record with a 5.62 ERA and 279 strikeouts.
Fransen was a free agent after the 2025 season.
Amongst his new teammates will be outfielders Ray-Patrick Didder and Jiandido Tromp, who are both from Aruba.
Didder also played for Winnipeg in 2025
Tromp most recently played for Leones de León in the Nicaraguan Winter League.
In March, Didder and Fransen played for the Netherlands Team in the World Baseball Classic.
In September last year, they captured the European title with the Orange Team.
Tromp then also played for the National Team.
Beneath are the announced Starting Pitchers and Game-Officials assignments for the fourth 3-game series of the 2026 season that opens on Thursday-evening, April 30.
As always, these pitching (and officials) assignments can change on game-days.
(April 29)
Rosters
Standings, Schedules & Scores
Live play-by-play
| Roster | CURAÇAO NEPTUNUS (9-0) | vs. |
UVV (1-5) | Roster | Game-info |
| # | Starting Pitchers Neptunus | G | # | Starting Pitchers UVV |
| Date, Time & Site |
| 39 | RHP Shairon Martis (3-0) | 1 | 11 | LHP Aaron Isenia (1-1) | Th. April 30, 7:30 PM, Rotterdam (1) |
| 88 | RHP Juan Carlos Sulbarán (3-0) | 2 | 13 | RHP Jurjen van Zijl (0-1) | Sa. May 2, 12:00 PM, Vleuten (2) |
| 8 | LHP Chris Stuart (0-0) | 3 | 5 | RHP Ruben Dekker (0-0) | Sa. May 2, 2:30 PM, Vleuten (2) |
| Sites | (1) - Neptunus Familiestadion, Sportpark Abraham van Stolkweg, Rotterdam; (2) - Sportpark 'De Paperclip', Vleuten |
| Officials | Umpires (Roster) | Official Scorers (Roster) |
| Game 1 | HP-Edwin Louisa (#51), 1B-Marwin Kleinmoedig (#76), 3B-Mairon Valpoort (#23) | OS-Jeanette van Drunen, PBP-Sven Dobbe |
| Game 2 | HP-Richard Wessel (#67), 1B-Aad Otsen (#98) | OS-Colinda de Vries, PBP-Linda Steijger |
| Game 3 | HP-Peter de Haan, 1B-André Ficken (#63) | OS-Linda Steijger, PBP-Colinda de Vries |
| Roster | AMSTERDAM PIRATES (4-2) | vs. |
HCAW (4-5) | Roster | Game-info |
| # | Starting Pitchers Pirates | G | # | Starting Pitchers HCAW |
| Date, Time & Site |
| 39 | RHP Lars Huijer (1-0) | 1 | 16 | RHP Kaj Timmermans (1-2) | Th. April 30, 7:30 PM, Amsterdam (3) |
| 3 | RHP Martijn Schoonderwoerd (0-1) | 2 | | to be decided | Sa. May 2, 12:00 PM, Bussum (4) |
| 7 | RHP Dennis Burgersdijk (1-0) | 3 | | to be decided | Sa. May 2, 2:30 PM, Bussum (4) |
| Sites | (3) - Loek Loevendie Ballpark, Sportpark 'Ookmeer', Amsterdam; (4) - Rob Hoffmann Vallei, Sportpark 'De Sportvallei', Bussum |
| Officials | Umpires (Roster) | Official Scorers (Roster) |
| Game 1 | HP-Paul Timmermans (#68), 1B-Jeroen Rekveld (#39), 3B-Bram Janssens (#79) | OS-Marco Stoovelaar, PBP-Colinda de Vries |
| Game 2 | HP-Paul Timmermans (#68), 1B-Edwin Louisa (#51) | OS-Denise Milo, PBP-Sven Dobbe |
| Game 3 | HP-John Beltman (#5), 1B-Silvan Frolich (#25) | OS-Sven Dobbe, PBP-Denise Milo |
| Roster | KINHEIM (4-5) | vs. |
WORLDWIDE PHARMA LOGISTICS HOOFDDORP PIONIERS (2-4) | Roster | Game-info |
| # | Starting Pitchers Kinheim | G | # | Starting Pitchers Pioniers |
| Date, Time & Site |
| 55 | LHP Rick Rizvić (2-0) | 1 | 10 | LHP Wesley Jansen (0-1) | Th. April 30, 7:30 PM, Haarlem (5) |
| 13 | RHP Noah Zavolas (1-1) | 2 | 13 | RHP Eeuwe Winkel (0-0) | Sa. May 2, 12:00 PM, Hoofddorp (6) |
| 41 | RHP Daniel Vos (0-3) | 3 | | to be decided | Sa. May 2, 2:30 PM, Hoofddorp (6) |
| Sites | (5) - Pim Mulier Stadium, Pim Mulier Sportpark, Haarlem; (6) - ETO Ballpark, Sport Park21, Hoofddorp |
| Officials | Umpires (Roster) | Official Scorers (Roster) |
| Game 1 | HP-Niek Elshof (#55), 1B-Peter de Haan (#52), 3B-Elvin Englentina (#17) | OS-Dennis Duin, PBP-Feiko Drost |
| Game 2 | HP-Marwin Kleinmoedig (#76), 1B-Niek Elshof (#55) | OS-Stefan Slinger, PBP-Janneke Kalff |
| Game 3 | HP-Jeroen Rekveld (#39), 1B-Marwin Kleinmoedig (#76) | OS-Janneke Kalff, PBP-Stefan Slinger |
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