 ROTTERDAM (Neth.) - Sparta/Feyenoord took an early 3-1 lead in the second, but failed to hold onto it. After a pitching change, opponent Konica Minolta Pioniers struck with seven runs in the fifth inning and went on to win 16-5. Pioniers scored 15 of its runs in the last five innings.
Pioniers collected 20 basehits in the game and all starting players hit at least one, led by Norbert Lokhorst, who went 4-for-5, scored twice and had two RBI's. The Duursma Brothers Michael and Mark had three hits each. All starting players also scored at least one run. The top-five batters (starters) were 9-for-25 combined, scored nine runs and had five RBI's, while the bottom-four (starters) went 10-for-18, scored five runs and had seven RBI's. An almost unique feat happened in the fifth inning when almost all nine players in the batting order reached base. Except for Norbert Lokhorst (sac-fly) all did.
Pioniers opened the score with a run in the second inning. With one out, Norbert Lokhorst and Dè Flanegin singled, putting runner at the corners. Lokhorst then scored on a single by Joey Treurniet, but two runners stranded.
Sparta/Feyenoord reacted with three runs in its second at bat off starter Nelson Miguel Santander Olajo, who had problems with his control in this inning. The Venezuelan righthander walked Rodney Michel and Shurendell Borgschot, then gave up an one-out, 2-run single to Sape Wagenaar. After Wagenaar advanced on an errant pick-off throw to first base, Santander also walked Shaldimar Daantji and saw the bases being loaded when Gino Henson singled with two outs. The third run was then scored when Harvey Monte also walked, making it 3-1.
Sparta/Feyenoord-starter Rob Cordemans, who last weekend made his first exhibition appearance of the season, worked on a pitch-count and initially was to throw three innings, but threw four instead. The veteran righthander played the majority of his career for Neptunus, but moved to ADO two years ago. Last season, he started professionally in Taiwan, but returned in June and threw again for ADO. After the 2007 season, he went back to Rotterdam to play for Sparta/Feyenoord. In his first game for his new team, Cordemans gave up five basehits, three of which resulted in the second inning-run. Leading 3-1, Elton Koeiman took over the pitching in the fifth inning, but ran into problems immediately. He was greeted with a basehit by Michael Duursma, then walked Mervin Gario and Glenn Romney. An error on a possible double play-grounder by Jourick Blanco gave Pioniers a run, which then tied the score on a single by Mark Duursma. The team from Hoofddorp took the lead on a sac-fly by Norbert Lokhorst, which also moved the other two runners. Koeiman loaded the bases by walking Dè Flanegin intentionally and was relieved by Tim Roodenburg, who would give up 13 more basehits in the next four-plus innings. The three runners Roodenburg inherited from Koeiman would all score. First, he walked Joey Treurniet to bring in a run, then gave up an RBI-single to Jefferson Muzo and followed with a balk, which gave Pioniers another run. He was then also credited himself with a run, as Treurniet scored on a grounder by Michael Duursma, but then the inning finally ended when Mervin Gario also grounded out.
Two runs were added in the sixth inning when, with two outs, Norbert Lokhorst hit an RBI-double, followed by an RBI-single by Dè Flanegin, who initially had announced his retirement during last season, as did veteran lefthanded pitcher Richard Orman. The winningest lefthanded pitcher in Dutch big history is currently with the team as its Pitching Coach, but will return later this year to Aruba. During last years Holland Series, Flanegin hinted he might come back again to play this season and indeed he did. In the seventh inning, Pioniers made it 11-3 when debuting rookie Mervin Gario delivered his first big league-basehit. Another run was scored in the eighth on an RBI-single by Joey Treurniet.
In the ninth inning, Pioniers rallied for four more runs. Michael Duursma led off with a double, then scored on an one-out single by Sergino Martis. Jourick Blanco then followed with a 2-run homerun. Next, pinch-hitter Jeffrey de Vrieze walked, advanced on a double by Norbert Lokhorst and scored on a sac-fly by Dè Flanegin, increasing the lead to 16-3.
Since scoring three runs in the second inning, Sparta/Feyenoord was kept quietly in the next six innings in which it reached base seven times and had only four hits. Trailing 16-3, the Rotterdam-squad scored two runs in the ninth inning off new pitcher Maarten Mulder, who gave ip five consecutive basehits. With one out, Percy Isenia and Rodney Michel singled, then Patrick Wabbijn and Roderick Simon delivered RBI-singles and the bases got loaded when pinch-hitter Jonathan Kopra also singled. However, the inning and the game ended when Shaldimar Daantji grounded into a double play.
(April 12)
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