 BUSSUM (Neth.) - After losing 13-3 yesterday, Mr. Cocker HCAW came back today with a convincing 9-0 shutout-victory vs. Dutch champion Corendon Kinheim to register the first surprise win of the young season.
Kinheim had only two basehits off three pitchers, while HCAW took a 3-0 lead in the third, then decided the game with a 6-run rally in the sixth inning. Two pitchers faced their former teammates, with one doing better than the other. Kinheim started with Cliff Foster, who in 2005 and 2006 threw for HCAW. The righthander threw only two innings in which he walked six batters, gave up two hits and three runs and was credited with the loss. HCAW-pitcher Forstin Coenraad, who pitched for Kinheim in 2005, took over in relief and threw in the sixth, seventh and eighth inning, facing only ten batters and giving up no basehits. Last season, Foster and Coenraad were teammates with Instant Holland Almere '90, which then relegated to the First Division.
Before the game started, the players of both teams were introduced and the home season in Bussum was opened with the throwing of the ceremonial first pitch by Feiko Drost, a longtime member of HCAW. Currently, Drost is the scoreboard operator for the home games and does administrative work for the club, but also is responsible for legal affairs and has been or still is a member of a lot of club committees. It was then up to Kevin Roovers to silence the Kinheim-offense and he was successful in doing that. The righthander gave up a 2-out single to Dirk van 't Klooster in the first inning, then walked a batter in the next three innings, before giving up an one-out single to Denny Beljaards in the fifth, which was to be Kinheim's second and last hit in the game. In the fourth, Roovers walked lead-off batter Vince Rooi, who advanced on an error on a force play-grounder with one out, but then the HCAW-defense turned a double play on a grounder by Jason Halman. In the fifth, Denny Beljaards singled with one out and then Roovers hit René Cremer with a pitch with two outs, but ended the inning by striking out Dirk van 't Klooster. Forstin Coenraad took over the pitching in the sixth inning and saw first batter Vince Rooi reach on an error, but HCAW then turned its second double play. Joey Eijpe threw the ninth inning for HCAW. The lefthander walked lead-off batter Bryan Engelhardt, but three outs followed.
...Winning pitcher Kevin Roovers...
(Photo: HCAW) |
As mentioned, Kinheim-starter Cliff Foster walked six batters in two innings, but he wasn't the only pitcher who issued walks. The four pitchers Kinheim used in this game walked 13 batters combined. After Foster retired the side in the first inning, he ran into problems in the next at bat. He walked lead-off batter Randy Daal, then gave up a single to Ronald Jaarsma. A sac-bunt and pop-fly followed, but then the bases were loaded when Shurty Tremus also walked. Next, Juriën Overman singled in a run and two more runs were added when Foster also walked Ralph Milliard and Jermaine Esprit, before the inning ended with a groundout, leaving three runners behind.
In the third inning, Foster walked Randy Daal and Ronald Jaarsma and was replaced by Nick Veltkamp, who ended the at bat with three outs and retired the side in the fourth inning. In the fifth, HCAW got its first three batters on base, but all were left behind. Sidney Ensermo led off with a double, then Veltkamp walked Randy Daal and Ronald Jaarsma, but then struckout Bart Gabriëls and Adrian Anthony and finished with a groundout.
HCAW decided the game with a 6-run rally in the sixth inning in which all nine players would reach base. Lead-off batter Juriën Overman reached on a throwing error, then Ralph Milliard singled. Duko Jansen came in to relief Nick Veltkamp, but loaded the bases by hitting Jermaine Esprit. He then walked Sidney Ensermo to bring in a run, followed by a 2-run double by Randy Daal, which resulted in an exra run, as Ensermo scored when an error was made. After a flyout and a walk for Bart Gabriëls, everyone was safe on a force play (non-error)-grounder by Adrian Anthony, which loaded the bases again. A non-infield fly pop-up followed, but then Juriën Overman singled in a run and another was scored when Ralph Milliard walked.
HCAW stranded three more runners in the seventh inning and another one in the eighth to leave 15 runners in this game. But on the other hand, HCAW reached base 24 times. Randy Daal reached base in all his five at bats, including four walks.
(April 13)
Box Score
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