Grand Slam
Softball Recaps
April 15, 2006
Compiled and Copyright © 1997-2006 by Marco Stoovelaar

Saturday, April 15
Opening Day
Euro Stars opens with two wins
Centrals win twice in big league-debut
Terrasvogels wins twice in Enschede
Sparks Haarlem opens with two shutouts


Euro Stars opens with two wins
Nederlands | Line Scores | Box Score # 1 | Box Score # 2
Standings | Schedule | All Line Scores & Box Scores

CAPELLE a/d IJSSEL (Neth.) - Euro Stars has opened the new season with two victories at home vs. Birds, winning 4-1 and 5-1.
Lara Hollander was the winning pitcher in both games.

In the opener, Birds took a 1-0 lead in the first inning when veteran Andrea Winkler doubled with one out, then scored on a 2-out single by Kimberly van der Lee. But that was to be the lone run for Birds in this game. Euro Stars-pitcher Lara Hollander allowed only three more basehits and only one additonal runner to reach third base. That happened in the fifth inning when pinch-hitter Merel Meershoek singled in her first career big league at bat and advanced to third base on a 2-out single by Andrea Winkler, but stranded there. Next, Lara Hollander retired the next seven batters to end the game.
Trailing 1-0, Euro Stars answered with a 4-run rally in its first at bat. The first three batters all singled off Kim van Vliet to load the bases. With Agnes van de Heuvel, Shulaika Balentina and Manon Schol on base, Karin Tuk cleared the bases with a 3-run double and advanced to third on the throw to the plate. She then scored on a one-out grounder by Britt Breure. Euro Stars then also didn't score a run in the remainder of the game, as Birds-pitcher Kim van Vliet allowed only three more additional basehits.

In Game Two, Euro Stars took a 2-0 lead in the third inning with two outs. Lead-off hitter Jennifer Boutisma reached base on a throwing error, moved on a sac-bunt and advanced to third on a single by Agnes van de Heuvel. She then was tagged out by the catcher on a fielder's choice-grounder by Shulaika Balentina. With runners on first and second, a throwing error on a grounder by Manon Schol led to the first run. Next, Manon Schol, who travels between Switzerland and the Netherlands every week for her games, stole second. A throwing error on the play enabled Balentina to score the second run.
Two runs were added in the fifth inning on three doubles. With one out, Agnes van de Heuvel doubled and scored when Manon Schol doubled with two outs. Moments later, Karin Tuk added another RBI-double.
Birds came back with a run in the sixth inning when Kim Kafoé singled with one out and scored on a 2-out single by Kimberly van der Lee, who went 3-for-3.
Euro Stars got the run back in the home sixth. With two outs, Davinia de Kwant walked and went on to score on an error.
(April 15)


Centrals wins twice in big league-debut
Nederlands | Line Scores | Box Score # 1 | Box Score # 2
Standings | Schedule | All Line Scores & Box Scores

DE BILT (Neth.) - In their big league-debut, Centrals surprised on Saturday by winning their home openers against Van der Peijl DSC '74.
In Game One, the first tie-break of the season resulted in a 1-0 win for Centrals, then the home team won Game Two, 3-1.

American pitcher Randi Nielson gave up only three basehits in her big league-debut and struckout four batters in her first appearance of the new season. The righthander gave up an infield-hit to Ellen Venker in the third inning, then singles to Gallieth Haaker and Cindy Baretta in the fourth, but that was all for DSC '74. In the fourth, Haaker was on third and Baretta on second with one out when a grounder by Meike Hylkema resulted in a rundown between home and third and Haaker being tagged out. A grounder ended this scoring opportunity for DSC.
Centrals had the most scoring opportunities in this opening game. In the fourth inning, the team had runners of first and second base, then a force play-grounder and a line-out ended the at bat.
In the fifth, the bases were loaded with one out. Kristel Dalmeijer (infield-hit) and Judith van Tiel (single) were on second and third when Marieke Brouwer was walked intentionally. But two flyouts ended the inning.
In the sixth, a run by Centrals was reversed. Fabiënne Stuart tripled with one out and then scored on a single by Solange Starrenburg. But while running towards home, Stuart overran and missed home plate, then was called out on an appeal play.
After DSC stranded their tie-break runner on third base in the eighth, Centrals did score in the home eighth. Tie-break runner Marjorie Henriquez advanced to third when an error was made on a grounder by Bianca Hardeveld. After Maud Braakman was walked intentionally to set up a force play, Fabiënne Stuart singled in the winning run.

In Game Two, Centrals took a 1-0 lead in the first inning when Marieke Brouwer led off with an infield-hit and scored on a one-out single by Bianca Hardeveld.
DSC came alongside in the fourth inning, after already having stranded six runners in the first three innings. In the fourth, Meike Hylkema walked, moved on a sac-bunt and a single by Ellen Venker, then scored on a single by Inge Consent, but again two runners were left behind. DSC would strand ten runners this game.
Centrals re-took the lead in the sixth inning and again it was Fabiënne Stuart, who produced the game-winning basehit. Lead-off hitter Maud Braakman reached base on an error, then Fabiënne Stuart followed with a big 2-run homerun that gave Centrals a 3-1 lead.
(April 15)


Terrasvogels wins twice in Enschede
Nederlands | Line Scores | Box Score # 1 | Box Score # 2
Standings | Schedule | All Line Scores & Box Scores

ENSCHEDE (Neth.) - Vice-champion A4 Terrasvogels opened the season with two victories in Enschede, beating Computer SOS Tex Town Tigers, 4-0 and 5-1.
Pitchers Judith van Kampen and Kirsten Scheele gave up only seven hits in the two games.

In the opener, Judith van Kampen pitched a 3-hitter and struckout seven batters. After retiring the first 12 batters she faced, she gave up a lead-off single to Lindsey Meadows in the fifth inning, but never ran into problems.
Terrasvogels took a 2-0 lead in the third inning. With one out, Petra van Heijst and Marieke Jansen singled, then both scored when Nina van Huissteden drove the ball into the outfield for a 2-run triple.
Another run was added in the sixth inning. With one out, Nathalie Gosewehr singled, followed by a single by Nicole Wessels, who made her comeback. After the 2004 season, Nicole retired, but she decided to come back and be a fulltime player for the main team again. The bases were loaded when Olga Kleinlooh walked. A run was then scored when TTT-pitcher Linda ter Steege also walked next batter Petra van Heijst, before a flyout by Marieke Jansen ended in an inning-ending double play.
The fourth run was scored in the seventh at bat. Nina van Huissteden led off with a single and advanced on an error, then was replaced by pinch-runner Linda Muller. She moved to third on a single by Dana Horeman, but was unable to advance after Yvette Krooder lined into a double play. She then scored when Femke Haage singled against her former teammates.

In Game Two, Tex Town Tigers took a 1-0 lead in the fourth inning. Terrasvogels-pitcher Kirsten Scheele had retired nine of the first ten batters, then gave up a lead-off infield-hit to Virginie Anneveld in the fourth. A throwing error on a grounder by Mieke van der Zwaan enabled her to give TTT a 1-0 lead.
Terrasvogels came back with a 5-run rally in the sixth inning when all nine batters came to bat. Petra van Heijst walked to lead off the at bat, then Marieke Jansen reached on an infield-hit. Next, an error was made on a grounder by Nina van Huissteden, which scored Van Heijst. With one out, Jansen scored on a bunt-single by Yvette Krooder, followed by an RBI-single by Femke Haage and a 2-run single by Nathalie Gosewehr.
(April 15)


Sparks Haarlem opens with two shutouts
Nederlands | Line Scores | Box Score # 1 | Box Score # 2
Standings | Schedule | All Line Scores & Box Scores

HAARLEM (Neth.) - Dutch champion Sparks Haarlem started the new season on Saturday with two shutouts against Twins, 4-0 and 7-0.
American pitchers Crissy Autry and Blake Hoorelbeke gave up only five basehits in this double-header.

In the opener, Kinge Bouma drove in all four runs. Sparks Haarlem scored its first run in the second inning. Noémi Boekel led off with a walk and scored on a 2-out double by Kinge Bouma.
The 1-0 lead was increased to 4-0 in the sixth at bat. Noémi Boekel again led off with a walk, then advanced when Marloes Fellinger doubled. The bases were loaded when Mariska Greve was walked intentionally, but then Kinge Bouma followed with a baseclearing 3-run double.
American pitcher Crissy Autry impressed with a 3-hitter and struckout nine batters.

In Game Two, Sparks decided the game right away in the first inning with a 6-run rally, producing only one basehit! Twins-starter Andrea Lindgren issued three walks and hit a batter in this at bat. The first six batters reached base safely and the team was leading already 4-0 before the first out was registered. The bases were loaded when Kim Kluijskens reached on an error and Lynn Geertman and Jolanda Kroesen both walked. A wild pitch then led to the first run, after which the bases were loaded again when Noémi Boekel also walked. The next run was scored when Blake Hoorelbeke was hit by a pitch. A throwing error towards home on a force play-grounder by Marloes Fellinger then resulted in two more runs. Lindgren then struckout Mariska Greve for the first out and saw Kinge Bouma fly out, but then Lyanne Horeman singled in two more runs. Kim Kluijskens then grounded out to end the inning.
In the fourth inning, the seventh run was scored when Kim Kluijskens walked and scored on a single by Jolanda Kroesen.
Sparks-pitcher Blake Hoorelbeke threw a 2-hitter and struckout five batters. The two hits she gave up were both hit by Caroline Sins.
(April 15)


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Last Update: April 19, 2006
Copyright © 1997-2006 Marco Stoovelaar.