...Neptunus' short stop Jeroen Sluijter...
...hangs in the air completing a...
...double play in the 4th inning...
(Photo: Ron Wicklert
www.eott.nl) |
 ROTTERDAM (Neth.) - DOOR Neptunus on Saturday was outhit 9-3 by L&D Amsterdam, but nevertheless won 3-1, thanks to a wild pitch. Two of Neptunus' three basehits were hit by Derick Francisca, who came to Rotterdam three days before the start of the season, after having been with the Amsterdam-squad since coming over in November from Instant Holland Almere '90.
Neptunus' Head Coach Eric de Bruin had adjusted his line-up a little, as Jeffrey Arends returned to action, after being sidelined in the Opening Weekend with an injury. De Bruin left the first five spots of his batting order intact, but switched with the bottom four, bringing in Arends in the number six slot.
Amsterdam-starter Pim Walsma threw five strong innings, but despite that ended up as the losing pitcher. The young righthander gave up only one basehit in this periode, before Neptunus struck in the sixth to win the game. In the second inning, Walsma was supported with a 1-0 lead, but the Pirate-team already had a scoring opportunity in the first at bat. In the opening inning, Wesley Connor led off with a single, but then was picked off by Neptunus-starter Leon Boyd, who then gave up singles to Maikel Benner and Sidney de Jong and moved the runners himself as they were awarded the next base on a balk. Boyd recovered fine, struckout next batter Ryan Murphy and got powerhitter Fausto Álvarez Rizo to end the inning with a flyout. But in the second, Amsterdam did open the score. Bas de Jong and Marvin Bleij led off with singles and moved on a sac-bunt by Björn Henrichs. De Jong then scored on a sac-fly by Remco Draijer. But this was to be the lone Amsterdam-run. Boyd added four strong innings in which he gave up only one more basehit and walked one batter, but both were eliminated as he was supported with two double plays. In the remaining three innings, Fausto Álvarez Rizo (who was 3-for-4) hit two doubles, to give him the league-lead with five, but he stranded both times. In between, Neptunus turned another double play.
Neptunus came alongside in the third inning. Derick Francisca then led off with a single, stole second base and advanced on a grounder by Jeroen Sluijter. He then scored on a sac-fly by Benjamin Dille. Starting with the sac-fly, Pim Walsma retired eight batters in order, but then gave up a lead-off triple to Eugene Kingsale in the sixth inning and walked next batter Benjamin Dille. Walsma was relieved by Jos de Jong, who loaded the bases by walking Raily Legito. With the bases loaded, De Jong threw a wild pitch, enabling Kingsale to score the go-ahead run, then Lennart Koster hit a sacrifice fly, which scored Dille to make it 3-1. Hereafter, only one more Neptunian batter would reach base in the remaining three innings. That happened when Derick Francisca singled with one out in the seventh. He was able to advance on an error in leftfield, but when he also tried to reach third base on this play, he was thrown out there by leftfielder Wesley Connor.
(April 19)
Box Score
...Amsterdam's 3B Ryan Murphy tags out Derick Francisca in 7th inning...
...HP Umpire Arnold Verbrugge is ready to make the call...
(Photo: Ron Wicklert - www.eott.nl) |
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