Grand Slam
Softball Recaps
May 20, 2006
Compiled and Copyright © 1997-2006 by Marco Stoovelaar

Saturday, May 20
Sparks beats Terrasvogels and take first place
Three double-headers rained out


Sparks beats Terrasvogels and take first place
Nederlands | Line Scores | Box Score # 1 | Box Score # 2 | Sparks Haarlem's previous game | Terrasvogels' previous game
Standings | Schedule | All Line Scores & Box Scores

HAARLEM (Neth.) - On a cold Saturday-afternoon, the two finalists of last season, and current leaders, met for the first time this year. Sparks Haarlem won twice against unbeaten league-leader A4 Terrasogels. In the opener, Sparks won 3-2 on a walk in the seventh inning, then Game Two was won 5-4. With the double victory, Sparks not only handed Terrasvogels its first losses of the season, it also took over first place from the Santpoort-team.
This double-header was the lone one to be played, as three others were canceled because of rain. A few minutes before game time, it also started to rain briefly in Haarlem, but luckily it dried up almost immediately and the games could be played, despite a strong, cold wind.

In the opening game, Judith van Kampen, who led the league with a 7-0 record, struckout eight batters, but gave up six basehits to match het season-high. On April 22, the righthander also gave up six hits to Van der Peijl DSC '74. Besides that, she walked four batters, after having thrown 24 consecutive walkless-innings. And after she gave up an unearned run in the third inning, Judith as credited with her first earned run of the season in the fifth inning, ending a streak of 49 2/3 inning. This means, the record of 53 1/3 consecutive innings without giving up an earned run remains intact. That was accomplished by Fredy van Offeren, who set the record in 1989 and also pitched for Terrasvogels in that season. That record is even more impressive, as Fredy not only did't gave up an earned run, she threw 53 1/3 scoreless innings!

After two scoreless inning, the score went back and forth and one the teams scored in each of the following innings.
Sparks opened the score in the third inning. Kinge Bouma led off with a single, but was forced out at second base after a grounder by Lyanne Horeman. An error prevented a double play to be made, meaning the latter reached first base safely. After a strikeout, Lynn Geertman drove the ball into leftfield for an RBI-double and a 1-0 lead.
Terrasvogels came alongside in the fourth inning by also scoring an unearned run. Sparks-starter Crissy Autry hit lead-off batter Marieke Jansen, who reached second base after an error was made on a grounder by Nina van Huissteden. With two outs, she scored on a single by Linda Hoenderdos.

In the next inning, Sparks re-took the lead. Chantal Versluis led off with a single and was on third base with two outs when Kim Kluijskens hit an RBI-double to give Sparks a 2-1 lead and hand Judith van Kampen her first earned run of the season.
In the sixth, Terrasvogels again tied the score. With one out, Nina van Huissteden doubled and scored when Dana Horeman followed with a single. Crissy Autry then made a throwing error on a sac-bunt by Annemiek van Riessen to put runners on first and third base, but two outs followed.

In the seventh, Sparks broke the 2-2 tie when Judith van Kampen had some problems with her control. She walked lead-off batter Kinge Bouma, who advanced on a sac-bunt by Lyanne Horeman and was then replaced by pinch-runner Anne Blaauwgeers. Kim Kluijskens then struckout, but Lynn Geertman reached on an infield-hit. To set up a force play, powerhitter Jolanda Kroesen was given an intentional pass, but then Noémi Boekel walked, bringing in the winning run.

In Game Two, Kirsten Scheele gave up eleven basehits, while Terrasvogels had only seven, despite that the game ended in a one-run victory.
Sparks collected five of its eleven hits in the first inning. Kim Kluijskens led off with an infield-hit, moved when Lynn Geertman singled and scored on a single by Jolanda Kroesen. Geertman then scored on a sac-fly by Blake Hoorelbeke.
Terrasvogels came back with a run in the second when Dana Horeman reached second base on a throwing error and scored when Annemiek van Riessen followed with a single. Later in the at bat, the team stranded a runner on third base.

Sparks reacted with two runs in the third inning. Jolanda Kroesen led off with a single, moved on a sac-bunt and scored on a triple by Marloes Fellinger, who then scored herself on a 2-out single by Kinge Bouma.
Sparks increased the lead to 5-1 in the fourth inning. With one out, Kim Kluijskens walked and stole second. She advanced after an error, then scored on a sac-fly by Jolanda Kroesen. Despite getting more runners in the fifth and sixth inning, Sparks was unable to add more runs.

Terrasvogels then came back with a 3-run rally in the fifth inning to make it 5-4. With one out, Olga Kleinlooh singled and scored on a deep single by pinch-hitter Yvette Krooder, who advanced to second base on the throw to home plate. Krooder was then replaced by Femke Haage, who she had batted for, but now re-entered the game as pinch-runner. Haage then scored when Petra van Heijst followed with a single. With two outs, Nina van Huissteden added an RBI-single, which marked the end for starting pitcher Blake Hoorelbeke. She was replaced by Crissy Autry, who gave up a single to Dana Horeman, but then ended the at bat with a strikeout.
In the seventh, Terrasvogels came close to the tying run. With two outs, Nina van Huissteden singled and Dana Horeman walked. Then, Annemiek van Riessen drove the ball into rightfield, but there rightfielder Sabrina Soumeru made a great catch close to the foul line to end the inning and the game and secure the victory. Sparks had moved into first place.
(May 20)


Three double-headers rained out
Nederlands
Euro Stars' previous game | Centrals' previous game | Twins' previous game | Birds' previous game
Tex Town Tigers' previous game | DSC's previous game
Standings | Schedule | All Line Scores & Box Scores
CAPELLE a/d IJSSEL / OOSTERHOUT / ENSCHEDE (Neth.) - On Saturday, rain and field conditions resulted in three double-headers to be canceled.

At Capelle a/d IJssel, Euro Stars was to play against Centrals.
At Oosterhout, Twins would host Birds and Van der Peijl DSC '74 didn't have to make the trip to Enschede, as they received an early call that their games vs. Computer SOS Tex Town Tigers also were canceled.

All three double-headers were re-scheduled for Monday, June 5. The games couldn't be moved to next Sunday, which is the normal policy when games are canceled.
Coming weekend, the Dutch national women team is having its second training weekend. Before the season started, the clubs agreed that no big league and First Division-games will be scheduled in those weekends.
(May 20)


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Last Update: May 25, 2006
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