Pioniers appeared to have the best chances today, playing at home with their ace on the mound. But on the other hand, this Series has been unpredictable from the beginning and the previous three games were all won by the visiting team. So, the victory by Kinheim was completely in line with the development of this Series, which is one of the best, spectacular and dramatic ever that deserves a fifth game. It is only the fourth time in the 19 Series played thus far, that a final goes the distance in a 5-game format. Only once, a team was able to turn a 2-1 deficit in a championship, being Kinheim in 1994, the last time they won the title.

...Kinheim-starter... ...Patrick Beljaards... (Photo: Mario Klardie www.sport-fotos.nl)

Kinheim changed its rotation for today's games. Since July, RHP David Bergman started the first game in a series, while LHP Patrick Beljaards pitched the next game. That also was the way in the Play-Offs vs. ADO and in the first weekend of the Holland Series. But in Game One, Bergman didn't pitch convincingly and lost the opener, while Beljaards threw a strong game the next day and won Kinheim's only game. Today, Beljaards started for Kinheim and again did well.

Pioniers started with Richard Orman, who also started Game Two, but then was hit hard. Today, he pitched better, but again gave up ten hits. In the Play-Offs against DOOR Neptunus, Orman had pitched two strong games to dethrone the reigning champion.

...Wouter Heemskerk is tagged out at home... ...by catcher Mark Duursma in second inning... ...HP Umpire Arnold Verbrugge is ready to make the call... (Photo: Mario Klardie - www.sport-fotos.nl)

Kinheim initially took a 2-0 lead in the second inning. Tjerk Smeets led off with a walk, then Vince Rooi singled. Pioniers then turned its twelfth double play of the Series, but the inning wasn't over yet. Richard Orman gave up a single to Roel Koolen on which Smeets scored the first run. A throwing error on a grounder by Wouter Heemskerk enabled Koolen to reach third base. Moments later, he scored on a single by Denny Beljaards. Heemskerk was also send home, but was thrown out on a strong throw by rightfielder Edwin de Graaf.

Pioniers scored its first run in the home second. Dè Flanegin grounded the ball to first baseman Edward Illidge, who bobbled the ball, but recovered in time to throw the ball to pitcher Patrick Beljaards, who then dropped the ball. Flanegin moved on a wild pitch, then reached third base on an one-out single by Edwin de Graaf and scored on a sac-fly by Marcel Venema.

In the fourth inning, Pioniers not only came alongside, it took a 5-2 lead. Kinheim-starter Patrick Beljaards gave up four runs and hits in this inning. Glenn Romney led off with a single, then Dè Flanegin flied out. Glennsig Polonius also followed with a single to put runners on first and third base. Next, Edwin de Graaf grounded to third baseman Vince Rooi for what looked to be an inning-ending double play. However, Rooi's throw to second base was high, making second baseman Roel Koolen to leap off base. 2B Umpire Fred Groenewegen gave the safe-signal, as Koolen was not in contact with the base when he received the ball. Kinheim disputed the call, but television replays showed Groenewegen made the right call. As a result, the bases were now loaded with only one out. Beljaards shaked things off and struckout next batter Marcel Venema, but then veteran Lars Koehorst doubled down the leftfield-line to bring in two runs and gave Pioniers a 3-2 lead. Next batter Norbert Lokhorst followed with a single through the middle, enabling two more runners to score and raise the lead to 5-2. Moments later, Lokhorst was caught stealing, which broke up the rally and ended the inning.

Pionier-starter Richard Orman threw better than last week, but wasn't as sharp as he threw against Neptunus. After giving up the runs in the second inning, he gave up hits in the third and fourth inning, then saw Kinheim get the bases loaded in the fifth at bat. With one out, René Cremer singled, then Dirk van 't Klooster was hit by a pitch. Tjerk Smeets then struckout, but the bases were loaded when Orman walked Vince Rooi. The veteran lefthander avoided giving up runs by striking out powerhitter Edward Illidge.

But in the sixth inning, Orman did give up a run and things started to go Kinheim's way. First, Roel Koolen led off with a single. Next, Wouter Heemskerk bunted the ball back to Orman, who made a fielding error, as he probably was already planning to throw the ball to second base for the force out. Now, with two runners on base, Orman made a good fielding play on a bunt by Denny Beljaards and forced out Koolen on third base. Next, Danny Rombley grounded to second baseman Lars Koehorst, who didn't get the ball under control right away and only could make the force out, instead of starting the 13th double play. Moments later, Heemskerk scored on a single by René Cremer. ,,We made twelve double plays and then we failed to make the thirteenth'', Lars Koehorst said afterwards. ,,That's where the game turned.''

...Edward Illidge advances to third base after a flyout... then scores the go-ahead run in 7th inning... (Photos: Mario Klardie - www.sport-fotos.nl)

In the seventh inning, Kinheim took charge of the game. Tjerk Smeets led off with a single, after which 37-year old Richard Orman was relieved by 34-year old rookie Erik Jan Lind. Last week, Lind took over for Roger Kops in Game Three, did a fine job and was the winning pitcher. This time, however, Lind failed to hold the lead, as he gave up back-to-back doubles. He was greeted with a double by Vince Rooi which brought Smeets to third base. Smeets and Rooi then scored on a double by Edward Illidge to tie the score. Illidge advanced to third base when next batter Roel Koolen flied out, then scored the go-ahead run on a sac-fly by Wouter Heemskerk.

...Glenn Romney dives into third base in 9th inning... ...3B Vince Rooi makes tag; Umpire John Beltman watches... ...Pioniers' Head Coach Trevor Rooper looks on... (Photo: Mario Klardie - www.sport-fotos.nl)

In the home eighth, Pioniers got the chance to come alongside. With one out, Edwin de Graaf singled. Patrick Beljaards was relieved by Michiel van Kampen, who gave up a single to Marcel Venema to put runners on first and third base. With Lars Koehorst batting, Pioniers didn't opt for a squeeze to bring in the tying run. Venema then was caught stealing and was thrown out 1-3-6, but had to be assisted off the field, as he was hit in the neck by a knee from short stop René Cremer. Venema left the game and had his neck supported after the game. As he felt dizzy, Venema went to the hospital where a concussion was diagnosed. With two outs, Koehorst walked, then next batter Norbert Lokhorst did bunt down the third base-line and almost was successful, but third baseman Vince Rooi made a fine play, while first baseman Edward Illidge made a nice pick completing the play and end the inning.

After turning their 13th double play in the top of the ninth, Pioniers got another chance to tie the score in the home part. With two outs, Glenn Romney walked and advanced to third base on a single by Dè Flanegin. But then Glennsig Polonius grounded out to end the game, making a fifth game necessary to decide this Holland Series.

,,There was no real turn-around in the game'', Kinheim's Pitching Coach Eelco Jansen said afterwards. ,,We were better than Pioniers for nine innings, but it almost went wrong'', Jansen referred to the situation in the fourth inning with the crucial decision on second base. ,,As a pitcher you have to shake off something like that, but that's very difficult. Patrick needed some extra pitches halfway the game, but he did very good, his pitched very well again'', said Jansen, who himself was one of the pitchers in the 1994 Holland Series when Kinheim won its last title. Jansen then pitched the deciding fifth game and was the winning pitcher.
(September 30)

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