Grand Slam * Stats & News
Updated: January 7, 2013
Scores & Statistics
Baseball Scores & Stats
Softball Women Scores & Stats
Softball Men Scores & Stats
Copyright © 1997-2013
Grand Slam/Marco Stoovelaar

International Softball
Headlines
Compiled and Copyright © 1997-2013 by Marco Stoovelaar


Saskia Kosterink doubles in Australian All Star Game
Nederlands
BLACKTOWN, New South Wales (USA) - Dutch National Team-player Saskia Kosterink played in the inaugural Softball Australia All Star Game on Sunday and was part of the winning team, as the All Star Team won 7-0 vs. the Chairman's XV.


...Saskia Kosterink with Ilaria Pino...
(© Photo: Ilaria Pino)
Besides Saskia Kosterink, the All Star-squad had another European player on its roster in Ilaria Pino, who is a member of the Italian National Team. Also elected in the team were American Brittany Rumfelt and Australian National Team-players like Aimee Murch, Jocelyn McCallum, Stacey Porter and Melinda Weaver. Saskia Kosterink plays in her first Australian season and Rumfelt is one of her teammates in Western Australia Flames.

In the All Star Game, which was played at Blacktown International Sports Park (near Sydney), Saskia Kosterink played at first base in the first four innings of the game and then was substituted for. She hit a double, missing a homerun by a foot and flied out to centerfield in her next at bat.

,,It was great fun to play with all these girls in the same game'', Saskia reacted afterwards.

In the days preceeding the All Star Game, the finals were played for the Edebone Weber Shield in a 5-day tournament in Blacktown. The games also counted as the third round for the Gilley's Shield, which series will continue at the end of this month. Also participating in the Edebone Weber Shield is the National Team of New Zealand.


...The All Star Team...
...Saskia is standing second from left, with Ilaria Pino...
...standing in the middle; Aimee Murch is standing right in the 2nd row...
(© Photo: Ilaria Pino)
On the first day of the tournament, January 2, the Western Australia Flames won 10-1 vs. Victoria Titans in which Saskia scored twice. In the next game, the Flames won 8-4 vs. New South Wales Firestars. Saskia again scored twice and also hit a 3-run homerun.

The next day, the Flames won 4-1 vs. New Zealand, then suffered an 1-0 loss later against New South Wales. Saskia was hitless in both games, but walked in the first game and scored in the second.

On Day 3, the Flames lost 6-4 to ACT Diamonds, which has Ilaria Pino on its roster, as well as Belgian-turned-Australian Brenda DeBlaes. Saskia didn't start this game, but walked as a pinch-hitter. The Flames then were shutout 5-0 by Queensland Heat with Saskia going 0-for-3. The third game on this day ended in a 6-5 win vs. Queensland, thanks to four runs in the second inning. Saskia went 1-for-1, had a sacrifice bunt, but also was hit by a pitch, which resulted in a swelling on her arm.

Therefore, she didn't play the next day against South Australia Starz in a 9-0 victory. Later on the day, Saskia returned to the line-up, entering the game against Victoria Titans as a pinch-hitter and staying in the game. In the bottom of the seventh inning, Saskia delivered a walk-off, game-winning single to give the Flames a 5-4 win.

With this win, the Flames ended in second place in the overall ranking, meaning they had to face third placed New South Wales on the final day. Saskia went 1-for-3 and the Flames won 4-3 to reach the Grand Final. In this deciding game against Queensland, Saskia went 2-for-3, but the Flames lost 2-1.

(January 7)


Thank you for visiting this site.
Mail your suggestions and questions to stoov@wxs.nl
Copyright © 1997-2013 Marco Stoovelaar / Grand Slam * Stats & News.