 Terrasvogels second finalist for Holland Series
Nederlands
 SANTPOORT (Neth.) -
Hotel Ambassador Haarlem Terrasvogels shutout Alcmaria Victrix twice on Saturday to become the second finalist for the best-of-five Holland Series.
In the season's finale, Terrasvogels will face Oolders Omaco Sparks Haarlem, which qualified a week ago.
In this second round of the Play-Offs (or 'back door'), Terrasvogels met Alcmaria Victrix, which a week ago surprised by eliminating FysioExpert Olympia Haarlem.
But today, Alcmaria was left empty-handed, as Terrasvogels won 9-0 and 6-0.
Game 2 had a historic moment in the third inning, as it had a 7-minute sun-delay, which is believed to be the first ever in Dutch big league-softball.
For Alcmaria, the losses meant that it was dethroned as reigning champion.
As the season concluded for the team from Alkmaar, it also concluded the coaching career of Head Coach Gonny Farley, who retires.
Recently, Alcmaria named Sandra Gouverneur as her successor.
The Holland Series opens on Saturday, September 28 at the Noordersportpark, the home of Sparks Haarlem, with a double-header.
A week later, on Saturday, October 5, games 3 and 4 are scheduled at the home of Terrasvogels, Sportpark De Elta, in Santpoort.
If needed, Game 5 will be played the next day in Haarlem.
In the opener, Terrasvogels-pitcher Monica Perry gave up a lead-off single to Anne Blaauwgeers in the first inning, but that was to be the lone hit for Alcmaria.
After giving up the single, Perry (who struckout seven) retired the next 16 batters in a row, then walked Kim Buizer with one out in the seventh inning.
Next batter Anne Blaauwgeers reached on a fielder's choice, but both runners were left behind.
Terrasvogels opened the score with two runs in the second inning off of Femke van Dusschoten.
The righthander won the Italian championship this season playing for La Loggia, but was added to Alcmaria's roster after completion of the Italian season, as was her teammate Anne Blaauwgeers.
In the second at bat, Kate Gentile led off with a walk and Yonina Sint Jago singled.
The two advanced on a sac-bunt by Anouk van den Heuvel, then scored on a 2-out double by Marije Schoenmaker.
A run was added in the fourth.
Gentile led off with a single, then advanced to third on a single by Sint Jago, who herself advanced on an outfield-error.
Hereafter, Laura Treurniet was brought in as reliever, but she gave up a sac-fly to Van den Heuvel that made it 3-0.
A 3-run rally followed in the fifth at bat.
Treurniet hit lead-off hitter Marisèla de Wind with a pitch, then walked Petra van Heijst.
Solange Starrenburg followed with an RBI-single.
Next, Robyn Draper flied out, but Van Heijst was able to move to third base, while Starrenburg took second base on the throw to third.
A following single by Kate Gentile then brought in Van Heijst and Starrenburg to increase the lead to 6-0.
Needing one more run to end the game via the mercy-rule, Terrasvogels ended the game spectacular.
With one out, Marije Schoenmaker was hit by a pitch and Marisèla de Wind singled.
The first was then forced out on a grounder by Petra van Heijst, which brought Solange Starrenburg in the batter's box.
She drilled an 1-1 pitch over the leftfield-fence for a walk-off, 3-run homerun that made it a 9-0 final score.
...Petra van Heijst steals 2nd base in the first inning...
| | 
...Marije Schoenmaker puts Terrasvogels ahead with...
...a 2-run double in the second inning... |
...Alcmaria's Head Coach Gonny Farley argues...
...with HP Umpire Gerrit-Jan van der Hoeven... | | 
...Alcmaria leaves the field, while the Terrasvogels-players await...
...Solange Starrenburg after her walk-off, 3-run homerun... |
| (© Photos: Marco Stoovelaar) |
In Game 2, Ginger de Weert gave up five hits and struckout five, while Terrasvogels collected 10 basehits, including three by Marisèla de Wind.
Anne Blaauwgeers again leads off for Alcmaria with a single in the first inning.
After advancing on a sac-bunt and a single by Jessie van Aalst, she was eliminated at the plate trying to score on a grounder by Laura Treurniet.
In the third, Maaike Blaauwgeers was on base with one out, but then Van Aalst lined into a double play back to Ginger de Weert, who was supported with some fine defense.
Starting with the double play, De Weert retired nine batters in a row, before giving up a 2-out triple to Van Aalst, who stranded at third base.
In the seventh inning, 2B Robyn Draper made a great diving catch on a fly by Brenda Beers.
Terrasvogels opened the score in the third inning off of Femke van Dusschoten, who again was the starting pitcher.
With one out, Marisèla de Wind and Petra van Heijst singled, but then the game briefly was interrupted.
Femke van Dusschoten was bothered by the bright, low-standing sun and so, a 7-minute delay followed.
After the game resumed, the first run was scored with two outs on a Texas Leaguer-single by Robyn Draper.
A 4-run rally was staged in the fifth at bat.
De Wind led off with her third basehit in three at bats, then stole second base.
With one out, Solange Starrenburg walked and the bases got loaded when Robyn Draper reached on a bunt-single.
Hereafter, Kate Gentile brought in a run with a sacrifice fly, then Yonina Sint Jago followed with a 2-run double.
Moments later, Sint Jago scored the fourth run in the inning on a single by Anouk van den Heuvel.
The sixth run was scored in the sixth inning off of Jessie van Aalst, who had taken over the pitching after Van den Heuvel's single the inning before.
In the sixth, Marije Schoenmaker led off with a double, advanced on a grounder by Marisèla de Wind and scored on a grounder by Petra van Heijst.
...In the third inning, the game is briefly interrupted...
...for a rare sun-delay... | | 
...Solange Starrenburg and Robyn Draper score in the 5th inning...
...on a 2-out double by Yonina Sint Jago... |
...Marisèla de Wind had three hits in Game 2...
...and a total of four in the double-header...
...She scored four runs today... | | 
...Jessie van Aalst took over the pitching in the 5th inning...
...She wears a face-mask after breaking her jaw on a...
comeback line drive on June 8 against Sparks Haarlem... |
| (© Photos: Marco Stoovelaar) |
(September 21)
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