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(Story by Marco Stoovelaar; Photos by Henk Seppen, Fred Versluis & Marco Stoovelaar)
 Sparks Haarlem comes from behind to win championship again
Nederlands
 HOOFDDORP (Neth.) -
Oolders Omaco Sparks Haarlem briefly railed 1-0, but then scored three runs, resulting in a 3-1 win in the best-of-one Holland Series vs. FysioExpert Olympia Haarlem on Sunday (September 27).
With that, the Holland Series Weekend and the Golden League-season ended.
With the win, Sparks Haarlem extended its championship, as it also won the title a year ago.
Then, the team swept Terrasvogels 3-0 in a best-of-five.
Today, the team swept Olympia Haarlem in a best-of-one, but the title didn't came easy.
With the win, Sparks Haarlem qualified for participation in next years European Premier Cup.
Olympia Haarlem will participate in the European Cup Winners Cup.
Olympia Haarlem's European spot was secured when Sparks Haarlem won earlier today vs. Terrasvogels in the backdoor-game.
When Terrasvogels had reached the Holland Series, only the champion would have qualified, as Sparks Haarlem secured an European spot by finishing in first place in the regular season.
Next year will mark the first time since 2002 and only the third time in history that Terrasvogels will not participate in an European Cup-tournament.
Since the first tournament was played in 1978, Terrasvogels became the most successful club in Europe, participating in a record 34 of the 37 European Cup-tournaments.
To capture the title, defending champion Sparks Haarlem had to go the long way.
On Saturday, the team lost 3-2 vs. Olympia Haarlem in the first round of the Play-Offs.
With that, Olympia Haarlem qualified for the Holland Series, while Sparks Haarlem had to play in the backdoor-game vs. Terrasvogels, who reached that game by winning 7-0 vs. Tex Town Tigers on Saturday.
Earlier today, Sparks Haarlem won only 2-0 vs. Terrasvogels in the backdoor-game to become the second finalist.
Recap Play-Off 1: Sparks Haarlem vs. Olympia Haarlem
Recap Play-Off 2: Terrasvogels vs. Tex Town Tigers
Recap Play-Off 3 (Backdoor): Sparks Haarlem vs. Terrasvogels
...Pitcher Rebecca Soumeru and catcher Karin Tuk...
...embrace each other after the final out is made...
(© Photo: Henk Seppen) |
As can be read in the above, three of the four games played this weekend were very close.
So who knows what would have happened in a best-of-three Play-Off or a best-of-five Holland Series, which had been the format in most of all previous postseason-series?
We will never know whether the losing teams might have come back in their series or turn it around in its favor, which for instance happened in 2012 when Alcmaria Victrix lost the first game vs. Sparks Haarlem, but then won three in a row to win the title.
We will never know, as it was decided before the start of this season that these series were only to be best-of-one series.
Not everyone was in favor of this format, but that became the set-up for this season.
Fact is that Sparks Haarlem is the 2015 Dutch softball-champion!
The Holland Series-game, as well as all other Play-Off games were played at the site of Hoofddorp Pioniers in Hoofddorp, as it also was decided in the new format that all these deciding games were to played at a neutral site.
As winner of the regular season, Sparks Haarlem automatically advanced to this final round, the Holland Series Weekend.
The three following teams, Olympia Haarlem, Terrasvogels and Tex Town Tigers first had to play an additional series of games in the Play-Off Weekend, which took place a week ago at the site of Almere '90 in Almere.
There, the teams ended up in the same order as in the regular season.
Recaps Play-Off Weekend
Today, in Hoofddorp, the Promotion/Relegation Series in the Silver League also concluded, resulting in a promotion for Birds and relegation for Almere '90.
Recap of this Series
Also in Hoofddorp yesterday was the conclusion of the best-of-five Promotion/Relegation Play-Off between Twins and Alcmaria Victrix.
Twins won 4-0 and promoted to return to the big league next season after won its first two games a week ago at the site of Gryphons in Rosmalen.
Recap Twins vs. Alcmaria Victrix
(September 27)
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| Most Championship-titles, Clubs |
| Titles | Club |
| 15 | Terrasvogels |
| 12 | HHC |
| 10 | Sparks Haarlem |
| 9 | HCAW |
| 7 | DSS |
| 3 | Kinheim |
| 2 | Tex Town Tigers |
For Sparks Haarlem, the title was the 22nd in club-history, but the tenth since the team became known as Sparks after a merger in 1991.
After a new merger, it became Sparks Haarlem in 2002.
The predecessor of Sparks Haarlem, HHC, had captured 12 championship-titles under that name.
After HHC had won the first-ever Dutch championship in 1952, Sparks Haarlem today became the 64th softball-champion of the Netherlands.
The most titles have been won by Terrasvogels (15), but when HHC (12) and Sparks Haarlem (10) are combined, it leads with 22.
Terrasvogels and Sparks Haarlem are the only two clubs in history with 10 or more championships.
| Most Championship-titles, Cities |
| Titles | City |
| 33 |  | Haarlem |
| 15 |  | Santpoort |
| 9 |  | Bussum |
| 2 |  | Enschede |
| 1 |  | Alkmaar |
| 1 |  | Bloemendaal |
| 1 |  | The Hague |
| 1 |  | Heemstede |
| 1 |  | Oosterhout |
It was the 33rd time that the title was won by a Haarlem-based club.
When nearby Santpoort, Bloemendaal and Heemstede are included, this was the 50th championship-title won by a team from the Haarlem-area.
With its 33rd title, Haarlem remains the most successful softball-city and shares the total of titles with Amsterdam, which is the most successful baseball-city with 33 titles.
When HHC and Sparks Haarlem are combined, this was its 19th appearance in a Holland Series.
For Olympia Haarlem, this was its first participation in a Holland Series.
Back in 2003, its predecessor DSC '74 also played in the final and then went on to capture the championship-title.
Back then, the team was led by Rob Walgien, who this season was the Head Coach of Terrasvogels.
With 20 appearances in the Holland Series, Terrasvogels is the record-holder.
In total, ten different clubs (or eight when HHC/Sparks Haarlem and DSC '74/Olympia Haarlem are combined) participated in a Holland Series.
Sparks Haarlem Head Coach Peter van Dalen won the championship in his first season as Head Coach.
He becomes the eighth rookie Head Coach to lead his team to a title via the Holland Series.
The last to do so was Marco Molleman in 2013 with Terrasvogels.
Before the introduction of the Holland Series, three other rookie Head Coaches won a championship-title.
| Most Championship-titles, Head Coaches |
| Titles | Head Coach | Club(s) |
| 6 | Hans Janssen | DSS (3), Terrasvogels (3) |
| 4 | Teun van den Berg | Terrasvogels |
| 4 | Ruud Elfers | HCAW |
| 3 | Juni Francisca | Sparks Haarlem |
| 3 | Johan Kluijskens | Sparks Haarlem |
| 3 | Craig Montvidas | HCAW (2), Twins (1) |
| 3 | Rob Walgien | Terrasvogels (2), DSC '74 (1) |
| 2 | Ton Hendriks | Sparks Haarlem |
| 2 | Paula van der Mark | HHC |
| 2 | Don Wedman | Terrasvogels |
| 2 | Toon Verzijlberg | DSS |
The coach with the most championship-titles overall is Hans Janssen, who led his teams to six titles, three with DSS, three with Terrasvogels.
This was the 30th Holland Series.
In 1982, there was a postseason for the first time.
Before that, the winner of the regular season won the title.
In 1982, the page-system was used.
The two Play-Offs and the Backdoor all were best-of-ones, followed by a best-of-three Holland Series, which was won by Terrasvogels.
A year later, the page-system was used again.
The best-of-one was no success, so to create more suspense, no best-of-ones were played anymore.
Instead, the Play-Offs, Backdoor and Holland Series all became a best-of-three series, as was the case in 1984.
For 1985, it was decided that the season-winner again became the champion.
This also was to be the rule for 1986, but then Terrasvogels and Bloemendaal ended in a tie.
It was opted that these teams were to play a best-of-three to decide the championship and that's what happened, but this is no official Holland Series.
In 1987, the Play-Off/Holland Series-format returned with best-of-three series, as was done in 1988.
| Most Holland Series-participations |
| HS | Club |
| 20 | Terrasvogels |
| 17 | Sparks Haarlem |
| 9 | HCAW |
| 5 | Twins |
| 3 | Tex Town Tigers |
| 2 | HHC |
| 1 | Alcmaria Victrix, DSC '74,
DSS, Olympia Haarlem |
There was no postseason in 1989 and in 1990 another new format was introduced.
The season was split in two halves and the winners of these halves met each other in a best-of five Holland Series.
Problem with this format was that when the winner of both halve was the same team that would be the champion and there would have been no Holland Series.
In 1991-1994, the Play-Offs expanded.
There were best-of-three series after completion of the both the first and second half to create more suspense.
Also, the Holland Series was expanded from a best-of-three to a best-of-five from 1992 on, also to create more competitiveness.
It also gave a team the possibility to come back in a series and turn it its way.
In 1995, the Play-Offs returned to be played only after completion of the regular season, which was not split in two halves anymore.
In the new set-up, the season-winner met the number 4 in the ranking, while the other best-of-three Play-Off was played between the numbers 2 and 3 of the season.
The winners then met in a best-of-five Holland Series.
This format was kept in place through 2000, in 1998 it was even expanded with extra best-of-three Play-Offs with a total of eight teams.
The same format was used from 2001 on, but the Play-Offs then also were expanded to a best-of-five, again to create more suspense.
The format of a best-of-five Play-Offs and Holland Series was used through 2011 and that resulted in several very attactive series.
In 2012, the page-system returned, the Play-Offs again became a best-of-three, but the Holland Series remained a best-of-five.
And that has been the case since then.
For this season, it was decided to create a new format.
In this new set-up, all deciding series (Play-Offs and Holland Series) were limited to a best-of-one only.
Also, all games were played in one weekend on a neutral site.
And that resulted today in Sparks Haarlem becoming the Dutch softball-champion for 2015.
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In 2003, DSC '74, the predecessor of Olympia Haarlem, played in its first and only Holland Series.
Back then, DSC '74 reached the final after a memorable and exciting best-of-five Play-Off vs. Sparks Haarlem.
In that series, Sparks Haarlem won the first two games (!), but it was underscored that everything is possible in a best-of-series, as DSC '74 won the next three games to advance to the Holland Series.
 |  |
...Images from the historic Play-Off Game 5 in 2003...
...Players and umpires in the fog...
(© Photos: Marco Stoovelaar) |
In Game 3, American pitcher Jocelyn Forest struckout 16 batters and threw an one-hitter in a 7-0 shutout.
In Game 4, DSC '74 collected 16 basehits to win 5-1 and equal the series.
Game 5 then became a historical thriller which lasted 2 hours and 24 minutes and needed 12 innings to come to a decision.
With a scoreless tie, the game was interrupted for 12 minutes in the top of the ninth inning due to fog.
When it continued, the game remained scoreless, but DSC '74 then rallied for five runs in the top of the 12th inning to win 5-0.
Furthermore, Jocelyn Forest struckout 17 batters and threw a 12-inning No-Hitter!
By the way, losing pitcher Erica Beach struckout 11 batters.
In the following best-of-five Holland Series, DSC '74 swept Twins, 3-0, to win the championship.
In that memorable fifth Play-Off game, Peter Vonk was the umpire at first base, today, he was the umpire at third base in the Holland Series-game between Sparks Haarlem and Olympia Haarlem.
Carolien Stadhouders, who then was the Home Plate Umpire, and Bert Loggen, who was the 3B Umpire, were in attendance today, as they served as Technical Commisioners.
Playing in that historic 'fog'-game were Inge Consent, Nathalie Gosewehr and Rebecca Soumeru.
Consent and Gosewehr played for DSC '74, Soumeru for Sparks Haarlem.
Today, 12 years later, the first, now named Inge Duin-Consent, was the 1B Coach for Olympia Haarlem, while Gosewehr and Soumeru were playing for Sparks Haarlem.
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...Pitcher Rebecca Soumeru with her framed # 31...
(© Photo: Henk Seppen) |
Veteran pitcher Rebeca Soumeru went the distance for Sparks Haarlem.
Before the start of the game, the righthander was honored.
Gijs Selderijk, Technical Director of the Royal Netherlands Baseball and Softball Association (KNBSB), handed her a framed National Team-shirt with her number 31 as she had become a member of the so-called 'Club of 100'.
During the recent European Softball Championship in Rosmalen (Netherlands), she had played in her 100th official game for the Netherlands Softball Team.
Infielder Britt Vonk also reached that milestone during that event, she will be honored later.
In the best-of-one Holland Series, Olympia Haarlem took an 1-0 lead in the first inning, but Sparks Haarlem turned the game its way from the second inning on.
In the top of the first inning, Chantal Versluis led off for Sparks Haarlem with a double off of Eva Voortman, then two flyouts followed.
Karin Tuk then walked.
The inning ended with a close at third base, where Versluis was forced out on a grounder by Virginie Anneveld.
In the bottom of the first inning, it was Rebecca Soumeru herself who contributed to an 1-0 deficit.
Lead-off hitter Eva Voortman bunted towards Soumeru, who then made an errant throw, which enabled the batter to reach second base.
Voortman advanced on a sacrifice bunt by Dinet Oosting, then scored when Stephanie Tofft singled.
She stole second base, but then was left behind.
The lead was shortlived, as Sparks Haarlem answered with two runs in the top of the second inning.
Nathalie Gosewehr led off with a walk and stole second base, then was able to continue to third base when a throwing error followed.
With one out, a sacrifice bunt towards first base by Cindy van der Zanden ended in a throw to the plate, but Gosewehr beat the throw and scored the tying run.
After Van der Zanden had also stole second base, a flyout followed, but she then scored the go-ahead run on a single by Chantal Versluis.
The latter advanced to second base on an outfield-error, then tried to score on a following single by Anne Blaauwgeers.
While the ball was in short leftfield, Versluis was waved home, but was eliminated at the plate via a nice throw from leftfielder Brenda Beers.
Sparks Haarlem added an insurance run in the top of the third inning.
Areke Spel led off with a bunt-single towards first base.
After reaching the base, 1B Umpire Arjan de Wever appeared to make some kind of signal, as he rubbed his left arm.
Nothing strange had happened, 1B Mariëlle Vleugels had not been off the base when the play was made.
Furthermore, Official Scorers Marco Stoovelaar and Huub Nelissen concluded that the signal he made was even not in the books.
What had happened was that while he made the safe-call, De Wever was stung by a wasp!
While it appeared that he was bothered by it for awhile, De Wever was able to continue the game without problems.
De Wever had a funny explanation afterwards: ,,Yes, while I made the call, I was stung.
Probably the wasp didn't liked that and didn't agree with my call, thinking that Areke was out, but she wasn't.''
Moments later, Areke Spel stole second base, which led to a hilarious situation.
While waiting for time-out to be called, Spel remained lying on the ground with a big smile, one hand on the base and the other supporting her head.
With one out, she scored the third run for Sparks Haarlem when Virginie Anneveld tripled.
That led to a pitching change, as Mariëlle Vleugels took over for Eva Voortman.
Nathalie Gosewehr then turned for a bunt, but bunted the ball in the air to be caught by new 1B Maranca Ham, who was able to double up Anneveld at third base.
...Series MVP Chantal Versluis (left) and...
...Virginie Anneveld with Championship Trophies...
(© Photo: Henk Seppen) |
In the bottom of the third, Dinet Oosting singled with two outs, then her temporary runner Eva Voortman stole second base, but stranded.
Both teams were retired in order in the fourth, then got on base again in the fifth.
For Sparks Haarlem, Chantal Versluis led off with a single, her third basehit in three at bats.
She moved on a sacrifice bunt by Anne Blaauwgeers, but then was left behind.
In the botom of the fifth, with two outs, Merel Oosterveld and Eva Voortman both singled for Olympia Haarlem.
Hereafter, the inning ended when centerfielder Areke Spel made a great running catch on a drive by Dinet Oosting.
In the sixth, Virginie Anneveld led off for Sparks Haarlem with a walk, then Maxime van Dalen singled with one out.
That led to a new pitching change.
Stephanie Tofft, who had started the game at 3rd base and took over behind the plate in the fourth, now became the new pitcher.
Damishah Charles entered the game as pinch-runner for Anneveld, but two flyouts ended the inning.
Sparks Haarlem was then retired in order in the seventh.
Rebeca Soumeru retired the side in the sixth inning, but in the seventh inning, she saw Olympia Haarlem make one last attempt to do something back.
With one out, Maranca Ham singled and was replaced by pinch-runner Judith Buschman.
Hereafter, Rachel van Veen flied out, but Merel Oosterveld followed with another single.
That meant that the tying run was on the bases and the winning run was coming to bat.
That was Eva Voortman, who bunted the ball back to Soumeru.
She fielded the ball in front of home plate and got it in time on first base to end the game, the Holland Series and the season!
Chantal Versluis, who was 3-for-4 and batted in the go-ahead run, was named Most Valuable Player of the Holland Series.
Last year, she also was named Series MVP.
(more photos below)
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...Players and staff celebrate the Dutch championship-title...
...The title is the 10th as Sparks Haarlem, the 22nd overalll including HHC...
...Back: Erik Vrugt (Coach), Karin Tuk, Peter van Dalen (Head Coach), Rebecca Soumeru,...
...Anne Blaauwgeers, Kirsten Scheele, Areke Spel, Kiki Draaijer and Maaike Tuk (Team Scorer)...
...Front: Chantal Versluis, Cindy van der Zanden, Dagmar Bloeming, Damishah Charles,...
...Virginie Anneveld, Nathalie Gosewehr and Maxime van Dalen...
(© Photo: Henk Seppen) |
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| F.E. Olympia Haarlem - O.O. Sparks Haarlem 1-3 |
| R | H | E |
| Oolders Omaco Sparks Haarlem | 021 | 000 | 0 | - | 3 | 7 | 1 |
| FysioExpert Olympia Haarlem | 100 | 000 | 0 | - | 1 | 6 | 2 |
| pitcher Sparks Haarlem | inn. | SO | BB | H | R | ER |
| Rebecca Soumeru, W (1-0) | 7 | 4 | - | 6 | 1 | - |
| pitchers Olympia Haarlem | inn. | SO | BB | H | R | ER |
| Eva Voortman, L (0-1) | 2.1 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 3 | 3 |
| Mariëlle Vleugels | 3 | - | 1 | 2 | - | - |
| Stephanie Tofft | 1.2 | - | - | - | - | - |
Umpires: HP-Rob Veldkamp, 1B-Arjan de Wever, 3B-Peter Vonk.
Official Scorer-Marco Stoovelaar.
Play-by-Play Scorer-Huub Nelissen.
Public Address Announcer-Jason Houtkamp.
Time-1:36 hr.
Game Notes:
Game One best-of-one Holland Series.
Sparks Haarlem wins Series 1-0 to become Dutch National Champion.
Sparks Haarlem captures 2nd consecutive title and 22nd in club-history (including 12 by predecessor HHC).
Sparks Haarlem is the 64th Dutch softball-champion in history.
By becoming champion, Sparks Haarlem qualifies for participation in the 2016 European Premiere Cup.
By ending up in second place, Olympia Haarlem qualifies for participation in the 2016 European Cup Winners Cup.
Chantal Versluis (Sparks Haarlem) Most Valuable Player of the Holland Series.
Game played at the site of Hoofddorp Pioniers in Hoofddorp.
Weather conditions at game time: Sunny, 16,6° C (61,9° F), northeastern wind 14 kmh (8,7 mph), wind speed 2,8 Bft, humidity 61%. |
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|
...Rebecca Soumeru went the distance for Sparks Haarlem... | 
...Eva Voortman started for Olympia Haarlem... |
...Dinet Oosting tags out Chantal Versluis in the 2nd inning...
| 
...Areke Spel steals 2nd base in the 3rd inning...
...Short stop Rachel van Veen tries to tag her out... |
...Dinet Oosting connects for Olympia Haarlem... | 
...Virginie Anneveld playing at 3rd base for Sparks Haarlem... |
...Mariëlle Vleugels took over the pitching...
...for Olympia Haarlem in the 3rd inning... | 
...Eva Voortman steals 2nd base as temporary runner...
...Short stop Cindy van der Zanden just received the ball... |
...Stephanie Tofft completed the game for Olympia Haarlem... | 
...Kiki Draaijer makes contact for Sparks Haarlem... |
...Rebecca Soumeru has just made the final out... | 
...Sparks Haarlem celebrates the championship... |
| (© All Photos: Henk Seppen) |
|
...The teams line up during player introductions before the game... |
...Winning pitcher Rebecca Soumeru... | 
...Nathalie Gosewehr steals 2nd base... | 
...Cindy van der Zanden also steals... |
...Chantal Versluis rounds 3rd base,...
...but is eliminated at the plate... | 
...Kiki Draaijer and Cindy van der Zanden...
...are ready for a new inning... | 
...Areke Spel bunts, moments later...
...Umpire Arjan de Wever is stung... |
...Areke Spel waits for time to be called after having stolen second base in the 3rd inning... |
...Areke Spel waits for a time-out; looking on are SS Rachel van Veen,...
...LF Brenda Beers, Umpire Peter Vonk and 2B Chiya Louie... | 
...Virginie Anneveld follows with a...
...triple in the 3rd inning... |
...Areke Spel scores on Virginie's triple...
| 
...Chantal Versluis advances in the 5th...
...on a sacrifice bunt... | 
...Outfielders Nathalie Gosewehr, Areke...
...Spel and Chantal Versluis... |
...Rebecca Soumeru is about to make the final out... | 
...Time to celebrate... |
...Head Coach Peter van Dalen embraces...
...his daughter Maxime... | 
...Chantal Versluis uncorks the...
...champagne... | 
...The final score is on the scoreboard...
|
 |  |  |
| ...Nathalie Goswehr showers Head Coach Peter van Dalen (left & center) and Assistant Coach Erik Vrugt (right)... |
 |  |  |
...KNBSB-boardmember Marlies Struyvé congratulates MVP Chantal Versluis (left)...
...then hands medals to the players, here for Cindy van der Zanden... | ...KNBSB-chairman Ron Schel hands out...
...a medal to Rebecca Soumeru... |
...KNBSB-chairman Ron Schel hands the Championship...
...Trophy to Chantal Versluis... | 
...More celebrations...
|
...Cindy van der Zanden and Kiki Draaijer...
...conclude their first season with Sparks...
...Haarlem with a championship... | 
...First-year coaches Erik Vrugt and...
...Peter van Dalen won the title...
...in their rookie season... | 
...Winning pitcher Rebecca Soumeru is...
...interviewed by Rob Spierenburg of...
...Haarlems Dagblad-newspaper... |
...Pitchers Dagmar Bloeming, Kirsten Scheele...
...and Rebecca Soumeru... | 
...Chantal Versluis, Karin Tuk, Virginie Anneveld...
...and Maxime van Dalen... |
 |  |  |
...After returning to their home site, veteran player Nathalie Gosewehr, on behalf of the team, thanks everyone...
...who supported the squad, including Team Scorer Maaike Tuk (left) and Public Address Announcer Wouter Hoos...
(© All Photos: Fred Versluis) |
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Copyright © 1997-2015 Marco Stoovelaar / Grand Slam * Stats & News.
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