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(Story by Marco Stoovelaar; Photos by Henk Seppen & Fred Versluis)
 Sparks Haarlem second finalist after small win vs. Terrasvogels
Nederlands
 HOOFDDORP (Neth.) -
Oolders Omaco Sparks Haarlem won only 2-0 in the best-of-one third Play-Off Round or 'backdoor-final' vs. Terrasvogels on Sunday (September 27).
With the win, Sparks Haarlem became the second team to reach the Holland Series, which followed some 45 minutes after completion of this game.
With the loss, the season for Terrasvogels ended, finishing in third place overall.
That means that 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.
The victory of Sparks Haarlem also meant that FysioExpert Olympia Haarlem also secured itself of a spot in an European tournament next year.
Sparks Haarlem already qualified by finishing the regular season in first place.
When Terrasvogels would have reached the Holland Series, only the winner of the Championship-final would have joined Sparks Haarlem, leaving the loser empty-handed.
On Saturday, defending champion Sparks Haarlem 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.
Recap Play-Off 1: Sparks Haarlem vs. Olympia Haarlem
Recap Play-Off 2: Terrasvogels vs. Tex Town Tigers
By winning vs. Terrasvogels, Sparks Haarlem got a new chance to extend its championship-title, facing Olympia Haarlem in the Holland Series.
Recap Holland Series: Olympia Haarlem vs. Sparks Haarlem
This game was played at the site of Hoofddorp Pioniers in Hoofddorp, where all other Play-Off games, as well as the Holland Series also were played.
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 in Almere.
There, the teams ended up in the same order as in the regular season.
Recaps Play-Off Weekend
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.
Recap Twins vs. Alcmaria Victrix
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
(September 27)
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It marked the first time that Sparks Haarlem had to play in a backdoor-game since the page-system for the Play-Offs was re-introduced in 2012.
But on the other hand, it also wasn't the first time.
The page-system also was used to decide the championship in 1982, 1983, 1984, 1987 and 1988.
There were no Play-Offs/Holland Series in 1985 and 1986.
In two of those Play-Off series, HHC, the predecessor of Sparks Haarlem, had to play in backdoor-series, which they both lost.
In 1984, after losing the first round to DSS (2-0), HHC was swept 2-0 in a best-of-three by Bloemendaal.
In 1988, after being swept 2-0 and shutout twice by Terrasvogels, HHC lost the best-of-three backdoor vs. HCAW, 2-1.
So today marked the first time that the club advanced successfully to the final after having to play in the backdoor series.
It showed a little that Sparks Haarlem had to play an extra game, as it appeared that there was some pressure.
Sparks Haarlem again dominated in the regular season, but again had some problems in the postseason.
Yesterday, it lost the first round of the Play-Offs, today, it had it hands full of Terrasvogels.
In 2012, the team lost the Holland Series in four attractive games to Alcmaria Victrix.
In 2013, Sparks Haarlem lost in five exciting games to Terrasvogels in a series that gave much promotion to the sport and was full of suspense from the beginning.
For Terrasvogels, it was a very emotional series, due to sad circumstances within the club and so, it was only fitting for them to come-from-behind and win the series.
Last year, Sparks Haarlem remained unbeaten in the entire season and swept Terrasvogels in the best-of-five final.
...Dagmar Bloeming dominated as pitcher for Sparks Haarlem...
(© Photo: Henk Seppen) |
On the other hand, Terrasvogels played relaxed today and played a very good game.
This season, the team had added some young and also some unexperienced players to its roster.
The team finished comfortably in the top-3 in the regular season, then played some good games in the Play-Off Weekend and also showed its spirit this weekend.
That all led to an attractive game, which was decided late, as the first four innings remained scoreless.
Dagmar Bloeming dominated as pitcher for Sparks Haarlem.
The righthander struckout eleven batters and faced only the minimum total of batters in the first five innings.
With one out in the first inning, she saw Ella Krommendijk reach on an error, but then a double play followed.
Starting with the the second out in this double play, Bloeming retired 13 batters in a row.
In the first, with one out, Anne Blaauwgeers walked, but then was caught stealing.
In the second inning, Sparks Haarlem appeared to open the score, when it got the bases full with only one out.
But it was an innning with some crucial plays.
Karin Tuk led off with a double.
The ball bounced on the ground towards the border of the infield behind third base, out of reach of the defense, and then jumped into foul territory, enabling Tuk to reach second base.
Next, Virginie Anneveld walked, then Nathalie Gosewehr fouled out.
Hereafter, Maxime van Dalen hit the ball into rightfield where Ella Krommendijk caught it.
While transfering the ball after it was caught to her throwing arm, it dropped.
However, it was not ruled an out, but instead the batter was ruled safe, as it was stated that ball was not under control after it was caught.
That led to a basesloaded situation.
Cindy van der Zanden then hit the ball into centerfield where it was caught by Marisèla de Wind.
Karin Tuk took off from third base to score, but that was annulled moments later.
The Terrasvogels-defense appealed on third base that Tuk had left too early when the catch was made and was ruled out, as 3B Umpire Arjan de Wever made the correct call.
With that, the inning ended.
...Areke Spel homered in the 6th inning...
(© Photo: Henk Seppen) |
Terrasvogels-starter Malou van Dusschoten then retired the side in the third inning, but got two baserunners in the fourth.
Areke Spel led off with a walk and Karin Tuk was hit by a pitch.
Hereafter, Ginger de Weert took over the pitching.
She saw the runners advance on a sacrifice bunt by Virginie Anneveld, but they stranded, as the next two batters were retired.
In the bottom of the fifth inning, Sparks Haarlem scored its first run.
Cindy van der Zanden led off with a single, then moved to second base on a sacrifice bunt by Kiki Draaijer.
Hereafter Chantal Versluis flied out to centerfield and Van der Zanden moved to third base.
It appeared that she also left too early from second base, but this time, no appeal was played.
Moments later, Van der Zanden scored the first run on a single by Anne Blaauwgeers.
The inning ended when Blaauwgeers was ruled out for leaving first base too early on the pitch.
In the top of the sixth inning, Terrasvogels came close to the tying run, getting runners on first and third base with no outs and the bases loaded with one out.
Jessica Waasdorp led off with a double which ended the No-Hitter of Dagmar Bloeming and Anna-Bè Bartels reached on a bunt-single.
Bartels bunted the ball towards first base near the foul-line, where it appeared to roll to foul territory.
1B Maxime van Dalen anticipated that it turned foul, but instead it kept on rolling in fair territory and so, Bartels reached first base safely.
She then stole second base while Myrthe Smid struckout.
To set up a force play, the bases were loaded by walking Marisèla de Wind intentionally.
The three runners stranded, as a strikeout and groundout ended the at bat.
In the bottom of the sixth inning, Sparks Haarlem added an insurance run, as Areke Spel led off with a line drive homerun into centerfield on the first delivery by Ginger de Weert.
In the top of the seventh inning, Terrasvogels got two baserunners.
With one out, Lizzie Clarijs singled and with two outs, Jessica Waasdorp also singled.
But hereafter, Dagmar Bloeming ended the inning and the game with a strikeout.
And that clearly led to some relief in the team of Sparks Haarlem.
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| Oolders Omaco Sparks Haarlem - Terrasvogels 2-0 |
| R | H | E |
| Terrasvogels | 000 | 000 | 0 | - | 0 | 4 | 1 |
| Oolders Omaco Sparks Haarlem | 000 | 011 | X | - | 2 | 4 | 1 |
| pitchers Terrasvogels | inn. | SO | BB | H | R | ER |
| Malou van Dusschoten | 3 (*) | - | 3 | 1 | - | - |
| Ginger de Weert, L (0-1) | 3 | 3 | - | 3 | 2 | 2 |
| (*) - Van Dusschoten pitched to two batters in the 4th inning |
| pitcher Sparks Haarlem | inn. | SO | BB | H | R | ER |
| Dagmar Bloeming, W (1-0) | 7 | 11 | 1 | 4 | - | - |
| Homerun: Sparks Haarlem: Areke Spel (1)(6th,solo,off De Weert). |
Umpires: HP-Peter Vonk, 1B-Rob Veldkamp,
3B-Arjan de Wever.
Official Scorer-Marco Stoovelaar.
Play-by-Play Scorer-Huub Nelissen.
Public Address Announcer-Hans Heil.
Time-1:35 hr.
Game Notes:
Game One best-of-one 3rd Play-Off Round Golden League (Backdoor).
Sparks Haarlem wins Series 1-0 and advances to Holland Series.
Terrasvogels is eliminated and finishes in third place.
Game played at the site of Hoofddorp Pioniers in Hoofddorp.
Weather conditions at game time: Sunny, 16,3° C (61,3° F), northeastern wind 18 kmh (11,1 mph), wind speed 3,3 Bft, humidity 70%. |
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...Marisèla de Wind runs towards first base... | 
...Terrasvogels-starter Malou van Dusschoten... |
...1B Maxime van Dalen has received the ball just before...
...Lisa Waasdorp arrives at first base...
| 
...Sparks Haarlem Head Coach Peter van Dalen argues with...
...3B Umpire Arjan de Wever after Karin Tuk has been called out...
...on an appeal-play for leaving 3rd base too early after a flyout... |
...1B Jessie van Aalst tags out Maxime van Dalen...
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...2B Kimberly Jones eliminates Kiki Draaijer at 1st base after a...
...sacrifice bunt; Standing in the back is Umpire Rob Veldkamp... |
| (© All Photos: Henk Seppen) |
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...Official Scorers Huub Nelissen and Marco Stoovelaar...
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...Head Coaches Rob Walgien (white shirt) and Peter van Dalen..
...(red shirt) meet with umpires Peter Vonk, Rob Veldkamp...
...and Arjan de Wever... |
...Anne Blaauwgeers is caught stealing in the 1st inning...
...Short stop Lizzie Clarijs gets the ball int time... | 
...A concentrated Sparks Haarlem...
...Short Stop Cindy van der Zanden... |
...Karin Tuk reaches 2nd base on a double...
...in the 2nd inning... | 
...Cindy van der Zanden scores...
...the first run for Sparks Haarlem... | 
...Head Coach Peter van Dalen greets...
...Areke Spel after her homerun... |
...Areke Spel is welcomed by her teammates after...
...her homerun in the sixth inning... | 
...1B Maxime van Dalen has received the ball...
...to eliminate a bater... |
...Sparks Haarlem celebrates the win and the clinching...
...of the Holland Series... | 
...The players of both teams thank the spectators...
...after completion of the game... |
| (© All Photos: Fred Versluis) |
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Copyright © 1997-2015 Marco Stoovelaar / Grand Slam * Stats & News.
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