Caribe vs. Alcmaria Victrix
Last season, Alcmaria Victrix, which then played with a very young team, finished in last place of the Golden League and had to play a best-of-five Promotion/Relegation Series against Twins, which won the championship in the Silver League.
In that series, Alcmaria was swept in three games by Twins, which therefore promoted to the Golden League, while Alcmaria relegated to the Silver League.
This season, Alcmaria Victrix again ended up in last place, this time in the Silver League.
With that, the team from Alkmaar had to play in another Promotion/Relegation Series.
In today's Play-Off, Alcmaria faced Caribe, which ended up in second place in the First Division.
With the victory, Alcmaria advanced to the Series Final in which it will face First Division-champion Neptunus.
When Alcmaria Victrix also wins that game, it will remain in the Silver League.
In the game against Caribe, Alcmaria Victrix failed to hold onto a 2-run lead twice and then decided the game in the seventh inning to win 5-4.
In the top of the first inning, Alcmaria opened the score with two runs off of Hilde Bosker, who went the distance for Caribe.
She walked lead-off hitter Isa Smit, then hit next batter Kim Buizer with a pitch.
The two advanced on a sacrifice bunt by Anne Vlietstra, then next batters Lisette Untied and Bianca van Houten delivered runscoring singles to give Alcmaria an early 2-0 lead.
...Isa Smit scored twice...
...for Alcmaria Victrix...
(© Ph: Marco Stoovelaar) |
In the bottom of the first inning, Caribe got one run back off of Evelien de Rover, who went the distance for Alcmaria.
Kirsten Tigelaar led off with a bunt-single, then moved to third base on a sacrifice bunt by Danielle Moolenaar.
As an error followed, she was able to continue running and scored the first run for the team from then northern province of Groningen.
Alcmaria Victrix was retired in order in the top of the second inning, then Caribe got on base again in its second at bat.
Former big league-player Kirsten Holshof (ex-Tex Town Tigers) led off with a single, but she was elimimated in a double play that followed on a bunt by Harma Oosting, who is the sister of Golden League- and National Team-player Dinet Oosting (Olympia Haarlem).
In the top of the third inning, Alcmaria failed to take some distance.
Anne Vlietstra and Lisette Untied led off with walks, then both advanced into scoring position on a wild pitch.
Bianca van Houten followed with a single, which appeared to lead to a run.
Vlietstra took off from third base, but was eliminated at the plate on a nice throw from rightfielder Rebekka Kruisman to catcher Sanne Scheltena.
Hereafter, Alcmaria stranded two runners.
...Lisa Meijering...
...GameWinning Single...
(© Ph: Marco Stoovelaar) |
In the bottom of the third, Caribe came alongside.
With one out, Rebekka Kruisman reached when an error was made on her bunt, then stole second base moments later.
With two outs, she scored the tying run on a single by Danielle Moolenaar.
Alcmaria Victrix immediately re-took the lead in the top of the fourth inning.
Malou Smit led off with a walk, moved on a grounder and reached third base safely on a throwing error that followed on a grounder by her sister Isa Smit.
Moments later, she scored on a sacrifice bunt/squeeze by Kim Buizer to give Alcmaria a renewed lead.
The second Smit then also scored when a grounder by Anne Vlietstra ended in an error.
Pitcher Evelien de Rover retired the Caribe-side in the bottom of the fourth.
But in the fifth inning, the First Division-team scored another run on a grounder by Danielle Moolenaar, but also left a runner on third base.
In the sixth, Caribe tied the score for the second time when Hilde Bosker led off with a double and scored on a following single by Kirsten Holshof, which made it 4-4.
Holshof later stranded on third base.
In the top of the seventh, Alcmaria Victrix took the lead for the third time and this time hold onto it.
Anne Vlietstra and Lisette Untied led off with singles.
With one out, Untied was forced out on a grounder by Puck Verbrugge, which brought Vlietstra to third base.
She then scored on a pinch-hit infield-hit by Lisa Meijering, that made it 5-4 in favor of Alcmaria.
In the bottom of the seventh, Evelien de Rover retired the side to secure the win.
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Alcmaria Victrix nips Caribe to reach Silver League/First Division Final
HAARLEM (Neth.) -
In a suspenseful best-of-one Silver League/First Division Promotion/Relegation Play-Off, Alcmaria Victrix failed to hold a 2-run lead twice on Saturday (October 1), but in the end won 5-4 against Caribe, which had finished in second place this season in the First Division.
With that, Caribe will remain in the First Division, while Alcmaria Victrix gets a chance to stay in the Silver League.
The team now will face First Division-champion Neptunus on Sunday-morning (11 AM) in the Final with the winner of that match-up playing in the Silver League next year.
Best-of-One.