Canada vs. Netherlands
On another hot day, both teams scored a run in the first inning, then left a runner behind in scoring position in the second at bat.
Today it was 34 degrees Celsius (94 Fahrenheit), but the wind chill factor was 42 Celsius (108 Fahrenheit).
In the top of the first inning, the Dutch Team was off to a good start off of starter Sara Groenewegen.
Lead-off hitter Britt Vonk placed a perfect bunt and reached first base safely.
Moments later, her speed brought her to second base when a pick-off by the catcher ended in an error at first base.
She then advanced to third base on a sacrifice bunt by Suka Van Gurp and scored on a following single by Chantal Versluis, who today played in her 100th official international game for the Netherlands squad.
Hereafter, Versluis stole second base and was awarded third base on an illegal pitch, but then was left behind.
...Britt Vonk...
...scored lone Dutch run today...
(© Photo: Marco Stoovelaar) |
Canada came alongside in its first at bat off of starter Eva Voortman and did it almost the same way as the Orange.
The lefthander walked lead-off hitter Victoria Hayward, who then stole second base and moved on a sacrifice bunt by Joey Lye.
Next batter Kaleigh Rafter followed with a single and that made it an 1-1 score.
In the second inning, with one out, the Dutch Team got two baserunners when Dinet Oosting walked and Karin Tuk reached on an infield-hit.
A following bunt-attempt ended in a pop-out, then Britt Vonk lined out to end the inning.
For Canada, Larissa Franklin singled with two outs in the second at bat, stole second base and advanced on an error, but was left behind.
In the top of the third inning, with two outs, Maxime van Dalen reached on a bloop-single, but stranded on first base.
Canada then left another runner in third base in the bottom of the third off of new pitcher Mariëlle Vleugels.
...Chantal Versluis batted in the lone run...
...in her 100th international game...
(© Photo: Marco Stoovelaar) |
In the fourth inning, Jessie van Aalst led off for the Orange squad with a walk.
She was replaced by pinch-runner Damishah Charles, who stole second base, while the pitch ended up in the dirt in front of the catcher.
In this bunt-situation, she didn't advance hereafter, as the next two batters were retired.
With two outs, the inning ended when Charles was eliminated trying to steal third base.
A desastrous bottom of the fourth inning then followed, as Canada rallied for eight runs on seven hard basehits, including two RBI-triples off of two pitchers.
With one out and runners on first and third base, a runscoring single by Larissa Franklin put the Canadians ahead, 2-1.
The bases then got loaded when next batter Victoria Hayward walked, which led to a pitching change.
Ginger de Weert took over from Mariëlle Vleugels, but ran into problems quickly.
She was greeted with a 2-run single by Joey Lye, then got the bases loaded again when Kaleigh Rafter also singled.
Hereafter, Jennifer Salling and Erika Polidori delivered back-to-back triples.
Salling, a veteran player on the Canadian roster, cleared the bases with her triple and she then scored herself on the threebagger by Polidori, who herself was able to score, as she was awarded home plate on an obstruction.
And that lifted the lead to 9-1!
Two more basehits followed, but the inning finally ended after 27 minutes when Britt Vonk caught a line drive.
In the top of the fifth, new pitcher Lauren Regula retired the Dutch side (two strikeouts) to end the game via the mercy-rule.
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Dutch Team suffers big loss on Day 2 World Cup
OKLAHOMA CITY, Oklahoma (USA) -
The Netherlands National Softball Team suffered a big 9-1, mercy-rule loss in 4½ inning against Canada on Wednesday (July 6), the second day of the World Cup of Softball in Oklahoma City.
In its next game on Thursday-morning (Oklahoma-time), the Netherlands Team meets Venezuela.
The Orange squad then plays a double-header on both Friday and Saturday to close the preliminary round.
Second game for Netherlands Team at the World Cup of Softball 2016.