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(Story by Marco Stoovelaar; Photos by Fred Versluis)
    Sparks Haarlem opens Premiere Cup with two wins
Nederlands
 CERVIGNANO DEL FRIULI (Italy) -
Dutch reigning champion Oolders Omaco Sparks Haarlem opened the European Premiere Cup in Italy on Monday (August 15) with two victories.
Sparks Haarlem won 9-2 in six innings in its first game against Lucerne Eagles (Switzerland), then won 5-0 later in the day against Hoboken Pioneers (Belgium).
Sparks Haarlem qualified for the event by winning last years Holland Series against FysioExpert Olympia Haarlem, which this week participates in the European Cup Winners Cup in the Czech Republic.
As always since the introduction of the rule some years ago, there are several pick-up players added to some of the participating teams, including players who play in the highest Dutch league (Golden League).
Noa Brand and Nathalie Gosewehr (both DSS) are on the roster of Bussolengo Specchias (Italy), Danielle Bonnet (Terrasvogels) has been added to the team of Lucerne Eagles (Switzerland), Lindsey Meadows and Laura Wissink (both Tex Town Tigers) will play for Hoboken Pioneers (Belgium), which will be led by Dutch coach Tim Oosterveld, and Lizzie Clarijs (Terrasvogels) will play for Les Comanches (France).
Italian Sara Avanzi also is on the roster of Luzern Eagles.
French player Carrie Pitcher, who this season plays for HCAW in the Dutch Silver League, plays for Les Comanches (France), as is Italian Eva Trevisan.
Austrian player Martina Lackner, who played in the Dutch big league in the past and also played in the highest Czech league, will play for Skövde (Sweden).
Andrea Lindgren, who also played in the Dutch big league in the past, but now plays in Belgium for some seasons, plays for Hoboken Pioneers.
Other scores today:
Wesseling Vermins (Germany) vs. Forlì (Italy) 1-16 (4 inn.); Hoboken Pioneers (Belgium) vs. Bussolengo Specchias (Italy) 1-10 (6 inn.); Wesseling Vermins (Germany) vs. Joudrs Praha (Czech Rep.) 3-6; Les Comanches (France) vs. Skövde Saints (Sweden) 0-5; Forlì (Italy) vs. Lucerne Eagles (Switzerland) 8-2; Les Comanches (France) vs. Bussolengo Specchias (Italy) 0-10 (5 inn.).
Highlights of these games
(August 15)
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Oolders Omaco Sparks Haarlem vs. Lucerne Eagles
Sparks Haarlem initially faced an early 1-0 deficit in the first inning.
Starting pitcher Leonella Elizabeth gave up the run with two outs.
She gave up a lead-off single to Ericka Nesbitt, but she was forced out on a grounder by Jessica Spring, who then also was forced out on a following grounder by Sara Avanzi.
The latter stole second base, then scored on a single by Danielle Destaso.
Sparks Haarlem left a runner on second base in its first at bat, then turned a double play in the top of the second inning.
...Chantal Versluis...
...2-run single...
(© Photo: Fred Versluis) |
The Haarlem-squad then turned the game its way in the bottom of the second inning with a 7-run rally on six basehits.
Virginie Anneveld led off the inning and reached on an error, then Cindy van der Zanden singled.
Hereafter, Karin Tuk also singled to bring in Anneveld and tie the score, 1-1.
After a double-steal, the bases got loaded when Maaike Blaauwgeers walked.
Jenny Kinburn and Anne Blaauwgeers followed with runscoring singles to make it 3-1.
With two outs, the lead was lifted to 7-1, thanks to a 2-run single by Chantal Versluis and a 2-run double by Virginie Anneveld.
This season, Versluis plays in the Italian Softball League for Sestese.
Sparks Haarlem left two runners behind in the third inning, then was retired in order in the fourth and fifth at bat by Alice Ronchetti, who went the distance for Lucerne.
In the fourth inning, the Swiss opponent scored its second run.
With one out, Danielle Destaso tripled and scored on a 2-out single by Fabienne Baumgartner.
In the fifth inning, Rebecca Soumeru took over the pitching for Leonella Elizabeth.
The veteran righthander allowed only one batter to reach base in the two hitless innings she pitched and struckout three batters.
Sparks Haarlem reached the 7-run difference in the bottom of the sixth inning.
With two outs, Kehli Washington singled and Chantal Versluis doubled, then both scored on a 2-run single by Maxime van Dalen, which ended the game.
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| Oolders Omaco Sparks Haarlem - Lucerne Eagles 9-2 (6 inn.) |
| R | H | E |
| Lucerne Eagles (Switzerland) | 100 | 100 | | - | 2 | 5 | 4 |
| Oolders Omaco Sparks Haarlem | 070 | 002 | | - | 9 | 9 | 1 |
| (two outs when 7-run difference was reached in the bottom of the sixth inning) |
| pitcher Eagles | inn. | SO | BB | H | R | ER |
| Alice Ronchetti, L (0-1) | 5.2 | 3 | 2 | 9 | 9 | 6 |
| pitchers Sparks Haarlem | inn. | SO | BB | H | R | ER |
| Leonella Elizabeth, W (1-0) | 4 | 2 | - | 5 | 2 | 2 |
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| Rebecca Soumeru | 2 | 3 | 1 | - | - | - |
Umpires: HP-Alen Magdalenić (Croatia), 1B-Franck Lautier (France),
3B-Zdeněk Židek (Czech Rep.).
Official Scorers-Tamara Cossar (Italy), Barbara Marangoni (Italy), Maurizio Ronchi (Italy).
Technical Commissioner-Lis Castro (Denmark).
Starting Time-12:30 PM.
Time-2:07 hr.
Site-Campo Comunale, Cervignano de Friuli (Italy).
Game Notes:
Weather conditions at game time: Sunny, 28° C (82,4° F); wind direction southwest;
wind speed 6 kmh (3,3 mph); wind force 1 Bft; humidity 59%. |
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Oolders Omaco Sparks Haarlem vs. Hoboken Pioneers
In its next game Sparks Haarlem faced a familiar pitcher in Lindsey Meadows.
The righthander plays in the Dutch big league since 2005, has also played two seasons in Italy and has been a member of the Netherlands National Softball Team for several years.
For this tournament, she is added to the team of Hoboken.
Sparks Haarlem opened the score immediately in the bottom of the first inning.
Anne Blaauwgeers led off with a bunt-single, then scored when a throwing error followed on a force play-grounder by Kehli Washington.
The latter reached third base on the error, then scored herself on a following grounder by Cindy van der Zanden.
...Kirsten Scheele...
...winning pitcher...
(© Photo: Henk Seppen) |
In the second inning, Meadows gave up a lead-off single to Karin Tuk, then retired the next six batters.
Trailing 2-0, Hoboken got the bases loaded in the second inning.
Pick-up player Laura Wissink led off with a single, but was forced out on a grounder by Lindsey Meadows.
With two outs, the bases got loaded when Sandy Verheyleweghen and Joke Rottiers both singled.
Scheele then closed the inning with a strikeout.
Hoboken did not get into scoring position again in the remainder of the game.
In the fourth, the Haarlem-squad added three more runs.
Maxime van Dalen led off with a single, then the bases got loaded when Virginie Anneveld and Karin Tuk both walked.
A sacrifice fly by Jenny Kinburn and a double by Kiki Draaijer led to two runs and lifted the lead to 4-0.
The next run in the at bat was scored by Karin Tuk after a passed ball.
Kirsten Scheele started for Sparks Haarlem and threw five solid innings, striking out six batters and giving up five hits.
Ginger de Weert completed the game, throwing the last two innings and struckout the side in the seventh.
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| Oolders Omaco Sparks Haarlem - Hoboken Pioneers 5-0 |
| R | H | E |
| Hoboken Pioneers (Belgium) | 000 | 000 | 0 | - | 0 | 5 | 2 |
| Oolders Omaco Sparks Haarlem | 200 | 300 | X | - | 5 | 5 | 0 |
| pitchers Hoboken | inn. | SO | BB | H | R | ER |
| Lindsey Meadows-Oosterveld, L (0-1) | 4 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 5 | 2 |
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| Evelyne De Wolf | 2 | - | 2 | 1 | - | - |
| pitchers Sparks Haarlem | inn. | SO | BB | H | R | ER |
| Kirsten Scheele, W (1-0) | 5 | 6 | 1 | 5 | - | - |
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| Ginger de Weert | 2 | 3 | 2 | - | - | - |
Umpires: HP-Giuseppe Laudani (Italy), 1B-Franck Lautier (France),
3B-Leanne Gearside (Australia).
Official Scorers-Tamara Cossar (Italy), Barbara Marangoni (Italy), Maurizio Ronchi (Italy).
Technical Commissioner-Lis Castro (Denmark).
Starting Time-5:30 PM.
Time-2:04 hr.
Site-Campo Comunale, Cervignano del Friuli (Italy).
Game Notes:
Weather conditions at game time: Sunny, 26,1° C (79° F); wind direction southwest;
wind speed 6 kmh (3,3 mph); wind force 1 Bft; humidity 59%. |
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Highlights other games
Wesseling Vermins vs. Forlì
Forlì registered a big 16-1 win in four innings, scoring nine runs in the fourth at bat.
The Italian squad collected 15 basehits, including three by Carlotta Onofri, Emily Vincent and Andrea Montanari.
The latter hit a 3-run homerun and batted in four runs.
The German squad had only three basehits.
Hoboken Pioneers vs. Bussolengo Specchias
Bussolengo won this game in six innings and collected 12 basehits, including two doubles by Nathalie Gosewehr, who also scored two runs.
Madeline McIntyre scored three runs.
The Belgian squad had only basehit.
Wesseling Vermins vs. Joudrs Praha
Joudrs broke a 2-2 tie by scoring two runs in the sixth inning and added two more in the seventh to win 6-3.
Apolena Výborna led the Czech offense.
She was 2-for-4, batted in three runs and also scored three runs, making her responsible for all Czech runs.
Les Comanches vs. Skövde Saints
Skövde shutout the French team 5-0 on six basehits, including a homerun by Kathryn McEachern.
Brooke Langeloh went the distance for the Swedish and struckout five batters.
Forlì vs. Lucerne Eagles
Forlì registered its second victory by winning 8-2 vs. Luzern, which suffered its second loss.
Leading 2-0, the Italians rallied for four runs in the third to take more distance off of Danielle Bonnet, who went the distance for the Swiss squad.
Andrea Montanari had another productive outing, going 3-for-3, including a double and homerun, scored three runs and also batted in three runs.
Les Comanches vs. Bussolengo Specchias
Leading 2-0, Bussolengo rallied for six runs in the third inning en route to a 10-0 victory in five innings.
The Italian squad collected 10 basehits, including four by Giulia Longhi, who batted in two runs and scored once.
Winning pitcher Madison Osias gave up only two basehits to the French opponent.
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Copyright © 1997-2016 Marco Stoovelaar / Grand Slam * Stats & News.
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