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(Story by Marco Stoovelaar; Photos by Fred Versluis)
   Sparks Haarlem suffers first loss in Premiere Cup
Nederlands
  RONCHI DEI LEGIONARI / CERVIGNANO DEL FRIULI (Italy) -
Oolders Omaco Sparks Haarlem suffered its first loss of the European Premiere Cup on Thursday (August 18) after having recorded its sixth win earlier in the day.
Sparks Haarlem registered a small 2-0 win against Les Comanches de Toulon (France), then lost 2-1 to Bussolengo Specchiasol (Italy) in the afternoon.
The day ended with a remarkable 10-0 win by Forlì (Italy) against that same Bussolengo, which even was unable to hit a basehit in this game.
Sparks Haarlem faces unbeaten Forlì on Friday-afternoon, while Bussolengo closes the preliminary round against Lucerne Eagles (Switzerland).
When Bussolengo and Sparks Haarlem both win, it creates a 3-way tie with Forlì, meaning the final score of the Sparks-game will be important.
With a win, Sparks Haarlem could end up in first or second place to qualify for the second Play-Off game that decides the first finalist.
When Sparks Haarlem ends up losing against Forlì, the two Italian teams will face each other in the second Play-Off with the winner advancing to the final on Saturday.
In this case, Sparks Haarlem will meet Joudrs Praha (Czech Republic) in the first Play-Off with the winner facing the loser of the second Play-Off in the backdoor-game on Saturday to decide the second finalist.
Other scores today:
Hoboken Pioneers (Belgium) vs. Skövde Saints (Sweden) 1-2; Joudrs Praha (Czech Rep.) vs. Forlì (Italy) 0-7 (5 inn.); Skövde Saints (Sweden) vs. Wesseling Vermins (Germany) 0-10 (4 inn.); Hoboken Pioneers (Belgium) vs. Lucerne Eagles (Switzerland) 1-7; Skövde Saints (Sweden) vs. Joudrs Praha (Czech Rep.) 1-4; Forlì (Italy) vs. Bussolengo Specchiasol (Italy) 10-0 (4 inn.).
Highlights of these games
(August 18)
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Oolders Omaco Sparks Haarlem vs. Les Comanches de Toulon
Sparks Haarlem started the day with a small 2-0 victory against Les Comanches de Toulon from France.
With this, Sparks Haarlem recorded its sixth victory to remain unbeaten.
Despite the loss, the French team still keeps a chance to reach the top-4.
Depending on what would happen in following games today, a tie between five (!) teams was still possible for fourth place.
Les Comanches would then be joined by Wesseling Vermins, Skövde Saints, Lucerne Eagles and Joudrs Praha.
However, in order to create such a scenario Wesseling had to win its game against Skövde.
This game was to start an hour after the Sparks Haarlem vs. Les Comanches game ended.
Also, later in the day, Skövde then has to win against Joudrs, which was in fourth place when the day began.
And then of course, there have to be several other combinations today and tomorrow to create a 5-team tie.
But this was the scenario around 12:30 PM.
Some games indeed went the way to create this scenario, but at the end of the day, everything was decided.
Around 8:15 PM, Joudrs Praha won against Skövde Saints and with that, became the fourth and final team to qualify for the Play-Offs.
Back to the Sparks Haarlem vs. Les Comanches game.
The win didn't come that easy for the Dutch champion, as it registered only two runs and only four basehits.
The French team also collected four basehits off of Rebecca Soumeru, who three another fine game.
The veteran righthander struckout eight batters, walked none and saw the French team only get into scoring position in the sixth and seventh inning.
In the top of the first inning, Soumeru gave up a lead-off single to Dutch pick-up player Lizzie Clarijs, who plays for Terrasvogels in the Golden League.
But she was forced out at second base moments later.
...Rebecca Soumeru...
...winning pitcher...
(© Photo: Fred Versluis) |
In the bottom of the first inning, Sparks Haarlem opened the score.
Kehli Washington led off with a walk, stole second base with one out and scored on a 2-out single by Virginie Anneveld.
After being retired in order in the second, Sparks Haarlem got on base again in the next at bat, but stranded runners on first and third base.
Another runner stranded in scoring position in the fourth.
Sparks Haarlem then doubled its lead in the fifth inning.
Desiree Adriaansz led off with a walk, then reached second base safely when an error was made on a force play-grounder by Kehli Washington.
The two moved on a sacrifice bunt by Cindy van der Zanden.
Hereafter, Adriaansz scored on a sacrifice fly by Maxime van Dalen to make it a 2-0 score.
Rebecca Soumeru gave up an one-out single in both the second and third inning, including the second one by Lizzie Clarijs.
But both runners stranded on first base.
Soumeru then retired the side in the fourth and fifth inning.
Trailing 2-0, Les Comanches got its first runner in scoring position in the sixth.
Lizzie Clarijs led off and reached second base when her fly was missed in the outfield.
She then moved on a sacrifice bunt, but hereafter, Soumeru retired the next two batters, including Italian veteran Eva Trevisan.
In the seventh, French national team-player Raina Hunter led off with a single and moved to second base on a sacrifice bunt.
Soumeru again kept her cool and struckout the next two batters to end the game.
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| Oolders Omaco Sparks Haarlem - Les Comanches de Toulon 2-0 |
| R | H | E |
| Les Comanches de Toulon (France) | 000 | 000 | 0 | - | 0 | 4 | 1 |
| Oolders Omaco Sparks Haarlem | 100 | 010 | X | - | 2 | 4 | 1 |
| pitchers Les Comanches | inn. | SO | BB | H | R | ER |
| Sarah Benchali, L (1-4) | 3.1 | - | 2 | 3 | 1 | 1 |
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| Lizzie Clarijs | 2.1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | - |
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| Alienor Toumit | 0.1 | - | 1 | - | - | - |
| pitcher Sparks Haarlem | inn. | SO | BB | H | R | ER |
| Rebecca Soumeru, W (2-0) | 7 | 8 | - | 4 | - | - |
Umpires: HP-Giuseppe Laudani (Italy), 1B-Michal Židek (Czech Rep.),
3B-Bridget Cameron (Great Britain).
Official Scorers-Marina Vianello (Italy), Marco Battistella (Italy).
Technical Commissioner-Lis Castro (Denmark).
Starting Time-11:00 AM.
Time-1:35 hr.
Site-Stadio Giordano Gregoret, Ronchi dei Legionari (Italy).
Game Notes:
Weather conditions at game time: Partly cloudy, 23,1° C (73,6° F); wind direction southwest;
wind speed 8 kmh (4,2 mph); wind force 1 Bft; humidity 60%. |
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Bussolengo Specchiasol vs. Oolders Omaco Sparks Haarlem
For its next game, Sparks Haarlem had to transfer from Ronchi dei Legionari to Cervignano del Friuli.
There, the Haarlem-squad faced Bussolengo Specchiasol in a game that would result in the first loss for one of them.
In the end, it was Bussolengo that won 2-1 and with that, the Italians remained unbeaten, while Sparks Haarlem suffered its first loss.
Bussolengo struck in the first inning, scoring both of its runs off of Kirsten Scheele, who went the distance for Sparks Haarlem.
Dutch player Nathalie Gosewehr, who is a pick-up player, led off for Bussolengo to face her former teammate.
In five of the last six seasons, Gosewehr played for Sparks Haarlem.
This season, she plays in the Dutch Golden League for DSS.
Gosewehr led off with a single, then moved to third base when a throwing error followed on a possible double play-grounder by Madeline McIntyre.
Moments later, McIntyre was forced out on a grounder by Lisa Birocci, but that enabled Gosewehr to score the first run.
Birocci went on to score the next run when Giulia Longhi followed with a double.
Kirsten Scheele retired the next two batters, but Sparks Haarlem trailed 2-0.
Sparks Haarlem faced American pitcher Brandice Balschmiter.
The 29-year old righthander was a top-pitcher for the University of Massachusetts (2006-2009), who set a school-record by winning 34 games in 2009.
In her college-career, she won 126 games, struckout 1,218 batters and finished with an 0.99 ERA.
She was a member of the American National Team that won the gold medal at the Pan American Games in 2009.
In that year, she also played for Chicago Bandits in the professional National Pro Fastpitch.
Since 2006, Balschmiter plays for the wellknown Stratford Brakettes.
...Maxime van Dalen...
...two basehits...
(© Photo: Fred Versluis) |
In the third inning, Kiki Draaijer led off for Sparks Haarlem with a single and moved on a sacrifice bunt, but then was left behind.
Sparks Haarlem then did score in the next inning.
With two outs, Maxime van Dalen singled, then scored on a following triple by Virginie Anneveld, but she stranded on third base.
In the bottom of the fourth, Bussolengo got the bases loaded.
With one out, Kelly Sheldon singled, then Noa Brand (who also plays for DSS) and Valeria Bortolomai both walked.
But then Sheldon was picked off third by catcher Karin Tuk and Scheele closed with a strikeout.
Sparks Haarlem got another scoring opportunity in the fifth.
Kiki Draaijer reached on an error and moved on a sacrifice bunt by Jenny Kinburn.
Maaike Blaauwgeers then reached on an infield-hit, which kept Draaijer on second base.
But hereafter, two grounders ended the at bat.
Bussolengo also left runners in scoring position in its final two at bats.
In the fifth, with two outs, two singles were registered, but then Silvia Refrontolotto lined out.
In the sixth, the Italians also had two runners with two outs, but this time Nathalie Gosewehr lined out.
In the sixth at bat for Sparks Haarlem, Anne Blaauwgeers led off with a single and stole second base, then Virginie Anneveld walked with one out.
Hereafter, Lisa Birocci took over the pitching for Brandice Balschmiter and retired the next two batters.
Sparks Haarlem got its fifth lead-off hitter on base in the seventh when Jenny Kinburn singled.
She moved on a sacrifice bunt by Maaike Blaauwgeers, then reached third base on a grounder by Kehli Washington.
But hereafter, a grounder ended the inning and the game.
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| Bussolengo Specchiasol - Oolders Omaco Sparks Haarlem 2-1 |
| R | H | E |
| Oolders Omaco Sparks Haarlem | 000 | 100 | 0 | - | 1 | 7 | 1 |
| Bussolengo Specchiasol (Italy) | 200 | 000 | X | - | 2 | 7 | 1 |
| pitcher Sparks Haarlem | inn. | SO | BB | H | R | ER |
| Kirsten Scheele, L (2-1) | 6 | 4 | 2 | 7 | 2 | 1 |
| pitchers Bussolengo | inn. | SO | BB | H | R | ER |
| Brandice Balschmiter, W (3-0) | 5.1 | 6 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 1 |
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| Lisa Birocci, SV (1) | 1.2 | 1 | - | 1 | - | - |
Umpires: HP-Michal Židek (Czech Rep.), 1B-Bridget Cameron (Great Britain),
3B-Franck Lautier (France).
Official Scorers-Barbara Marangoni (Italy), Ulpiano Massari Gozzi (Italy), Maurizio Ronchi (Italy).
Technical Commissioner-Mike Jennings (Great Britain).
Starting Time-4:00 PM.
Time-2:07 hr.
Site-Campo Comunale, Cervignano del Friuli (Italy).
Game Notes:
Weather conditions at game time: Sunny, 25,2° C (77,4° F); wind direction southwest;
wind speed 8 kmh (4,2 mph); wind force 1 Bft; humidity 62%. |
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Highlights other games
Hoboken Pioneers vs. Skövde Saints
This game was halted on Wednesday-evening by rain with one out in the bottom of the fifth inning and Skövde leading 2-1.
It resumed this morning and the score didn't change.
When it resumed in the fifth, Hoboken got two baserunners with two outs when Sandy Verheyleweghen and Lindsey Meadows both walked, but hereafter, Laura Wissink flied out.
In the sixth, the Belgian squad got its lead-off hitter on base, but hereafter, a strikeout was followed by a pick-off on first base to complete a double play.
In the seventh, Hoboken again got its lead-off hitter on base, but the next three batters were retired in order by Brooke Langeloh.
With the win, Skövde keeps its chances of reaching the top-4 alive.
Joudrs Praha vs. Forlì
Forlì shutout Joudrs 7-0 in five innings to remain unbeaten and record its sixth victory.
Leading 3-0, the Italians scored four runs in the fourth.
Forlì collected 11 basehits, including a homerun by Amber Parrish, who was 2-for-3.
Winning pitcher Emily Vincent gave up only one basehit.
Skövde Saints vs. Wesseling Vermins
Wesseling opened the score with four runs in the first inning, then went on to add two runs in each of the next three at bats to win 10-0 in four innings.
The German squad collected eight basehits, including two by Katharina Szalay and Christina Dehmel.
Winning pitcher Hannah Held gave up only one basehit.
After completion of this game, both teams still had theoretical chances to end up in ties with possibilities to reach the final-four.
Hoboken Pioneers vs. Lucerne Eagles
Hoboken took an early 1-0 lead in the first inning, but was unable to hold onto the minimal lead.
The Belgians were held scoreless in the remainder of the game, while the Swiss squad rallied for three runs in the fourth to turn the game its way.
Eagles also scored three runs in the seventh inning and went on to record their first win of the tournament, while Hoboken remained winless.
Lucerne collected 12 basehits, including three by Fabienne Baumgartner, who scored twice.
Skövde Saints vs. Joudrs Praha
Joudrs opened the score in the second inning, added two runs in the third and went on to win 4-1.
An important win for the Czech squad, as it decided the fate of all remaining teams in contention for the fourth and final place in the Play-Offs.
With the win, Joudrs eliminated not only Skövde, but also Les Comanches and Therwil Eagles.
They still can end up in a tie with Wesseling Vermins, but as the Czechs have won the head-to-head game against the Germans, it will qualify for the top-four.
Winning pitcher Veronika Pecková had a strong outing.
She struckout 15 batters and gave up only three hits in this game, which was led by Dutch Home Plate Umpire Arjan de Wever.
Forlì vs. Bussolengo Specchiasol
The day ended with a surprisingly big 10-0 shutout-win in four innings for Forlì, which therefore remained unbeaten and won its seventh game.
Forlì led 5-0 after three innings, then added five runs in the fourth to reach the 10-run difference and end the game.
Winning pitcher Jessica Moore threw a No-Hitter.
The American pitcher missed a Perfect Game when she made a throwing error herself on a lead-off grounder by Kelly Sheldon in the third inning.
Forlì collected 10 basehits, including a walk-off, grand slam homerun by Andrea Montenari that ended the game with one out in the bottom of the fourth.
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