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(Story by Marco Stoovelaar; Photos by Fred Versluis)
 Sparks Haarlem defeats DSS to reach Holland Series
Nederlands
 HAARLEM (Neth.) -
Oolders Omaco Sparks Haarlem briefly trailed on Thursday-evening (September 29) against DSS, but won 5-1 in the third and final additional Play-Off game.
With the win, the reigning champion finished in first place of the Play-Offs and with that automatically qualified for the best-of-one Holland Series, which is scheduled for coming Sunday, starting at 4 PM.
That game will conclude the 'Season Finals Weekend', which also includes the Promotion/Relegation Finals in the Golden League/Silver League and in the Silver League/First Division.
DSS now will meet Terrasvogels in the Play-Off Final on Saturday (4 PM) with the winner of that game becoming the second finalist.
All games of the 'Season Finals Weekend' will be played at the site of Sparks Haarlem.
Sparks Haarlem collected six basehits, but again had an important contribution from Virginie Anneveld, who batted in the go-ahead run in the third inning and then also batted in the fifth run in the fourth at bat.
On Wednesday, she batted in four runs with a double and triple and scored once.
DSS was limited to only two basehits tonight.
Sparks-reliever Kirsten Scheele, who took over in the third inning, held DSS hitless.
While it had rained throughout the day, the groundscrew was able to get the field ready in time.
However, when the final out was made, it started to rain heavily again, so the game had finished just in time!
The additional series of game began on Tuesday-evening with a big 10-1 win for Terrasvogels at DSS.
However, the story of that game was the collapsing of the main gallery behind home plate.
Luckily, there were only three persons, who suffered minor injuries during this scary incident and everyone agreed to resume the game after it had became clear that everyone was okay.
On Wednesday-evening, Oolders Omaco Sparks Haarlem won 7-3 against Terrasvogels.
A win tonight by DSS not only would create a new 3-way tie, but also would have been in favor of Terrasvogels, which then would have had the best Team Quality Balance, the statistical formula that would have been used in this case come to a definitive ranking.
The series of three additional games was needed to come to a decisive ranking in the Golden League Play-Offs after the first series, played last last weekend, remained undecisive.
There was one decision, but that concerned the team that finished in fourth place.
The top-3 ended up in a tie.
However, the regulations for the Play-Offs, including the tie-breakers in case of a tie between two, or more, teams, were distributed not in time to the teams.
That led to a protest, which was granted, meaning these regulations could not be used to determine the ranking after Sunday's games.
With that, a series of additional play-off games was needed to be played.
When teams end up in a tie during the regular season, the ranking also is decided with the playing of an additional game.
That was needed twice this season.
Last weekend, FysioExpert Olympia Haarlem was swept in three games, resulting in a surprise elimination for the top-3.
Last year, Olympia Haarlem had reached the Holland Series.
Earlier this year, the team captured the European Cup Winners Cup.
The weekend ended with a 5-4 victory for Terrasvogels in eight innings against Sparks Haarlem and that resulted in a 3-way tie and the scheduling of the additional three games.
When the Team Quality Balance had been used after completion of Sunday's games, Sparks Haarlem would have end up in first place.
(September 29)
 Recap Terrasvogels vs. Sparks Haarlem game. (Sep. 28)
Recap of DSS vs. Terrasvogels game (Sep. 27)
Final Standings Play-Offs
Final Standings Regular Season Golden League
Schedule
Team Rosters
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Oolders Omaco Sparks Haarlem vs. DSS
DSS opened the score in the first inning with two outs off of starter Leonella Elizabeth.
The righthander retired the first two batters, but then gave up a single to Nathalie Gosewehr.
She stole second base moments later, then scored when Areke Spel followed with a double.
Sparks Haarlem also got into scoring position in its first at bat off of Quincey Catsburg.
With two outs, Anne Blaauweers was able to reach second base when an error was made on her grounder.
Next batter Maxime van Dalen was hit by a pitch, but both runners were left behind.
After DSS was retired in order in the top of the second inning, Sparks Haarlem came alongside in the bottom of the second.
Karin Tuk led off with a walk, but was forced out on a grounder by Cindy van der Zanden, who then stole second base.
With two outs, she advanced on a passed ball, then scored the tying run on a single by Kiki Draaijer.
In the top of the third inning, with one out, Kirsten Scheele took over the pitching for Sparks Haarlem after starter Leonella Elizabeth had faced all nine DSS-batters once.
Scheele walked Noa Brand, but then retired the next two batters.
...Winning pitcher Kirsten Scheele...
(© Photo: Fred Versluis) |
In the bottom of the third, Sparks Haarlem took over the lead by scoring two runs.
Maaike Blaauwgeers and Anne Blaauwgeers both led off with a bunt-single.
The two speedy twin-sisters then advanced on a flyout and respectively scored on a sacrifice fly by Virginie Anneveld and a single by Karin Tuk.
Hereafter, the home team got the bases loaded when Cindy van der Zanden also singled and Jenny Kinburn was hit by a pitch.
However, the three runners were left behind when a flyout ended the inning.
After DSS was retired in order in the top of the fourth inning, three rookies entered the game defensively for the squad in the bottom of the fourth, replacing three experienced players.
Marijn Crouwel (who already made her debut last year) became the new leftfielder, replacing Nathalie Gosewehr.
Gijsje Hoogeveen, who only was used as a pinch-runner in a few recent games, now became the new rightfielder, replacing Areke Spel.
And Sanne Halderman took over at third base for Morgan Sampson.
The DSS-defense committed three errrors in this at bat, resulting in two unearned runs.
First, Kehli Washington reached second base on an outfield-error.
With one out, two errors were made on a grounder by Anne Blaauwgeers, enabling Washington score.
Blaauwgeers then stole second base, but next batter Maxime van Dalen lined out.
Shortly hereafter, Virginie Anneveld delivered a runscoring single to lift the lead to 5-1.
That also was to be the final score.
In the final three at bats, there was only one more baserunner.
In the top of the fifth, Annemiek de Rover walked for DSS with one out.
Her pinch-runner Rachel Heus (also a rookie) was left behind, as Kirsten Scheele retired the next eight batters in a row, including four strikeouts.
DSS-pitcher Quincey Catsburg retired the last six batters she faced.
With that, Sparks Haarlem finished in first place of the Play-Offs and with that automatically qualified for the best-of-one Holland Series, which is scheduled for coming Sunday, starting at 4 PM.
That game will conclude the 'Season Finals Weekend', which also includes the Promotion/Relegation Finals in the Golden League/Silver League and in the Silver League/First Division.
DSS now will meet Terrasvogels in the Play-Off Final on Saturday (4 PM) with the winner of that game becoming the second finalist.
All games of the 'Season Finals Weekend' will be played at the site of Sparks Haarlem.
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...Head Coaches Peter van Dalen (Sparks Haarlem) and...
...Norman Ames (DSS) embrace each other before the game...
...HP Umpire Arjan de Wever shares a laugh... | 
...While reading the signs, DSS-starter Quincey Catsburg...
...is bothered somewhat by the lights...
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...Cindy van der Zanden scored the tying run in the 2nd inning... | 
...Virginie Anneveld batted in the go-ahead run in the 3rd inning... |
...Coaches Norman Ames and Peter van Dalen..
...inform HP Umpire Arjan de Wever of some changes...
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...Anne Blaauwgeers (7) is greeted by Maxime van Dalen...
...after scoring a run; standing in the back are...
...Kiki Draaijer and Chantal Versluis... |
...Kirsten Scheele, Virginie Anneveld and Anne Blaauwgeers...
...celebrate the victory and clinching of the Holland Series...
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...While it starts to rain heavily, Dominique Burger,...
...Annemiek de Rover and Belinda White shake hands...
...after completion of the game... |
...Players quickly shake hands after the game, as it started to rain heavily after the final out was made...
(© All Photos: Fred Versluis) |
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| Oolders Omaco Sparks Haarlem - DSS 5-1 |
| R | H | E |
| DSS | 100 | 000 | 0 | - | 1 | 2 | 4 |
| Oolders Omaco Sparks Haarlem | 012 | 200 | X | - | 5 | 6 | 0 |
| pitchers DSS | inn. | SO | BB | H | R | ER |
| Quincey Catsburg, L (0-1) | 6 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 5 | 2 |
| pitchers Sparks Haarlem | inn. | SO | BB | H | R | ER |
| Leonella Elizabeth | 2.1 | 2 | - | 2 | 1 | 1 |
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| Kirsten Scheele, W (1-1) | 4.2 | 6 | 2 | - | - | - |
Umpires: HP-Arjan de Wever, 1B-Wout van der Horst.
Official Scorer-Maaike Houtkamp.
Play-by-Play Scorer-Brigitta Zaal.
Public Address Announcer-Wouter Hoos.
Scoreboard Operator-Wouter Hoos.
Starting Time-8:30 PM.
Time-1:50 hr.
Site-Noordersportpark, Haarlem.
Game Notes:
 Sparks Haarlem wins Play-Offs and qualifies for the best-of-one Holland Series on Sunday, October 2.
DSS will meet Terrasvogels in the best-of-one Play-Off Final on Saturday, October 1.
Weather conditions at game time: Cloudy, 15,5° C (59,9° F); wind direction southwest;
wind speed 27 kmh (16,2 mph); wind force 4 Bft; humidity 90%. |
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Copyright © 1997-2016 Marco Stoovelaar / Grand Slam * Stats & News.
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