(Story by Marco Stoovelaar; Photo by Rein Merkx)
    Roef! wins Pre-Season Tournament
Nederlands
 TILBURG (Neth.) -
Roef! has won the twelfth edition of the international Pre-Season Tournament, which the club organizes annually.
The event is played either outdoors on its home-site in Moergestel, or indoors when weather conditions are unfavorable.
This was the case this weekend, as it was very stormy, cold and rainy.
With that, all games were played in two indoor-facilities in nearby Tilburg.
On Sunday-afternoon (March 10), Roef! won 7-2 in the Final against UVV.
For Roef!, this is the second tournament-win the year.
In January, the team won the international Indoor Cup-tournament for the third year in a row, becoming the first team to do so.
Eva van Knegsel of Roef! was named Most Valuable Player of the tournament.
This Award was handed out for the first time during last years tournament.
Then, it was won by Ella Krommendijk of tournament-winner Terrasvogels.
After Saturday's games, both Red Lions and Roef! were unbeaten in Pool A.
Red Lions won three games, while Roef! won two and played a tie.
Today, the two teams faced each other in the deciding game to determine the winner of this Pool.
Roef! outscored Red Lions 8-4 to reach the Final.
In Pool B, there were three candidates in the race for the Final after Saturday's games.
Twins Oosterhout and UVV were both unbeaten.
Today, these two teams had one game left.
A win for both teams would create a tie for first place and as Saturday's head-to-head game also ended in a tie, a run-difference rule would come into effect as a tie-breaker.
However, when Twins and UVV should both end up losing their game, Roef! 2 could move into first place when it should win its two remaining games today.
The first scenario happened.
Roef! 2 won 6-1 against Hoboken Pioneers (Belgium), but was then eliminated for the Final when Twins Oosterhout recorded a big 17-0 shutout-win against Bonn Capitals (Germany).
Later in the afternoon, UVV won with a big 20-0 shutout against Roef! 2.
This not only was the highest score in the tournament, it also decided who would reach the Final.
As mentioned, Twins and UVV finished in a tie for first place after winning their game today.
The run-difference rule then became the tie-breaker.
After Saturday's games, UVV had scored 15 runs and had given up two, while Twins scored 13 and gave up two.
Twins raised its total to 30 runs scored (and two against) after winning big today.
That meant that UVV not only had to score at least sixteen runs in its game, but also could not give up a run.
As UVV scored 20 runs, it finished above Twins to become the second finalist.
In the Final of the Pre-Season Tournament, the pitchers of both teams combined threw 30 strikeouts!
The game remained scoreless in the first three innings, then Roef! opened the score with one run in the fourth.
UVV answered with two runs in the fifth, but thereafter, Roef! put on more pressure and turned the game its way, scoring six runs in the final two innings.
Jessica Tolmie went the distance for UVV.
The Australian righthander, who last season pitched in the Golden League for Tex Town Tigers, struckout 15 hitters.
In the third inning, she saw how Roef! got into scoring position.
With one out, Wies Ligtvoet singled and Kim Donkers reached on an error, which led to runners on second and third base.
But they stranded, as Tolmie struckout the next two hitters.
Marjolein Merkx started for Roef! and struckout nine of the ten batters she faced.
In the second inning, Eliza Rikkelman was the lone batter to reach base on an error.
In the top of the fourth inning, Kim Horsten took over the pitching.
She gave up a lead-off single to Britt van Veen, which was to be the lone basehit for UVV in this game.
Next, Melissa Burger walked.
With one out, the two advanced on a sacrifice bunt by Pien Lijffijt, but then were left behind.
Roef! then opened the score in the bottom of the fourth inning.
With one out, Eva van Knegsel singled and stole second base.
With two outs, she scored on a single by Wies Ligtvoet.
...Eva van Knegsel...
...MVP...
(© Photo: Rein Merkx) |
Trailing 1-0, UVV scored two unearned runs in the fifth inning when the Roef!-defense made three errors.
The first six batters reached base without hitting a basehit.
Femke Bolkenbaas led off with a walk, then Naomi Andringa reached on a fielder's choice-grounder, which ended in an error.
Hereafter, four more force play-grounders followed.
An error on a grounder by Maud Werkman loaded the bases.
Another error was then made on a grounder by Britt van Veen, resulting in the tying run.
Next, Andringa was forced out at the plate on a grounder by Melissa Burger, which kept the bases loaded.
But then, a third error was made, this time on a grounder by Eliza Rikkelman, which gave UVV a 2-1 lead.
However, three runners were left behind when the next two batters were eliminated.
In the bottom of the sixth, Roef! answered with three runs.
Cindy van der Zanden led off with a walk and stole second base.
With one out, she scored the tying run on a single by Isa Los.
Roef! then got runners at the corners when Eva van Knegsel reached on an error.
Moments later, Roef! took the lead on a pinch-hit single by newcomer Onaisha Franka, who last year played for Sparks Haarlem.
When an error followed, Van Knegsel also was able to score.
After Kim Horsten struckout three batters in the top of the sixth, Roef! took more distance by scoring three runs in its sixth at bat.
Kim Donkers and Cindy van der Zanden (bunt) led off with basehits.
Pinch-hitter (and newcomer) Amy Udink then delivered a runscoring single.
Another run was added on a grounder by Isa Los.
Hereafter, Eva van Knegsel connected for a double, which enabled Udink to score the third run in this inning.
Udink played for Catch last season, but in the past, she also played for Onze Gezellen and the Netherlands Juniors Team.
Final Standings:
1. Roef!, 2. UVV, 3. Twins Oosterhout, 4. Red Lions, 5. Onze Gezellen, 6. Roef! 2, 7. Hoboken Pioneers (Belgium), 8. Eagles Praha (Czech Republic), 9. Bonn Capitals (Germany), 10. DVH.
For the record
In the 2-day tournament, ten umpires participated, including two from abroad.
Dutch umpires Harm de Fonkert, Lucien Hekker, Wout van der Horst, Arjan Mens, Rein Merkx, Conny van Meurs, John van Renswoude and Jac van Riel were joined by Akos Farkas from Hungary and Beate Utzig from Austria.
Annie Hekker, Jeroen van de Wiel, Marga de Fonkert and Hannie Mulders served as tournament commissioners and scorekeepers.
(March 10)
(thanks to Hannie Mulders for providing the tournament-information)
Scores of Sunday's Games
Complete Schedules Exhibition Season, Regular Season and More
Preliminary Rosters Dutch Golden League
Related Article:
 Five teams in race for Final Pre-Season Tournament. (March 9)
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Exhibition Game.