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(Story by Marco Stoovelaar; Photo by Fred Versluis) Netherlands Under-19 Team opens World Cup with two shutout losses Nederlands IRVINE, California (USA) - The Netherlands U-19 Softball Team suffered two shutout-losses on its first day of competition at the U19 World Cup on Sunday (August 11) in Irvine, California (USA). The Orange-squad opened with a 2-0 loss against Canada, then lost 7-0 later in the day vs. New Zealand. The World Cup went underway with two games on Saturday-evening. On Sunday, a total of twelve games was played. In both games on Sunday, the Netherlands collected only two basehits. The day began very early for the team, as its first game against Canada started at 8 AM! The Netherlands will play its next game on Monday-evening (local time), meeting Chinese Taipei. This year, the Dutch team prepared for the World Cup by playing again as Talent Team Holland in the Golden League. However, on July 15, the team withdraw from the highest league. During the season, the team won two of its twelve games played. (August 11)

Netherlands vs. Canada The Netherlands got a runner on third base in the top of the first inning, but failed to open the score. Canada then scored the first run in the second at bat. Defensively, the Netherlands played a good game and showed several nice plays. That kept Canada to only one run, before it added another one in the sixth inning. Offensively, the Netherlands was limited to only two basehits, got some scoring opportunities, but was unable to score. Yindi Beekveldt led off the first inning with a walk, was moved to second base via a sacrifice bunt by Nicky Uytendaal, then stole third base. However, she stranded there, as Canadian pitcher Samantha Ryan struckout next batters Isa Smit and Sterre den Duijn. ...Orange Manager Saskia Kosterink... (© Photo: Fred Versluis) In the bottom of the first inning, it was Canada that left a runner behind in scoring position. Kendra Falby led off with a single off of starter Margot van Eijl and stole second base. Van Eijl followed with a strikeout, then two grounders ended the at bat. In the top of the second inning, Julia van der Meer reached on an infield-hit with two outs. A grounder closed the at bat. Moments later, Canada opened the score. Lauren Benson led off with a single, advanced on a sacrifice bunt and reached third base on a wild pitch. With two outs, she scored on another wild pitch. In the third inning, Canada got into scoring position again, but the Dutch defense prevented them from scoring. Lead-off hitter Mackenzie Egan was hit by a pitch and Kendra Falby followed with a single. Egan was then forced out at third base on a grounder by Mia Valcke, who then was forced out at second on a following grounder by Grace Messmer. With Falby on third base, Messmer stole second base, but the inning then ended when centerfielder Nina Oomes caught the ball hit by Kianna Jones. In the fourth, Netherlands Manager Saskia Kosterink showed she knows the rules, as she started a great appeal play. Lead-off hitter Lauren Benson was hit by a pitch. Hereafter, Alexis Lucyshyn hit a line drive into leftfield. Benson took off on contact and reached second base, but leftfielder Yindi Beekveldt made a great catch. Benson quickly returned to first base, but then a throwing error followed towards first base. After that, Benson again took off and moved back to second base. But then Saskia Kosterink came out for a discussion with Home Plate Umpire Jesse Smith, as baserunning wasn't done according to the rules. The four umpires got together, then the Australian umpire asked both Managers with him, explained the ruling and signaled that Benson was ruled out. What happened was that Benson, after having reached second base, returned to first base after the catch without re-touching second base. As she had run in the wrong order, she was called out on the appeal play. And that not only was good attentive coaching by Saskia Kosterink, it also underscored that you always have to watch every play. Not only from the field, but also from the dug-out, whether you play or not. Plays like this can win games! There were now two outs, but the inning wasn't over yet, as next batters Nicole Rivait and Rebecca Jones singled. Would the errant baserunning not have been noticed, this surely would have led to an additional run. With runners on first and second base, the inning ended with a pop-fly and with that, the score remained only 1-0. After being retired in order in the third and fourth inning, the Netherlands got a chance to come alongside in the top of the fifth. Marijn Crouwel led off with a double. Her pinch-runner Michelle Schuur moved to third base on a sacrifice bunt by Julia van der Meer. But she was left behind, as a strikeout and groundout followed. Canada scored its second run in the bottom of the sixth off of reliever Isanthe Rouwenhorst. This time, Lauren Benson led off with a walk. Her pinch-runner Megan Duclos stole second base, then scored on a single by Alexis Lucychyn. The latter moved to second base on a sacrifice bunt, but then was left behind. In the top of the seventh, the Orange Team got another opportunity to do some scoring. With one out, Tess Remmers walked and with two outs, Julia van der Meer also received a free pass. However, next batter Jacky Huijben then went after the first pitch and hit a grounder. On this hit, Remmers was forced out at third base and ended the game.

Canada - Netherlands 2-0 R H E Netherlands 000 000 0 - 0 2 0 Canada 010 001 X - 2 6 0 pitchers Netherlands inn. SO BB H R ER Margot van Eijl, L (0-1) 5 1 2 5 2 2 Isanthe Rouwenhorst 1 - - 1 - - pitcher Canada inn. SO BB H R ER Samantha Ryan, W (1-0) 7 7 3 2 - - Umpires: HP-Jesse Smith (Australia), 1B-Mark Korras (USA), 2B-Jana McCaskill (Great Britain), 3B-David Fortin (New Zealand). Clock Operator-Jorge Afuso (Brazil). Official Scorers-Fausto Nardi (Italy), Tracy Wicks (USA), Gabriele Hardinger (Austria). Technical Commissioners-Anna Battigelli (Italy), Don Alexander (USA). Starting Time-8:00 AM. Time Played-1:52 hrs. Site-Softball Stadium Bill Barber Park, Irvine, California (USA).

Netherlands vs. New Zealand New Zealand took an early lead, scoring its first run in the top of the first inning off of Dutch starter Romy van der Ham. The game began with a hit into deep centerfield by lead-off hitter Beth Reid, but that was caught by Nina Oomes. With two outs, Pallas Potter also drilled the ball into centerfield and this time, it left the field for a homerun. Like in the first game, lead-off hitter Yindi Beekveldt reached base base again in the first Dutch at bat. This time, she led off with a single. And again, she ended up on third base, advancing on grounders by Nicky Uytendaal and Marijn Crouwel. But she was left behind. Again. In the top of the second inning, Lisa Meyering took over the Orange pitching. She walked lead-off hitter Brooklyn Temu, but then struckout the next two batters. New Zealand got runners at the corners when Aroha Hibbert reached on an error. The bases got loaded when Beth Reid walked, but the three runners were left behind when a flyout ended the at bat. It was to be the lone at bat in which New Zealand didn't score a run. After the Netherlands left a runner behind on first base in its second inning, New Zealand added a run in the third. Pallas Potter, who had homered in the first inning, led off with a doubled, moved on a sacrifice bunt by Caitlyn Lewin and scored on a wild pitch. With one out in the top of the fourth, Mikayla Lewin walked for New Zealand and stole second base. After next batter Aroha Hibbert also had walked, Isanthe Rouwenhorst became the new pitcher for the Netherlands. She gave up a runscoring single to Beth Reid. After a grounder had moved the runners to second and third base, Pallas Potter stepped up to the plate again. With first base open, she was walked intentionally. For the second time, New Zealand stranded three runners, as a flyout ended the at bat. In the fifth, with one out, Brooklyn Temu doubled for New Zealand. She advanced on a wild pitch and later scored on a sacrifice fly by Mikayla Lewin to make it a 4-0 score. In the top of the sixth, Romy van der Ham returned as pitcher for the Netherlands. With one out, she walked pinch-hitter Lace Tangianau and Pallas Potter. The first had advanced on a passed ball, then moved to third base when ball four to Potter ended in a wild pitch. Moments later, Potter was caught stealing, but Tangianau scored a run. Hereafter, Van der Ham walked Caitlyn Lewin, which was followed by another Dutch pitching change. Margot van Eijl, who had started the first game against Canada, took over. She gave up a single to Pearl-Marli Waetford, then got the bases loaded when she hit Brooklyn Temu with a pitch, but again, three runners stranded. In the top of the seventh, New Zealand scored two more runs. The first was scored on a triple by Beth Taylor, the second on a wild pitch. After having left a runner behind on first base in the second inning, the Dutch Team did the same in the third. In the second, Julia van der Meer walked with two outs, as did Nicky Uytendaal in the third inning. With two outs in the fifth, another Orange-batter reached base. This time, Isa Smit singled (which was only the second Orange-basehit), but she was then forced out on a grounder by Julia van der Meer, meaning another runner stranded on first base. The Dutch offense was then retired in order in both the sixth and seventh inning.

Netherlands - New Zealand 0-7 R H E New Zealand 101 111 2 - 7 9 0 Netherlands 000 000 0 - 0 2 1 pitcher New Zealand inn. SO BB H R ER Brooke Glassie, W (1-0) 7 4 3 2 - - pitchers Netherlands inn. SO BB H R ER Romy van der Ham, L (0-1) 1 - - 2 1 1 Lisa Meyering 2.1 4 4 1 2 2 Isanthe Rouwenhorst 1.2 - 2 2 1 1 Romy van der Ham (re-entry) 0.2 - 3 - 1 1 Margot van Eijl 1.1 1 1 4 2 2 Homerun: New Zealand: Pallas Potter (1)(1st,solo,2 outs,off Van der Ham). Umpires: HP-Maria Urdaniz (Argentina), 1B-Natasha Restrepo (Colombia), 2B-Jorge Afuso (Brazil), Mark Korras (USA). Clock Operator-Sarah Eve Jacob (Canada). Official Scorers-Erika Sojat (Italy), Danny Winders (USA), Rafael Valle (Puerto Rico). Technical Commissioners-Gary Skjerven (Canada), Anna Battigelli (Italy). Starting Time-12:30 PM. Time Played-2:20 hrs. Site-Field #3, Bill Barber Park, Irvine, California (USA).

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