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(Story & Photos by Marco Stoovelaar) Olympia Haarlem and Terrasvogels open European Cup-tournaments with wins Nederlands BOLLATE (Italy) / PRAGUE (Czech Rep.) / DUPNITSA (Bulgaria) - Dutch reigning champion FysioExpert Olympia Haarlem and vice-champion Terrasvogels have played their first games in this years European Cup Tournaments, that opened on Monday (August 19). Olympia Haarlem played its first game in the European Premiere Cup in Bollate (Italy) on Monday-evening. The team played against Carrousel (Russia) and recorded a come-from-behind 4-3 victory. Terrasvogels got into action twice on the opening day of the European Cup Winners Cup in Prague (Czech Republic). The team opened the event in the early morning with a 6-0 win against Therwil Flyers (Switzerland) with Hannah Bandimere throwing a No-Hitter. In the evening, Terrasvogels met Moscow (Russia) and recorded a convincing 10-0 shutout in four innings. In the Bulgarian city of Dupnista, the tournament for the European Cup is played. No Dutch teams participate in this event of which the winner promotes to the Premiere Cup. For the tournaments, both Olympia Haarlem and Terrasvogels have added some players. Cindy van der Zanden, Masha Meloni and pitcher Alyson Spinas-Valainis are on the roster of Olympia Haarlem. Last season, Spinas was a regular of the team. This season, she appeared in only one game to make her eligible to play in the postseason. Nadine Marinus and Merel Oosterveld joined the regulars of Terrasvogels. Besides the Dutch players on the rosters of Olympia Haarlem and Terrasvogels, there will be 19 more players from the Netherlands active in the three tournaments, who have been added to some of the participating teams. These players are: Premiere Cup (8): Maxime van Dalen, Kimberly Jones, Laura Wissink (all Bollate, Italy), Sterre den Duijn, Kelsey Huijzers, Isa Los, Lindsey Meadows-Oosterveld (all Hoboken Pioneers, Belgium) and Annemiek Jansen (Barracudas Zürich, Switzerland). Cup Winners Cup (7): Lorraine Kieft (Joudrs Praha, Czech Rep.), Marjolein Merkx, Sophie Verdaasdonk (both Les Pharaons, France), Tess Remmers (Therwil Flyers, Switzerland), Dominique Sprengers, Suka Van Gurp and Ginger de Weert (all Rivas, Spain). European Cup (4): Corine Ammerlaan, Lizzy Uytendaal (both Princ Zagreb, Croatia), Anna Prins (The Mix, Great Britain) and Cheyenne Scheffer (Atletico San Sebastian, Spain). Not included in this list is Britt Vonk, as she is a regular player for Bussolengo (Italy), which is coached by former Netherlands Softball Team Head Coach Craig Montvidas. There are also Dutch additions to some coaching staffs. Jeroen den Duijn, the Head Coach of Twins Oosterhout, is one of the coaches of Hoboken Pioneers (Belgium), Marije Oosting-ten Thij, who plays for Tex Town Tigers, is one of the coaches of Wesseling Vermins (Germany) and Jeroen Swers, the Head Coach of Roef!, is one of the coaches of Les Pharaons (France). Tex Town Tigers Head Coach Robert Kovačević is the Head Coach of Barracudas Zürich (Switzerland). (August 19)

FysioExpert Olympia Haarlem vs. Carrousel Olympia Haarlem had a narrow escape in its opening game against Carrousel. The team trailed 3-0 halfway the fourth inning, scored twice in its fourth, came alongside in the fifth, scored the go-ahead run on an error and saw Carrousel threaten again in the seventh. In the end, Olympia won 4-3. ...Alyson Spinas... ...winning pitcher... (© Ph: Marco Stoovelaar) Carrousel left two runners behind on first base in the first three innings off of Olympia-starter Ilona Andringa. But the Russian team then struck with three runs in the top of the fourth inning. With one out, Daria Semenova singled and scored when Vera Kukharenko followed with a double. With two outs, Kukharenko's pinch-runner Vasilisa Sorokina scored on a single by Alina Afanasyeva, who moved to second base on the throw to the plate. Next batter Evgenia Egiazarova then reached on an infield-hit. That brought Afanasyeva to third base, but when an error followed the infield-hit, she was able to continue running to score the third run in the inning. That led to a pitching change, as Ayson Spinas-Valainis took over for Andringa. She closed the at bat with a strikeout, but Olympia trailed 3-0. Olympia recovered and got two runs back in its fourth at bat, scoring with two outs. Virginie Anneveld led off with an infield-hit, then Mariëlle Vleugels was hit hy a pitch from Nina Zakaznikova, who went the distance for Carrousel. Amber Krijgsman was inserted as pinch-runner for Vleugels, but she was eliminated in a double play when a bunt-attempt by next batter Sarah Edwards was caught. With two outs and Anneveld on second base, pinch-hitter Cindy van der Zanden connected for a single, which led to runners on second and third base. Both scored when Shareday Christina also singled. However, Christina was eliminated at second base trying to advance on the throw to the plate. That ended the inning, but Olympia had narrowed the deficit to 3-2. In the fifth inning, Olympia Haarlem again scored twice with two outs to turn the game around. Eva Voortman led off with a single and moved on a sacrifice bunt by Brenda Beers. With two outs, Voortman scored the tying run on a single by Jessie van Aalst. Moments later, Van Aalst stole second base, then scored the go-ahead run when a hit by Virginie Anneveld ended in an outfield-error. Carrousel had left a runner behind on first base again in the fifth and sixth inning, but then came close to scoring the tying run (or more) in the top of the seventh. Yana Islamova and Tatiana Zhuchkova led off with singles and moved on a sacrifice bunt by Verdzhiniya Gusakova. With that, the tying run was now on third base. Despite having first base open, it was not opted to create a force play, but instead pitch the the batters. Spinas struckout the next batter, then a grounder ended the game.

FysioExpert Olympia Haarlem - Carrousel 4-3 R H E Carrousel 000 300 0 - 3 9 1 FysioExpert Olympia Haarlem 000 220 X - 4 10 1 pitcher Carrousel inn. SO BB H R ER Nina Zakaznikova, L (0-1) 6 4 1 10 4 3 pitchers Olympia Haarlem inn. SO BB H R ER Ilona Andringa 3.2 3 1 5 3 2 Alyson Spinas-Valainis, W (1-0) 3.1 4 - 4 - - Umpires: HP-Franck Lautier (France), 1B-Sabrina Fabrizi (Italy), 3B-Michal Židek (Czech Rep.). Official Scorers-Marinella Pagani (Italy), Gianfranco Bellavia (Italy), Roberto Saletti (Italy). Technical Commissioner-Wout Isbouts (Netherlands). Starting Time-5:30 PM. Time Played-2:00 hrs. Site-Field #1, Centro Sportivo, Bollate (Italy). Game Notes: European Premiere Cup 2019.

Terrasvogels vs. Therwil Flyers ...Hannah Bandimere... ...No-Hitter... (© Photo: Marco Stoovelaar) Hannah Bandimere went the distance for Terrasvogels in the first game that went underway at 9 AM! The righthander struckout twelve batters and threw a No-Hitter. She almost threw a Perfect Game, as only one batter of opponent Therwil Flyers reached base. After having retired 12 consecutive batters, Bandimere hit lead-off hitter Melanie Wanner with a pitch in the fifth inning. She would remain the lone Swiss runner in this game. Moments later, Wanner was eliminated in a double play. Thereafter, Bandimere retired the next batters, meaning she faced only the minimal total of 21. Terrasvogels got a chance to open the score in the top of the second inning. With one out, Solange Starrenburg and Karin Tuk both singled. The first was forced out on third base on a grounder by Gabi Obia, but thereafter, the bases got loaded when Desiree Adriaansz reached on an infield-hit. The three runners were left behind when a grounder ended the at bat. Terrasvogels then scored its first run in third inning off of American pitcher Kelly Mardones, who went the distance for Therwil and gave up 13 basehits. With one out in the third, Nadine Marinus doubled, moved on a grounder by Bobbi Scheurkogel and scored when Solange Starrenburg reached on an error. The team doubled its lead in the fourth. With two outs, Kelsy Pieneman walked and Katharina Szalay singled. Nadine Marinus followed with a runscoring single to make it a 2-0 score. In the sixth inning, Katharina Szalay hit a triple for Terrasvogels with two outs, but stranded on third base. Terrasvogels then rallied for four runs in the seventh to increase the lead to 6-0. With one out, Lizzie Clarijs and Solange Starrenburg singled and both scored when Karin Tuk (who batted 3-for-4) followed with a double. With two outs, Desiree Adriaansz delivered a runscoring single, who then scored herself on a single by Kelsy Pieneman.

Therwil Flyers - Terrasvogels 0-6 R H E Terrasvogels 001 100 4 - 6 13 0 Therwil Flyers 000 000 0 - 0 0 2 pitcher Terrasvogels inn. SO BB H R ER Hannah Bandimere, W (1-0) 7 12 - - - - (Hannah Bandimere throws a No-Hitter) pitcher Flyers inn. SO BB H R ER Kelly Mardones, L (0-1) 7 1 2 13 6 5 Umpires: HP-Beate Utzig (Austria), 1B-Richard Silva (USA), 3B-Gregorio Carletti (Italy). Official Scorers-Petr Matouš (Czech Rep.), Matěj Neděla (Czech Rep.). Technical Commissioner-Lis Castro (Denmark). Starting Time-9:00 AM. Time Played-1:53 hrs. Site-Field #1, Eagles Park, Prague (Czech Rep.). Game Notes: European Cup Winners Cup 2019. Hannah Bandimere (Terrasvogels) throws a No-Hitter.

Terrasvogels vs. Moscow In its second game, Terrasvogels recorded a convincing 10-0 win in four innings against Moscow. The team collected nine basehits, including three by Solange Starrenburg, who only missed the homerun to hit for-the-cycle. Terrasvogels-pitchers Roos-Marijn Kramer and Jacquelyn Sertic gave up only two basehits. ...Solange Starrenburg... ...3-for-3, double, triple... (© Photo: Marco Stoovelaar) Initially, Moscow got the bases loaded in the top of the first inning, but failed to open the score. Starting pitcher Roos-Marijn Kramer walked lead-off hitter Milana Kozhina, who moved on a sacrifice bunt. Kramer then also walked next batter Polina Aleksandrova. Hereafter, Olga Iakovleva grounded the ball towards second base where Aleksandrova was ruled out for runner's interference. That meant that Kozhina had to return to second base. The bases got loaded when Daria Shembereva singled, but the three runners were left behind when a grounder ended the at bat. From the bottom of the first inning, Terrasvogels dominated, as it rallied for five runs to take a decisive lead. In the at bat, Terrasvogels recorded five basehits, while the Moscow-defense contributed with three errors. Katharina Szalay led off with a bunt-single and Merel Oosterveld singled. The two executed a double-steal, then both scored when that was followed by a throwing error. With one out, Lizzie Clarijs reached on an error and Solange Starrenburg added an infield--hit. The two scored when Karin Tuk and Nadine Marinus both delivered a single. Tuk later scored the fifth run on a force play-grounder by Kelsy Pieneman. Hereafter, Terrasvogels got the bases loaded when a throwing error followed on a strikeout for Desiree Adriaansz and Katharina Szalay walked. But the three were left behind. Terrasvogels added a run in the second inning. Bobbi Scheurkogel then led off with a walk, moved to third base on a double by Solange Starrenburg and scored on a grounder by Karin Tuk. Two more runs were then scored in the third. With one out, Desiree Adriaansz walked and pinch-hitter Jessica Waasdorp singled. The latter was then replaced by pinch-runner Katharina Szalay (re-entry). After Adriaansz was forced out on third base on a grounder by Merel Oosterveld, Szalay and Oosterveld scored on a triple by Bobbi Scheurkogel to increase the lead to 8-0. Roos-Marijn Kramer retired the side in the second and third inning, then Jacquelyn Sertic pitched the fourth inning. She gave up a 2-out single, but the runner stranded on first base. Moments later, Terrasvogels reached the 10-run difference to end the game via the mercy-rule. Solange Starrenburg led off with a triple, then Karin Tuk walked. The latter was then forced out on a grounder by Nadine Marinus, but on this hit, Starrenburg scored. After next batter Kelsy Pieneman had walked, a wild pitch led to runners on second and third base. The game ended when Marinus scored on a grounder by Desiree Adriaansz.

Terrasvogels - Moscow 10-0 (4 inn.) R H E Moscow 000 0 - 0 2 3 Terrasvogels 512 2 - 10 9 0 (two outs when 10-run difference was reached in the fourth inning) pitchers Moscow inn. SO BB H R ER Sofiya Kokoreva, L (0-1) 1 1 1 5 5 3 Viktoria Poleshchuk 2.2 2 4 4 5 5 pitchers Terrasvogels inn. SO BB H R ER Roos-Marijn Kramer, W (1-0) 3 2 2 1 - - Jacquelyn Sertic 1 - - 1 - - Umpires: HP-Richard Silva (USA), 1B-David Hurley (Great Britain), 3B-Beate Utzig (Austria). Official Scorers-Jakub Hauser (Czech Rep.), Petra Malá (Czech Rep.). Technical Commissioners-Lis Castro (Denmark), Gabriele Hardinger (Austria). Starting Time-6:15 PM. Time Played-1:35 hrs. Site-Field #1, Eagles Park, Prague (Czech Rep.). Game Notes: European Cup Winners Cup 2019.

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