(Story by Marco Stoovelaar; Photo by Fred Versluis)
   Netherlands Softball Team records another mercy-rule win on Day 2 European Championship
Nederlands
 BARCELONA (Spain) -
The Netherlands Softball Team began the Second Round of the 33rd edition of the European Championship on Monday (July 25) with a 7-0 win against the Czech Republic.
This was the second mercy-rule victory for the team in two days, as the Orange Team opened the event on Sunday with a 7-0 shutout-victory against Germany in the First Round.
The Netherlands played only one game in this First Round, as did the other seven best teams of last years Championship.
These eight teams already had secured a spot in the Second round.
The eight teams were divided over four Pools and met each other in the opening game to decide first and second place.
The other teams in these four Pools played two games trying to become the third best team in the Pool and also advance to the Super Round (or Second Round, or Quarterfinal Round).
Italy and Poland already secured their spot in Pool A.
Italy shutout Poland 11-0 to finish in first place.
The two teams got company from Greece, which won its two games.
Last year, Poland finished in ninth place behind Russia, which ended up in eighth place, but is not participating in this years edition.
In Pool B, the Netherlands and Germany finished in first and second place in Pool B and were joined by Ireland, which also won twice.
In Pool C, the Czech Republic and France faced each other in the game for first and second place.
The Czechs nipped the French, 9-8.
Finishing third in this Pool was Great Britain, which won its two preliminary round-games.
And in Pool D, Israel won against Spain (7-1) to finish in first place.
The third best team in this Pool was Slovakia, which played three games and won all three in what was the lone 6-team Pool.
In the Second Round, the Netherlands plays in Pool F.
After opening today against the Czechs, the Orange Team meets Poland (11:15 AM, Tuesday, Sant Boi), Greece (3:45 PM, Tuesday, Sant Boi), Slovakia (11:15 AM, Wednesday, Barcelona) and Spain (3:45 PM, Wednesday, Barcelona).
The three best teams of Pools E and F then will advance to the Final Round (Pool X).
The teams that finish in first and second place in Pool X will meet in the Final coming Saturday.
The teams in third and fourth place will play for the Bronze Medal.
Today's game was played at Campo Municipal de Sófbol Carlos Pérez de Rozas, which is located at Montjuďc hill in Barcelona.
Some history.
Montjuďc was the birthplace of the city of Barcelona and always has been a strategic location on the Mediterranean, as early as the Roman period, and overlooks the harbour.
Montjuďc has been the site of several fortifications, including the still existing Castle of Montjuďc, which dates from the 17th century.
Montjuďc also was the location of the 1929 Barcelona International Exposition, which was the second World Fair to be held in the city, the first being held in 1888.
Several buildings on the hill were constructed for the Exposition and still exist today, including the beautiful Palau Nacional, the Estadi Olímpic, the Font Mŕgica (Magic Fountain) and the Poble Espanyol (Spanish Village).
In 1992, during the Olympic Games in Barcelona, several sports venues were located on Montjuďc.
The games of the baseball-tournament then were played in Viladecans and L'Hospitalet de Llobregat.
In 2007, games were played in the baseball-stadium on Montjuďc during the European Baseball Championship, which then also served as Olympic Qualifying Tournament for the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing (China).
Also located on Montjuďc are the Fundació Joan Miró, a modern art museum, the botanical gardens and the Olympic and Sports Museum Joan Antoni Samaranch.
The Netherlands Softball Team opened the score today in the bottom of the first inning off of Czech picthing-ace Veronika Pecková.
Moments earlier, the Czech Team had reached base first off of Orange-starter Lisa Hop.
Lead-off hitter Veronika Klimplová reached on an error, but then was eliminated in a double play.
With two outs, Eliška Thompsonová was hit by a pitch, but she was caught stealing.
The Netherlands then struck with a 3-run rally, which began with four consecutive lefthanded batters.
Britt Vonk led off with a double and scored when a sacrifice bunt by Eva Voortman ended in an error.
Next, the bases got loaded when Brenda Beers and Jessie van Aalst both walked.
A 5-2-3 double play then followed on a grounder by Cindy van der Zanden, but two more runs were added when next batter Mariëlle Vleugels delivered a single.
Both teams were retired in order in the second inning, but then reached base again in the third.
...Lisa Hop...
...complete game, 8 strikeouts, 3 hits...
(© Photo: Fred Versluis) |
In the top of the third, Veronika Pecková was inserted as pinch-hitter and led off with a double.
Pecková was listed tenth in the Czech batting order and was the so-called Flex Player.
In this at bat, she batted for her sister Michaela Pecková, who was the designated player.
After having reached second base, Veronika Pecková was replaced by pinch-runner Lenka Bakusová.
With one out, Gabriela Slabá singled to put runners at the corners.
But a force play and flyout ended the at bat.
Hereafter, it appeared that something didn't went according to the rules, as both Veronika Pecková and Lenka Bakusová remained in the game, which of course is not possible.
Pecková returned to the tenth spot, while Bakusová became the new designated player (or offensive player only), instead of Michaela Pecková.
However, Bakusová had replaced Veronika Pecková and not Michaela Pecková, meaning Veronika (while returning to the tenth position) re-entered for Bakusová, making the latter ineligible to stay in the game.
The Orange Team added its fourth run moments later in the bottom of the third inning.
Eva Voortman reached on an error, advanced on a sacrifice bunt by Brenda Beers and scored on a 2-out single by Cindy van der Zanden.
In the fourth inning, the Czechs got a baserunner with two outs, but she was caught stealing.
The Netherlands scored another run in its fourth at bat.
Dinet Oosting led off with a single, stole second base, moved to third base via a sacrifice bunt by Damishah Charles, then scored on a wild pitch.
Both teams were retired in order in the fifth inning
In the top of the fifth, with one out, Veronika Pecková again was inserted as pinch-hitter, this time hitting for Lenka Bakusová.
This time, she grounded out, while two others struckout.
In the bottom of the fifth, two Orange-batters also struckout.
In the top of the sixth, Orange-pitcher Lisa Hop struckout the side to raise her total to eight.
The sixth and seventh Orange-run run were then scored in the bottom of the sixth.
With two outs, Dinet Oosting walked and her temporary runner Laura Wissink scored when next batter Annemiek Jansen hit a triple.
Thereafter, Damishah Charles walked and moved into scoring position on fielder's indifference.
The mercy-rule run-difference was then reached when Britt Vonk connected for a walk-off bad-hop single through the middle in a 10-pitch at bat (five foul balls).
That made it a 7-0 score and ended the game.
Lisa Hop went the distance for the Netherlands, striking out eight batters, walking none and giving up only three basehits.
Playing for the Netherlands in this game were Britt Vonk (SS), Eva Voortman (DP), Brenda Beers (CF), Jessie van Aalst (RF), Cindy van der Zanden (2B), Suka Van Gurp (2B), Mariëlle Vleugels (1B), Laura Wissink (PH), Dinet Oosting (C), Annemiek Jansen (LF), Damishah Charles (3B) and Lisa Hop (P).
(July 25)
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665th international game of the Netherlands Women's Softball Team.