(Story by Marco Stoovelaar)
   Netherlands also empty-handed in second game World Cup Qualifier
Nederlands
 VALENCIA (Spain) -
The Netherlands Softball Team also was left empty-handed in its second game in Group B in the World Cup Qualifier on Wednesday (July 19).
After losing 4-3 to Cuba on Tuesday, the team of Head Coach Ferenc Jongejan today lost 5-4 against China.
It was another hot day in Valencia with an average temperature of 34 degrees Celsius (93 Fahrenheit).
The two best teams of the event will qualify for the World Cup that will be held next year in Italy.
The teams that finish in first and second place will play the Final, with the winner qualifying for the World Cup.
After the Final, the teams that finish in third and fourth place will play against each other.
The winner of that game then meets the losing team of the Final in what is a second Final-game to determine which team also will advance to the World Cup.
In the first game on Tuesday, the Netherlands took an early 2-0 lead against Cuba, which then came alongside and turned the game it way.
Today, the Orange-squad again opened the score.
This time, the team led 3-0 halfway the third inning.
But again, the team was unable to hold onto the lead, as China scored twice in both the third and fourth inning.
The Netherlands managed to come alongside in the top of the sixth, but China immediately answered with a run of its own and that proved to be decisive.
The Netherlands offense outhit China, 8-6, including two hits by Brenda Beers and Maxime van Dalen.
The Orange Team left runners behind on second and third base in the first inning, then stranded runners on first and third base in the second at bat.
But the Netherlands then struck with a 3-run rally in the top of the third inning.
Brenda Beers led off with a bunt-single and moved into scoring position via a sacrifice bunt by Dinet Oosting.
After next batter Maxime van Dalen had walked, everyone was safe on a fielder's choice-grounder by Jessie van Aalst.
Another grounder by Cindy van der Zanden followed, but again, no force out was recorded.
Beers scored and the bases remained loaded.
Hereafter, Laura Wissink connected for a 2-run single to increase the lead to 3-0.
That led to a piching change.
The Netherlands then got runners on second and third after a passed ball, but a strikeout and groundout ended the at bat.
However, the 3-0 lead proved not to be enough.
Orange-starter Eva Voortman had struckout the side in the first inning.
After having issued a lead-off walk in the second, the lefthander followed with two more strikeouts.
But she then got the bases loaded when the next two batters also walked.
China left three runners behind, as a flyout ended this scoring opportunity.
China then did score in the bottom of the third when Voortman also ran into problems.
With one out, Voortman hit Jiaqi Li with a pitch and with two outs, she gave up a homerun to Min Ren, which made it a 3-2 score.
China again scored twice in the fourth at bat.
After giving up a lead-off single to Bei Wang, Voortman hit Zixuan Dong with a pitch.
With two runners on base, Marjolein Merkx took over the Orange-pitching.
She got a grounder, which led to a force out at third base, then followed with a strikeout.
But hereafter, Merkx got the bases loaded via a walk, then gave up a 2-run single to Jia Xu, the put China ahead, 4-3.
The Netherlands got big scoring opportunity in the top of the sixth, but scored only once.
After Britt Vonk led off with a single, a pitching change followed.
But new pitcher Lan Wang got the bases loaded via a bunt-single by Brenda Beers and a fielder's choice-grounder by Dinet Oosting.
A single by Maxime van Dalen then brought in Vonk and tied the score at 4-4.
With the bases still loaded and no outs, a strikeout accounted for the first out.
Hereafter, pinch-runner Annemiek Jansen (who ran for Beers) was forced out at the plate on a grounder by Cindy van der Zanden.
Three runners were left behind when a flyout ended what could have been a productive at bat.
China immediately re-took the lead in the bottom of the sixth.
Like in the game against Cuba, an error led to a crucial run.
This time, lead-off hitter Zixuan Dong reached second base on a throwing error.
She then scored when next batter Xiaoyan He doubled.
A grounder and two strikeouts ended the at bat, but China led 5-4.
In the top of the seventh, Lan Wang retired the side to seal the win.
Also on Wednesday, South Africa came into action twice and lost both games, both via the mercy-rule.
Cuba won 10-3 and Puerto Rico recorded an 8-1 win.
In the evening, Cuba also played its second game of the day and faced Spain.
Cuba won 2-1 to stay unbeaten.
On Thursday, the Netherlands Team will play two games.
The team opens the day against Spain (10 AM) and then meets South Africa in the afternoon (3 PM).
Playing for the Netherlands on Wednesday were:
Britt Vonk (SS), Brenda Beers (LF), Annemiek Jansen (PR/LF), Dinet Oosting (1B/OPO), Maxime van Dalen (DP/1B), Jessie van Aalst (RF), Cindy van der Zanden (CF), Laura Wissink (C), Suka Van Gurp (2B), Damishah Charles (3B), Eva Voortman (SP, flex), Marjolein Merkx (RP, flex).
(July 19)
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