(Story by Marco Stoovelaar)
  Netherlands Softball Team wins exhibition game vs. Czechia
Nederlands
 VLEUTEN (Neth.) -
The Netherlands Softball Team recorded a 3-1 victory against Czechia in an exhibition-game on Friday-evening (August 30) at the site of UVV.
For both teams, this was the final preparation for the upcoming European Championship, which opens coming Sunday, September 1.
The site of UVV will be the main-site for the event with two fields.
Games also will be played in De Bilt and Nieuwegein.
The Final is scheduled for Saturday, September 7.
On Friday-evening, the Netherlands faced an early 1-0 deficit, but came alongside in the second inning, then turned the game around in the fourth inning.
Eva Voortman started for the Orange-squad.
Due to an ankle-injury, the lefthander had been sidelined for most of the season.
She pitched briefly for the Netherlands in an exhibition-game before the World Cup last month, then threw in four games for Neptunus during last week's European Premier Cup-tournament in Italy.
In the top of the first inning, Magdaléna Kavanová led off for Czechia with a walk.
Voortman followed with a strikeout, but then gave up a single to Ema Vodičková.
After another strikeout accounted for the second out, Kavanová scored on a single by Klára Čejková-Kolací.
For the Czech team, this would be the lone run.
Voortman retired the side in the second and third inning.
In the fourth inning, Jessie van Aalst took over the pitching and allowed only one batter to reach base via a walk in the two innings she threw.
Lisa Hop completed the game.
She got two baserunners with two outs in the seventh inning, but then ended the game by fielding a comeback-grounder.
Anna Zoulová started for the Czechs.
After having left behind two runners in the first inning, the Orange-squad came alongside in the second at bat.
Laura Wissink led off with a single, was moved into scoring position via a sacrifice bunt by Annemiek Jansen, then scored when a grounder by Isa Los ended in an error.
In the fourth inning, the Netherlands struck with two runs.
Sterre den Duijn led off with a single and Annemiek Jansen reached on a sacrifice bunt/fielder's choice with one out.
Both scored on a triple by Isa Los, who played in her first National Team-game since 2021.
Playing for the Netherlands in this game were:
Britt Vonk (SS, 0-for-3, strikeout), Brenda Beers (DP/C, 0-for-3, strikeout, stolen base), Nicky Uytendaal (1B, 0-for-2, walk), Dinet Oosting (3B, 0-for-2, walk, strikeout), Sterre den Duijn (2B, 1-for-3, run), Laura Wissink (C/DP, 1-for-3, run), Annemiek Jansen (CF, 1-for-1, run, 2 sacrifice bunts), Isa Los (RF, 1-for-3, triple, 2 RBI's), Damishah Charles (LF, 0-for-3) and pitchers Eva Voortman, Jessie van Aalst and Lisa Hop.
(August 30)
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47th international game for the Netherlands against Czechia.