2015 Dutch Hoofdklasse season tees off

Tonight the long awaited start of the Hoofdklasse season in the Netherlands finally was there.

Three games were played: Curacao Neptunus –  HCAW; Vaessen Pioniers – Mampaey The Hawks and Corendon Kinheim –  Pronto DSS.

In each of the three games, one team was vastly superior over the other.  It may appear weird to Americans, but in Dutch baseball the home team is mentioned first.

Curacao Neptunus – HCAW 12-2

For decades, HCAW from Bussum was sponsored by tea room Mr. Cocker. After thirty years the tea room has ended the sponsor deal. So far the club from Bussum has not found a new main sponsor. Neptunus on the other hand was sponsored by DOOR training for years. This year, for the first time since 1999, DOOR is not to be seen on the front of the jersey. The name has moved to the back and is replaced at the front by Curacao. In tonight’s game between the two clubs, HCAW committed seven (!) errors. Neptunus scored two runs in the first, one in the second, another two in the third, two in the fourth and two in the fifth. In the sixth and seventh inning they did not score run. In the meantime, HCAW did also score two runs; one in the third and one in the fourth inning. Finally in the eighth inning, the team from Rotterdam ended HCAW’s suffering by scoring three runs to make it a mercy rule victory: 12-2.
Winning pitcher was Orlando Yntema. He pitched five innings and allowed two runs (one earned) on five hits. Next to throwing a wild pitch, he gave up two free passes and he fanned seven. Losing pitcher was Maickel Rietel. He lasted 3.2 innings in which he allowed seven runs (of which only two were earned) on eight hits. He gave up two walks and fanned one.
Best hitter for Curacao Neptunus was Dwayne Kemp who went 3 for 4 with two runs scored and two RBI and a stolen base.
Peter van Doesburg also went 3 for 4 for HCAW.
I fear that HCAW will have a hard time to survive in the Hoofdklasse this season. It has lost many key players to other clubs.

Pronto DSS –  Corendon Kinheim 1-10

Corendon Kinheim took on it’s neighbour (literally) Pronto DSS. The team that won the Overgangsklasse championship and beat Mampaey The Hawks in the play down series, was no match for Corendon Kinheim, even though the latter needed nine innings to end the game. Even though, Kinheim scored the opening run in the first inning, they had to wait until the fifth inning before they could extend their lead with big numbers. In that fifth inning they scored five runs, which meant the end of the game for DSS pitcher Rick Geestman. In the same inning, DSS scored the one run that was needed to keep the game going until the ninth inning. Kinheim scored four more runs to make it 10-1. Because of only a nine run difference, the game had to go on until the final out in the ninth.
Tom Stuifbergen earned the win for Corendon Kinheim. In six innings he allowed one earned run on six hits. He walked two and struck out six. Rick Geestman took the loss. In 4.1 innings he allowed six runs on seven hits. He walked four and struck out one.
Best hitter for Corendon Kinheim was catcher Dashenko Ricardo. He went 4 for 6 with a double and with three runs scored.

Vaessen Pioniers –  Mampaey The Hawks 6-0
No double digits for the victor, but Vaessen Pioniers stil proved to be too big for the Hawks. In the first inning the club from Hoofddorp took a decisive 3-0 lead. With one out and the bases loaded, Hawks pitcher Jeldwin Orman hit Mark-Jan Moorman and thus allowed the runner from third to score the opening run. Quintin de Cuba hit into a fielder’s choice while Dirk-Jan Moorman was thrown out 6-4. Dirk van ‘t Klooster scored the second run. When Kevin Dirksen hit towards third base he reached first on a throwing error of The Hawks’ third baseman. Vince Rooi could score the third run on the play. Pioniers scored three more runs to reach the final score of 6-0.
Ricardo Hernandez earned the win for Vaessen Pioniers. He went five innings in which he allowed three hits, gave up three walks and fanned eight. Jeldmin Orman took the loss. In four innings he allowed five runs (thre earned), gave up four walks and struck out one.
Various hitters went 2-4 (Vince Rooi, Daniel Fernandes and Quintin de Cuba. But de Cuba hit two doubles and drove in a run. Berend Ruben earned the honours of being best hitter for Mampaey the Hawks as he went 1 for 2.

L&D Amsterdam Pirates –  UVV 0-1 ppd

L&D Amsterdam Pirates took on UVV from Utrecht. In a real pitchers duel, Rob Cordemans (Amsterdam) and Jurjen van Zijl were each other’s equals. But thanks to an error by L&D Amsterdam Pirates’ shorstop Jesse Aussems, the team from Utrecht could take a 1-0 lead. Somehow, the Pirates didn’t have an answer to the pitching of Jurjen van Zijl. In the sixth innings, about half of the light towers decided to stop functioning and the game had to be postponed. So far, Rob Cordemans pitched five innings in which he fanned three, walked two and allowed two hits. Jurjen van Zijl struck out four, walked two and allowed two basehits. On Saturday, the remainder of the game will be played before the scheduled Saturday game.