Dutch Hoofdklasse,Thursday April 30: A spoiled no-hit bid and no surprises

On day one of round three, the following games were scheduled:
Pronto DSS – Vaessen Pioniers; HCAW – UVV; Curacao Neptunus – Mampaey The Hawks and the top series of this weekend L&D Amsterdam Pirates – Corendon Kinheim.

Pronto DSS – Vaessen Pioniers  0 – 5

Pioniers got on the boards in the very first inning. A double by Danny Rombley, a single by Dirk van ‘tKlooster and another double by Vince Rooi drove in the first run for the team from Hoofddorp. With runners third and second, Mark Jan Moorman grounded into a fielder’s choice as Dirk van ‘t Klooster was caught in a 5-2-6-1 run down. Moorman advanced to second base on the play. But with runners on third and second again, Vaessen PIoniers failed to score more runs as Quintin de Cuba grounded out to first base for the final out. After Pioniers scored their second run in the top of the second inning, DSS failed to take advantage of a runner in scoring position.
After a scoreless third, Rik Geestman could not get out of the fourth inning after he had retired the first two batters. Two consecutive  singles by Max Draijer and Daniel Fernandes and a missed catch opportunity by Shane Boeree, made both runners score. Danny Rombley, who hit the supposed fly out, reached third base on the error and was driven in on a single hit by Dirk Jan van ‘t Klooster. In the bottom of the seventh, DSS had a golden opportunity to get on the boards as they loaded the bases with two outs. But then relief pitcher Dennis Buring was replaced by Sedley Karel, who retired Mark Smit for the final out. In the eighth, Pronto DSS had the opportunity to score a few runs as they put runners on first and second with no outs. But Swen Huijer, who replaced Karel, pitched out of the jam by retiring the next three hitters. Depite allowing two runners on base, Byron Cornelisse shut the door for DSS in the ninth inning. Final score 5-0.
Ricardo Hernandez earned the win for Vaessen Pioniers. He went six full innings in which he allowed two hits, walked two and struck out six. Losing pitcher was Rik Geestman who was tabbed for only one run, despite the fact that Pioniers scored five with him on the mound. He pitched 4.2 innings and allowed nine hits and struck out two.
Best hitter for Pioniers was Dirk van ‘t Klooster who went 3 for 3 with an RBI and a double. Sven Jongejans collected two of DSS’ four hits in five at bats.

Curacao Neptunus – Mampaey the Hawks  5 – 1

After a scoreless first inning, Steve Wharwood led off for Mamaey the Hawks with a triple down to right center field. Gregory Trinidad followed with a single to center field to drive in Wharwood from third base. One inning later, with two outs already, Hawks’ pitcher Quin Tramm could not get out of the inning. A walk, a throwing error and a wild pitch allowed Neptunus to score the game tying run.
In the fifth, Tramm had some trouble to get out of the inning again. With two outs he gave up a walk to Christian Diaz who promptly stole second base and scored on the single by Benjamin Dille. One inning later Neptunus scored anothe run without even getting a basehit. Dwayne Kemp drew a lead off walk. As he stole second, catcher Julian Goins made a throwing error that allowed Kemp to advance to third. A wild pitch by Quinn Tramm made Kemp cross homeplate for the 3-1. Singles by Shurman Marlin and Urvin Kemp signaled the end of the game for Hawks’ pitcher Tramm. He was replaced by Evan Simons who retired Shaldimar Daantji for the final out of the inning. In the eighth, Curacao Neptunus scored two more runs to reach the final score of 5-1. Ber van Driel shut the door for Mampaey The Hawks by retiring the side.
Orlando Yntema earned the win. In seven innings he allowed one run on five hits. He walked two and fanned eight. Quinn Tramm was tabbed for the loss. He lasted 5.2 innings in which he allowed three runs (two earned) on 4 hits. He walked four and struck out two.
Best hitter for Curacao Neptunus was Shurman Marlin. Just like Rien Vernooy, he went 2 for 4, but Marlin drove in two runs, scored one himself and hit a homerun.
Best hitter for Mampaey The Hawks was Gregory Trinidad, who went 2 for 4 with an RBI.

HCAW – UVV  2 – 11

After a scoreless first inning, a single a walk, a fielding error , a ground out and a bunt led to two runsfor UVV. In the next inning the stepped on it a bit more as they scored six more runs. With two outs, pitcher Bob Klaarenbeek couldn’t get out of the inning. Gilmer Lampe drew a walk and then stole second followed by a single hit by Dennis de Quint that sent him towards home. De Quint’s single was followed by another one hit by Omar Williams and a bases clearing triple hit by Mike Bazuin. Eventually three more singles added three more runs to the score in this third inning, to make it 8-0 for UVV. HCAW got on the board in the bottom of the third. With runners on the corners and two outs, UVV pitcher Claudio Bavera  balked in Rikkert Kempen from third. Brian Biezen, who had advanced to second on the balk scored on Roy Seltenrijch’s grounder to center field. In the bottom of the sixth, HCAW had an opportunity to add some runs to their total but Aldric Guzman struck out for the final out of the inning.
Then in the top of the seventh inning, Dennis de Quint hit a solo homerun to give UVV  the 9-2 lead. In the eighth inning, Jamie Verheylewegh scored the tenth run for UVV after he had hit a lead off single followed by a fielding error on Joris van Ballegooij’s hit towards shortstop Roy Seltenrijch. A single to right field by Tony Enos eventually drove him in and Van Ballegooij advanced to third on the hit. A fly out hit by Gilmer Lampe drove in Van Ballegooij for run nr. 11.
Jurjen van Zijl earned the win. He replaced Claudio Bavera after four innings and lasted three in which he allowed three hits, walked one and struck out seven.
HCAW’s Bob Klaarenbeek got the loss as he gave up eight (all earned) of the eleven runs that UVV scored. He lasted 2.2 innings in which he gave up eight hits and two walks and struck out one.
Best hitter for UVV was Dennis de Quint. He went 4 for 5, He drove in two runs, scored three himself and hit a solo homerun. Rowan van Hoek earned the honour of being the best hitter for HCAW as he went 3 for 4 with a double and a triple.

L&D Amsterdam Pirates – Corendon Kinheim  2 – 0

Corendon Kinheim’s  Tom Stuifbergen cruised through the first six innings. Where veteran ace of L&D Amsterdam had given up three hits already, Stuifbergen was still aiming for a no-no. In the top of the seventh inning, Kinheim was pretty close in scoring a run as Rob Cordemans was left alone by his defense. Two fielding errors in one inning put runners on first and second. A bad sacrifice bunt by Dudley Leonora allowed him to reach first base safely as Rob Cordemans threw the ball towards third base where Kalian Sams was tagged out for the first out of the inning. Cordemans then retired the next two batters by striking them out. A lead off walk given up by Stuifbergen to Michael Duursma in the bottom of the fourth inning, spoiled his perfect game, but still he had a no-hit bid going on. But eventually Bas Nooij spoiled Stuifbergen’s no-hit bid by hitting a lead off double in the bottom of the eighth. Nooij advanced on Jesse Aussems’ sacrifice bunt towards third base. Eventually Kinheim lost it a bit as Stuifbergen hit Rashid Gerard with a pitch to put runners on the corners and Linoy Croes reached first base safely as Kinheim tried to make the force out at third base but faltered as third baseman Mervin Gario made a fielding error that allowed Bas Nooij to score the opening run for Pirates. Then Roelie Henrique hit the ball into, what should have been  a double play but Kinheim’s second baseman Kevin Moesuit made a throwing error towards first base. Rashid Gerard could score another run all the way from second base on the error. Tom de Blok, who relieved Rob Cordemans in the eighth inning didn’t start the ninth inning well as he hit Kalian Sams with a pitch. Sams was replaced by a pinch runner but Kinheim could not move him any further as De Blok fanned the next three batters for the win. Rob Cordemans did get the no-decision as he lasted seven full innings in which he allowed four hits and struck out seven.
There is one thing that manager Charles Urbanus needs to work on for sure; the defense of his team. L&D Amsterdam Pirates committed four errors. With all due respect, that is something you may expect from an inexperienced team like HCAW, but not from last year’s runner up.
Believe it or not, but L&D Amsteram Pirates won the game by two runs on only one hit. Bas Nooij was the one who collected it out of three at bats.