Dutch playoffs 2017: round 1, day 1

On the first day of playoff round one, Hoofddorp Pioniers hosted L&D Amsterdam Pirates and Curaçao Neptunus hosted HCAW.  Even though it wasn’t a blowout score, the Amsterdam victory never was in danger as was the victory of Neptunus over HCAW.

L&D Amsterdam Pirates  4  –  1  Hoofddorp Pioniers
L&D Amsterdam Pirates took an early lead which did not last long. In the top of the first inning, Remco Draijer led off with a single to right center field and advanced to second base on a sac bunt laid down by Zerzinho Croes. When Nick Urbanus grounded out second base, Draijer advanced to third and eventually scored on Gilmer Lampe’s single to shortstop. But Hoofddorp Pioniers came alongside when Jeffrey Arends drew a leadoff walk and advanced to third on Quentin de Cuba’s single down the right field line. When Shurman Marlin hit towards pitcher Rob Cordemans, the latter made a rare throwing error that allowed Arends to score the game-tying run. Back-to-back singles in the fifth by Remco Draijer and Zerzinho Croes put runners on the corners before Nick Urbanus drove in Remco Draijer and advanced Zerzinho Croes to second base with a groundout to first base. After Croes advanced to third on Gilmer Lampe’s 6-4 groundout, he scored on a wild pitch by Lars Huijer. The third run for Pirates was scored when Danny Rombley touched home plate on Kenny Berkenbosch’ triple to right center field.
Pioniers had a good opportunity to inch closer in the bottom of the fifth inning when it put runners on first and second after a single and an HBP, but Dudley Leonora grounded into a 4-6-3 double play and Jeffrey Arends flied out to center field to end the inning. 
Dennis Bugersdijk replaced Rob Cordemans, who pitched seven innings for the win in which he gave up one unearned run on four hits and three walks and struck out six. Burgersdijk did not allow a run in the eighth, despite giving up two hits. In the ninth, he allowed a runner on base, thanks to an error by third baseman Rashid Gerard. But by retiring the next three hitters, he clinched the save. Lars Huijer took the loss. In seven innings, he gave up four runs on ten hits and a walk and fanned five.

Best hitter for L&D Amsterdam Pirates was Linoy Croes, who went 2 for 3.

HCAW  2  –  6  Curaçao Neptunus
A clear victory for Curaçao Neptunus. HCAW could keep pace rather well until the fifth inning but with two runs in that very same inning, Neptunus walked away to a 4-2 lead.
Neptunus took a quick lead in the first inning when Stijn van der Meer scored an unearned run on Gianison Boekhoudt’s single to left centr field and added another run in the third frame on a flyout hit by Dwayne Kemp.
In the fourth, HCAW would cut the lead in half. Vince Rooi hit a leadoff single to center field, advanced to second on a 6-4 groundout and scored on a single to left field, hit by Kevin Weijgertse.
Neptunus would flex its muscles in the fifth and the sixth inning as it scored two runs in each of those innings thanks to a two run jack by Gianison Boekhoudt in the fifth and thanks to a throwing error by HCAW’s second baseman Roelie Henrique that led to two runs.
After Diegomar Markwell, who pitched seven innings for the win, was replaced by Jan Tomek, HCAW did not come close to scoring again. Tomek allowed one walk. He was replaced in the ninth by Loek van Mil, who gave up two singles but shut the door for the team from Bussum. Markwell gave up two runs on seven hits and two walks and struck out four. Jim Ploeger took the loss after 5.2 innings in which he allowed six runs (three earned) on five hits and three walks and struck out two.

Best hitter for Curaçao Neptunus was Gianison Boekhoudt, who went 2 for 2 with a home run, three RBI and a run scored.

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