Dutch hoofdklasse 2018: Round 1, Day 3

With two games rained out, only two games were played today. Hoofddorp Pioniers headed to Rotterdam once again and Quick Amersfoort hosted HCAW.

Hoofddorp Pioniers  0  –  3  Curaçao Neptunus
Until the eighth inning, this game was another pitching duel with veteran Elton Koeiman on the side of Curaçao Neptunus and youngster Luuk ter Beek on the side of Hoofddorp Pioniers. Where Koeiman pitched 6.1 innings, gave up four hits and struck out three, Ter Beek pitched six frames, gave up four hits and struck out just one. But the most important thing is that Ter Beek kept the opponent from scoring a run and so did Koeiman. Things started to go wrong for Pioniers, two innings after Ter Beek was pulled. But with 97 pitches thrown, player/manager Mervin Gario did not have a choice. In the eighth inning, Alexander Valdez, who replaced Luuk ter Beek at the start of the bottom of the seventh inning, got into trouble by giving up three runs. A throwing error made by Valdez himself, a sac bunt, a triple, and two singles gave the victory to Neptunus.
Winning pitcher was Loek van Mil, who pitched 1.2 innings and struck out two.
Best hitter for Curaçao Neptunus was Stijn van der Meer, who went 2 for 3 with a double.

HCAW  7  –  3  Cityside Appartments Quick Amersfoort
After a bad game yesterday, HCAW set things straight. For five innings, both teams were each other’s match with a score of 1-1 but in the sixth inning, the pitching of Cityside Appartments Quick Amersfoort collapsed. After retiring Roelie Henrique on a 6-3 groundout, Jos de Jong gave up two singles (Bryce Cherry and Patrick Bok), two doubles (Vince Rooi and Jeandro Tromp), a triple (Denzel Bryson), hit Berend Ruben with a pitch and gave up a walk (Seb Visser) that allowed HCAW to score six runs.
In the ninth, Quick Amersfoort rallied for two runs. With runners in scoring position, Bryan Engelhardt reached base on an error that allowed Rachid Engelhardt and Kai Berkel to score. But there the offense stalled.
Chris Pfau pitched eight innings for the win. He fanned 12(!), walked one and gave up a run on four hits. Jos de Jong took the loss.
Best hitter for HCAW was Jeandro Tromp, who went 4 for 5 with a double.

The game between De Glaskoning Twins and Silicon Storks was rained out. The game is rescheduled for Tuesday, May 1 at 19:30 (7:30 PM) at Sportpark De Groote Wielen in Rosmalen.

Also, the game between DSS and L&D Amsterdam Pirates was rained out and will be rescheduled for Tuesday, May 1 at 19:30 as well at the Pim Mulier Sportpark in Haarlem.