Dutch hoofdklasse 2018: Round 5, day 1

On the first day of round five, De Glaskoning Twins hosted DSS, Cityside Apartments Quick Amersfoort hosted Curaçao Neptunus, Silicon Storks hosted Hoofddorp Pioniers and L&D Amsterdam Pirates hosted HCAW.

DSS  7  –  9  De Glaskoning Twins
In a game in which the score went back and forth, the pitching on both sides was a little bit shabby today as both teams scored eight runs combined in the first two and a half innings. With the score tied at four at the start of the bottom of the third inning, Twins took a one-run lead but DSS bounced back in the top of the fifth inning when they scored twice to take the lead. But once again, Twins showed some flexibility and tied the game at six in the bottom of the fifth. After Twins regained the lead in the bottom of the sixth again on a single by Ruar Verkerk that drove in Brian Biezen, who had gotten on base on his third triple of the season, Twins extended its lead in the seventh.
With the bases loaded, Dennis de Quint singled to center field and drove in Dave Janssen before Shurman Marlins singled home Bob van der Meer to give Twins a 9-6 lead.
But in the top of the eight, Jan Evertse, who had entered the game in the seventh, failed to get out of the inning. He recorded two quick outs before giving up a run as BarryBeugeling scored on Kevin Nieveld’s single. Evertse was replaced by closer Thijs Steenwijk, who eventually got out of the inning after giving up a walk first. In the ninth, Steenwijk gave up a run but kept DSS from scoring as he earned the save. The win went to Jan Evertse as he pitched 2.2 innings and gave up a run on a hit and a walk and struck out three.
Best hitter for De Glaskoning Twins was Shurman Marlin with three hits out of four at-bats with two runs batted in and a run scored.
Thanks to this win, Twins jumps into third place as they have a positive run differential and HCAW, that has as many points in the standings (12) has a negative run differential.

Curaçao Neptunus  7  –  1  Cityside Apartments Quick Amersfoort
Cityside Apartments was no match for Curaçao Neptunus. Diegomar Markwelldominated the lineup of Quick and the lineup of Neptunus stepped on it during a few innings which was enough for an easy win.
Three two run-innings (first, fourth and seventh) and a one-inning gave the Rotterdam based team a 7-0 lead. All that Quick could do was scoring a run in the third inning on a bases-loaded flyout to left field by Rachid Engelhardt.
Markwell lasted seven innings for the win in which he gave up six hits, four walks and struck out five. Japanese import Riki Saito pitched the final two frames in which he gave up only one walk.
Benjamin Dille was the best hitter for Curaçao Neptunus with three hits out of five at-bats as he drove in two and scored once.

Hoofddorp Pioniers  10  –  0  Silicon Storks
A monster score for Hoofddorp Pioniers today. The final score was a bit flattered thanks to their big seventh inning. Nevertheless, Cityside Apartments Quick Amersfoort never had a chance to win this game thanks to the strong game of Lars Huijer. 
Lars Huijer was flat out dominant once again. In a seven-inning complete game shutout, he allowed only three hits, one walk and fanned ten.
Nick Winkel pitched a good game as well. In seven innings he gave up two runs (one earned) on seven hits and a walk as he fanned three. But after he was replaced in the eighth, hell broke loose as Hoofddorp Pioniers loaded the bases on a single and two walks before José Moreno allowed another free pass that drove in the third run for Pioniers. A single to left field by Tyler Boersma drove in two more runs to give Pioniers a 5-0 lead. Five more runs gave Pioniers a commanding lead that ended the game prematurely thanks to the mercy rule.
The ten runs that Pioniers scored all came on singles except two that were scored on a home run hit by Ibrahin Redan. 
Best hitter for Hoofddorp Pioniers was Duco Nuijter, who went 2 for 3 with a run scored. Tyler Boersma drove in the most runs(three) with his two singles out of four at-bats.

HCAW  0  –  4  L&D Amsterdam Pirates
In a game that lasted just over two hours, HCAW gave L&D Amsterdam Pirates a hard time tonight. The pitchers of both sides kept their opponent in check rather well. Dennis Burgersdijk, on the side of HCAW, who had been used as a reliever in the previous years of his career with Pirates and Kevin Heijstek on the side of Pirates.  Kevin Heijstek was dominating as he allowed only three hits in seven innings and needed only 69 pitches. Until that sixth inning, Dennis Burgersdijk needed 64 pitches but in the sixth, he needed a lot of pitches to get out of it, which he did not manage to do without damage.
Pirates opened the score in the bottom of the sixth. With Remco Draijer at second base, Nick Urbanus doubled to left field and drove in Draijer. Urbanus moved to third on a flyout to left field hit by Kenny Berkenbosch and eventually scored the second run for Pirates on Linoy Croes’ single up the middle.
Despite giving up the two runs in the sixth, Burgersdijk pitched a solid game in which he lasted seven innings and kept HCAW in the game. After Burgersdijk was replaced in the eighth inning by Timo van Ancum, Pirates scored two more runs on a single by Kenny Berkenbosch and a sac fly by Rodney Daal. 
Maickel Rietel took the mound in the top of the eighth and retired the side to end the game. Rietel was replaced by Jim Ploeger in the ninth who recorded three consecutive outs as well.
Kevin Heijstek earned the win as Dennis Burgersdijk took the loss.
Best hitter for L&D Amsterdam Pirates was Nick Urbanus, who went 3 for 4 with a double, an RBI and a run scored.

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