Dutch hoofdklasse 2018: Round 14, day 3

On the third day of the final round of the regular hoofdklasse season, Curaçao Neptunus hosted L&D Amsterdam Pirates and completed a season sweep, Meerlease Pioniers hosted HCAW and clinched a comeback from behind victory, DSS hosted Silicon Storks and clinched a hard-fought victory and De Glaskoning Twins hosted Cityside Apartments Quick Amersfoort.

L&D Amsterdam Pirates  6  –  8  Curaçao Neptunus
L&D Amsterdam Pirates took a lead twice in the game and could not cling on to it as many times. Trailing 1-0 at the start of the third inning, Nick Urbanus singled to center field with the bases loaded, so Pirates could take a 2-1 lead. But in the bottom of the fourth, Neptunus tied the game again as Dudley Leonora scored on a groundout hit by Quintin de Cuba. After both teams scored a run in the fifth, Pirates walked away as it scored a run in the sixth and two in the seventh. But in the eighth, the Pirates pitching collapsed and gave up three runs to allow Neptunus to tie the game. As the game was still tied after the ninth inning, extra innings were needed.
After neither team scored in the tenth and the eleventh, Neptunus walked off as a victor thanks to a two-run home run by Darryl Collins in the bottom of the twelfth inning.
The game had an unusual winning pitcher. As manager Ronald Jaarsma ran out of pitchers, he sent catcher/DH Gianison Boekhoudt to the mound. Boekhoudt kept the Pirates lineup in check rather well as he did not give up a hit and struck out three in two innings.
Shaldimar Daanti and Darryl Collins both went 4 for 5. Collins had the most impact with four RBI and a two-run home run.

HCAW  8  –  9  Meerlease Pioniers
After HCAW had scored four runs in the sixth inning and one in the seventh and took a 7- 2 lead, the game appeared to be over. But Meerlease Pioniers showed some flexibility and fought its way back into the game. A three-run eight and a three-run ninth, tied the game at eight.
After HCAW did not score in the top of the tenth inning, manager Roelie Henrique Sr. sent Dennis Burgersdijk to the mound. So far, Burgersdijk pitched a solid season but today he wasn’t able to keep Pioniers from scoring the winning run. After Brian Raap drew a walk, he advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt laid down by Leandro Anasagasti. Tyler Boersma became the game-winner as he singled home Brian Raap with a hit down the right-field line. 
Angelo Wicklert who pitched the final two frames (ninth and tenth) earned the win. He gave up one run on three hits and two walks and struck out one.
Best hitter for Meerlease Pioniers was Bodhi de Vreede who went 2 for 2 with two runs scored.

Silicon Storks  0  –  2  DSS
After the team had blown a two-point lead over De Glaskoning Twins in the standings yesterday, DSS had to win today and hope that De Glaskoning Twins would lose vs Cityside Apartments Quick Amersfoort.
In an absolute pitching matchup, DSS’ Tim Halderman went nine innings in which he threw 118 pitches for the win. He gave up only two hits and a walk and fanned ten.
His opponent, Jurjen Koks, pitched a good game as well. He did not last as long as he was pulled after the sixth inning. But in the six innings he lasted on the mound, he gave up six hits, walked one and struck out six and kept DSS from scoring. 
Eventually, DSS clinched the win in the eighth inning. Odion Gouverneur walked, stole second, advanced to third on a sac bunt and crossed home plate on Denzel Richardson’s home run.
Denzel Richardson was the best hitter for DSS. He went 2 for 4 with a home run, two RBI and a run scored.

Cityside Apartments Quick Amersfoort  1  –  6  De Glaskoning Twins
You can read the game report here

Final standings of the regular season:

* = clinched a spot in the playoffs

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