Dutch hoofdklasse 2018: Playoffs, round 1, day 2

Only one game took place today due to bad weather. L&D Amsterdam Pirates went to Bussum to take on HCAW in what would become a very close game.

L&D Amsterdam Pirates 1 – 2 HCAW
The game was played around some rain delays. Until the sixth inning not really much happened partly because of the good quality of the defense. Neither team committed an error today. Both teams had runners in scoring position a few times but could not cash in as both pitchers kept the opponent’s lineup in check. Until that sixth inning, Pirates’ Kevin Heijstek allowed only three hits and Kaj Timmermans allowed four.

But in the sixth inning, Pirates opened the score. Nick Urbanus hit a leadoff single, Kenny Berkenbosch drew a walk and Rashid Gerard hit into a force out at second base. With runners on the corners, Rodney Daal singled through the right side to drive in the opening run.

Kevin Heijstek cruised through eight innings as he allowed five hits, walked two and struck out four. But after 106 pitches he needed to be replaced. And that is where things went wrong for Pirates. Manager Charles Urbanus sent Jim Ploeger to the mound in the bottom of the ninth. The first batter he faced, Vince Rooi, fouled off several pitches and connected for a home run on the seventh pitch he saw.

With the game tied at one after nine frames, extra innings were needed. With one out and runners on the corners, Nick Urbanus flied out to center field. As Niels van Weert tagged up to home plate, he was thrown out by center fielder Jeandro Tromp.
That same Jeandro Tromp led off the bottom of the tenth with a single, advanced to second on a sac bunt, advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored the winning run when Delano Selassa singled to center field. HCAW

Ian Delamarre, who pitched in the tenth inning, earned the win. He gave up two hits but kept Pirates from scoring though. The loss went to Jim Ploeger.

Best hitter for HCAW was Patrick Bok, who went 2 for 4 against his former team.

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