Dutch hoofdklasse 2019: Round 8, day 1

Today, the second half of the season started with the following games scheduled: Curaçao Neptunus @ HCAW, DSS @ Meerlease Pioniers, L&D Amsterdam Pirates @ Silicon Storks and Quick Amersfoort @ Oosterhout Twins.

Curaçao Neptunus  3  –  1  HCAW
Tonight’s game was cut short due to the dreaded sun delay, something that happens only in Bussum. 
A very close game in Bussum. Curaçao Neptunus took an early 1-0 lead in the first inning when Benjamin Hille was hit by a pitch and the scored all the way from first base on a double by Dwayne Kemp. But HCAW bounced back two innings later. With the bases loaded, Oliver van der Wijst singled to third base to drive in Arthur Lugtmeijer. Until the eighth inning, the game stayed tied at one but then, as always, Neptunus managed to push for some runs. With runners in scoring position, Benjamin Dille reached on a fielder’s choice that allowed hired gun Coco Johnson to score the go-ahead run. Dwayne Kemp hit his second double of the night to drive in Stijn van der Meer. On this double, Benjamin Dille tried to score from first base again but was thrown out at home plate.
Kevin Kelly shut the door in the eighth inning for the save as he struck out two but allowed one single to Patrick Bok. The win went to Misja Harcksen, who pitched two innings in relief and gave up one hit, walked two and struck out four. Chris Pfau took the loss even though he pitched seven solid innings. But he was tabbed for the second and third run Neptunus scored in the eighth.
Best hitter for Neptunus was Dwayne Kemp, who went 3 for 3 with two doubles and two RBI.

DSS  6  –  7  Meerlease Pioniers
In a close game that went back and forth, Meerlease Pioniers stayed at the right side of the score. After DSS had taken a 3-0 lead in the top of the second, Pioniers came back in the game as it scored twice. But DSS appeared to walk away as they scored twice in the top of the third. Pioniers flexed its muscles in the bottom of the fifth when five singles and a fielder’s choice led to four runs to give Pioniers a one-run lead.
In the eighth inning, DSS showed some flexibility as it scored on a double by Koen Halderman. But after DSS failed to score in the top of the ninth, Pioniers scored the walk off run when Tyler Boersma scored on a throwing error.
Lars Huijer had a kind of off day as he gave up six runs (five earned) but nevertheless, his ERA is still a lowly 1.10. Paul Kirkpatrick earned the win as he pitched 1.2 perfect innings in which he fanned three. The loss went to Alexander Valdez. He also pitched 1.2 innings and gave up the unearned walk-off run on two hits and two walks as he struck out one.
Of the fourteen hits Pioniers collected, only one was an extra-base hit. Both Raul Jacobs and Tyler Boersma went 3 for 4. Jacobs doubled and scored once, Boersma drove in one and scored twice.

L&D Amsterdam Pirates  11  –  1  Silicon Storks
Tonight’s only game that was a walkover. In seven innings L&D Amsterdam Pirates sealed the feat of Silicon Storks, that played its “home” game at the ballpark of Curaçao Neptunus because its own ballpark lacks light towers. Rob Cordemans pitched the needed five innings for the win. In five innings he needed quite a lot of pitches (87) as he gave up one run on five hits and a walk and adding five Ks to his strikeout record.
Already leading 7-1, Pirates added four more runs to their total in the sixth inning. An RBI double by Roelie Henrique and home runs by Gilmer Lampe and Kenny Berkenbosch drove in the runs.
Cordemans’ opponent, Gijs Timmer, took the loss as he gave up seven runs (six earned) on seven hits and four walks.
Gilmer Lampe went 3 for 3 and was a triple shy of the cycle as he drove in three runs and scored twice. 

Quick Amersfoort  5  –  4  Oosterhout Twins
Another close game tonight. This time in Rosmalen, where Oosterhout Twins plays its home games as it doesn’t have a lighting system. After Twins had taken a 3-1 lead in the bottom of the first inning, Quick Amersfoort bounced back in the top of the third as it scored thrice. Twins showed the flexibility to tie the game again in the sixth inning.
In the seventh inning, manager Arends sent Jan Evertse to the mound. Normally, Jan is someone who is able to keep the opponent from scoring but this time he allowed Quick to score on a single by Tijmen Takke. Nevertheless, Jan managed to keep his team in the game but the offense fell short and he took the loss today. Twins had a good opportunity in the seventh inning to score the tying run as it loaded the bases. But Chris Gé grounded into a force out for the final out of the inning. Collin van Laar earned the win after six innings of work in which he allowed four runs (three earned) on seven hits and three walks and struck out ten.
Best hitter for Quick Amersfoort was Denzel Brooks, who went 3 for 4 with a double and a run scored.

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