After some make-up games last night, it was time for the second day of round two. Unfortunately, the game between Oosterhout Twins and Quick Amersfoort was canceled but the other three games (HCAW @ Hoofddorp Pioniers, Curaçao Neptunus @ DSS/Kinheim, and L&D Amsterdam Pirates @ RCH-Pinguïns) were played.
HCAW 9 – 4 Hoofddorp Pioniers
What was a close game until the ninth inning, ended in a somewhat flattering victory for HCAW. Sure the team was in the lead most of the time but until that ninth inning, it was with one run most of the time. A four-run ninth blew the game open and resulted in a score that did not really reflect the balance of power between the two teams.
After Hoofddorp Pioniers took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning, HCAW tied the game in the top of the second. In the fifth and the sixth innings, the team from Bussum scored a run each to give them a two-run lead. But in the following two innings, Pioniers would score a run each to get within a run from the team from Bussum. Both starting pitchers (Jim Ploeger for HCAW and Benjamin Meyer for Hoofddorp Pioniers) gave up some runs. Meyer (four) gave up one run more than Ploeger (three), which resulted in the loss for
the Pioniers’ starter and the win for Ploeger. HCAW’s Quentin de Cuba, Kevin Dirksen (both one RBI), Mad Draijer, and Nathan Berkel went 1 for 4. Julan Goins went 2 for 5 with four RBI and two doubles.
Curaçao Neptunus 9 – 8 DSS/Kinheim
After a 2-run first inning, and a one-run third, Neptunus had a 3-0 lead. But in the bottom of the third, DSS/Kinheim jumped on Kaj Timmermans, who struggled with his control a bit. This resulted in three runs for the team from Haarlem. After the seventh inning, Neptunus had taken a 9-8 lead again but DSS/Kinheim had a big opportunity to tie the game in the bottom of the ninth as it had runners on the corners with only one out. But Misja Harcksen managed to retire the next two hitters for the save. Kaj Timmermans earned the win after six innings in which he allowed four runs on eight hits and two walks as he struck out two. Moreno Vork took the loss after one inning of work in which he allowed two runs (one
earned) on one hit and three walks.
Both lineups collected plenty of hits. Neptunus sixteen and DSS/Kinheim fourteen. Jiandido Tromp, John Polonius, and Roger Bernadina went 3 for 5. Bernadina drove in the most runs with three.
L&D Amsterdam Pirates 23 – 3 RCH-Pinguïns
Once again, L&D Amsterdam Pirates entered the seventh inning with a big lead but since the club showed last Thursday that it doesn’t necessarily mean a win, it remained to be seen how the game ended. But this time, one of the pitchers that could not find the strike zone on Thursday, had a good relief outing today. After Entwin Regina started the game and pitched 3.2 innings in which he allowed two runs on seven hits and two walks and struck out three, Martin Kram took over on the mound. This time he kept the opponent on a leash for 2.1 innings. He allowed one run on three hits and a walk and struck out one for the win.
Pirates got its revenge for the blown lead of last Thursday as the lineup was very productive. It jumped on starting pitcher Lochlan Southee, who took the loss, as he allowed ten runs (seven earned) on five hits and four walks. A big third (eight runs) and a big sixth inning (six runs) lead to the mercy-rule victory in seven innings. 
Denzel Richardson was L&D Amsterdam Pirates’ best hitter by far as he went for the cycle and went 5 for 6 with two home runs, six RBI, and a stolen base.
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