2022 Belgian Division 1: Round 6

For round six of the Belgian Division 1, the following doubleheaders were scheduled:
Merchtem Cats @ Brussels Kangaroos, Deurne Spartans @ Namur Angels, Hoboken Pioneers @ Sunville Tigers, Mortsel Stars @ Brasschaat Braves, and Borgerhout Squirrels @ Mont-Saint-Guibert Phoenix.

Schermafbeelding 2022-04-08 om 22.03.48

Merchtem Cats @ Brussels Kangaroos (6 – 4 ; 2 – 10)
A surprising result in game one. The Merchtem Cats stayed at the right side of the score. MER flag After three scoreless innings, Merchtem opened the score when Nick van de Voorde singled to right field and drove in Robin Vizee and Rusty Huber. In the bottom of the sixth inning, the Kangaroos tied the game, but in the following inning, the Cats regained the lead for good, when three runs were scored on a groundout and a triple. The Kangaroos managed to score two more runs in the bottom of the seventh, but the Cats added an insurance run in the top of the ninth. Since Rusty Huber retired the Brussels side in the bottom of the ninth, the Kangaroos had to swallow this loss.
Rusty Huber earned the win after three innings of relief. He allowed two runs (one earned) on three hits and struck out five. Elvis Polanco pitched a complete game but took the loss nevertheless. He allowed six runs (four earned) on eleven hits and a walk, and struck out five.
The best hitter for the Merchtem Cats was Bart Saerens, who went 1 for 1.

In the second game of the doubleheader, the Kangaroos clinched a convincing victory.
The Kangaroos took a 3-0 lead in the first inning on a single by Luis Unda, a sac fly by Elio Fundora Basnueva, and a wild pitch. In the third inning, Brussels added another run before Merchtem scored its first run of the game in the fourth inning, thanks to a single of Tom Rombauts. A solo shot by Luis Unda and a double by Guillaume Deletombe drove in two more runs in the bottom of the fifth, and a two-run shot by Luis Unda, a groundout by Tom Gérard and a fielding error, added four more runs to the Kangaroos score in the sixth. The Cats scored one more run in the top of the seventh, but that was all they were capable of.
After seven innings, the game was over (in Belgium, the second game of a doubleheader always lasts seven innings, barring extra innings). De Club – Brussels Kangaroos Baseball & Softball Club
Mauro van Mook earned the win. He pitched a complete game in which he allowed two runs on three hits and a walk, and struck out four. Nick van de Voorde took the loss. He lasted 4.2 innings and gave up six runs on eight hits and three walks.
Elio Fundora Basnueva was the best hitter for the Kangaroos, as he went 2 for 2 with a double, two RBI and two runs scored.

Deurne Spartans @ Namur Angels (11 – 0 ; 13 – 2)
Two walk overs for the Deurne Spartans on Saturday. Both games were won with double DEU flag digits. In game one, the Namur Angels were limited to two hits by Jose Luis Larrinaga Ocampo, who earned the win. The Spartans opened the score in the first inning on groundout by Alexis Marquez, which drove in Leonel Reina. Two innings later, the Spartans added another run before they had a big inning in the fourth. A groundout, two doubles and a fielding error drove in four runs for the Spartans. In the final two innings (the sixth and the seventh), five more runs were added.
Lucas Heymans took the loss. He lasted six innings and gave up eight runs (five earned) on ten hits and five walks, and struck out two.
The best hitter for the Deurne Spartans was Johiner Alfonso Arguinzones Ocanto, who went 4 for 4 with three doubles, two RBI, and four runs scored.

The second game was more or less the same story. An Angels team that couldn’t make a stand against a dominant Spartans team. This time, the Angels scored two runs, but those two runs did not resolve the thirteen the Spartans scored.
After three innings, the Spartans had a commanding 8-1 lead. In the remaining four innings, the Spartans would score five more runs.
Matthew De Permentier earned the win. He pitched a complete (seven-inning) game in which he allowed two runs on four hits and four walks and struck out seven. Stéphane NAM flag Daspremont took the loss. In 4.1 innings, he gave up nine runs (seven earned) on eleven hits and two walks, and struck out three.
This time, Alexis Marquez was the best hitter for the Deurne Spartans. He went 3 for 4 with two doubles, three RBI and three runs scored.

Hoboken Pioniers @ Sunville Tigers (22 – 3 ; 9 – 1)
Another series where one team was dominated by the other, although the result of the HOB flag second game was more bearable than the result of the first game.
Zane Hendrickx limited the Sunville Tigers to three runs, three hits and six walks, and struck out nine. Hoboken Pioneers, on the other hand, had taken a commanding 17-0 lead by the time the Tigers got on the board.
Zane Hendrickx earned the win, Milan Mulkers, who pitched seven innings, took the loss. He gave up twenty-two runs on fifteen hits and ten walks.
The best hitter for the Hoboken Pioneers was Lino Ballardini, who went 3 for 4 with a double, two RBI and four runs scored.

For four innings in game two, Andres Ybarra limited Hoboken to only one run. In the top of the fifth inning, Ybarra was replaced by Paul Michael Delgado. Pioneers jumped on the latter and scored three runs in the fifth, thanks to a bases-clearing double by Michael Sommerlink. In the sixth inning, Ferre van Hees drove in the sole run for the Tigers with a single through the left side. Pioneers scored five more runs in the seventh to reach the final score.
Despite four decent innings, one run on two hits and five walks, and a strikeout, Andres No photo description available. Ybarra took the loss. Sam van Nuffel earned the win after five innings, in which he gave up four hits and two walks, and struck out five.
Wesley Janssens was the best hitter for Hoboken Pioneers. He went 2 for 4 with an RBI, and two runs scored.

Mortsel Stars @ Brasschaat Braves (9 – 13 ; 4 – 9)
The Mortsel Stars made the Brasschaat Braves work for their money on Saturday.
Heading to the fifth inning of game one, the Braves had a 3-0 lead. But then the offense of the Stars exploded. A triple by Tibo Soebert, singles by Tobias Papanikitas, Benjamin Voorhelst, Kenneth van de Velde, and Tibo Soebert, an error by the catcher, a sac fly and a wild pitch allowed the Stars to take a 9-3 lead. But the Braves would bounce back in the following innings. A three-run fifth, a four-run seventh, that handed them the win, and a three-run eight, led to the final score.
Jamie Peeters earned the win after 4.1 innings in relief. He gave up four hits, walked three and struck out three. Jeroen van Ackeren took the loss. In two innings in relief, he gave up four runs on four walks and a couple of HBPs.
Raxon Martinez was the best hitter for the Braves. He went 3 for 4 with three RBI and a run scored.

After the first three scoreless innings in game two, the Mortsel Stars opened the score in the fourth on a bases-loaded walk, drawn by Harold Langezaal. But the Braves bounced back with four runs Jasper van Velthoven gave the Braves the lead with a two-RBI single to left field. Arno Bracke could score on a throwing error by the catcher as he stole third base.
The fourth run of the inning was scored thanks to a throwing error by the shortstop, which allowed Senne Janssens to reach base and Jasper van Velthoven to score. But one inning later, the Stars tied the game again, by scoring three runs. A five-run fifth inning sealed the fate of the Stars. As a result, the Braves remain the only unbeaten team in Division 1. Cade Johnson lasted six innings for the win. He allowed four unearned runs on two hits and eight walks, and struck out seven. John Paul Morgan took the loss. In 1.2 innings in relief, he gave up six runs (four earned) on one hit and five walks as he struck out one.
Jasper van Velthoven was the best hitter for the Braves, going 1 for 2 with two RBI and two runs scored.

Borgerhout Squirrels @ Mont-Saint-Guibert Phoenix (18 – 4 ; 1 – 2)
A walk over for the Squirrels in game one, and a close victory for the Firebirds in game two.
BOR flag MSG Phoenix would have lost anyway, but the final score was rather flattered, as the Squirrels scored eleven runs in the sixth inning. Before that sixth inning, the score was still bearable for Mont-Saint-Guibert, as the Squirrels were leading 6-2.
The score was opened in the first inning by the Squirrels, as Sam Boermans drove in a run on a ground rule double, and Matthias Group drove in two with a single up the middle.
Glenn Mareels earned the win after five innings, as he allowed two runs on six hits and two walks and struck out two. Jean-François Rittweger took the loss. He lasted 4.1 innings, in which he allowed six runs on six hits and three walks.
Average-wise, Cedric Vandesompele was the best hitter, as he went 1 for 1.

The second game was a close one, in which the Squirrels opened the score in the second inning on Aaron Solis’ ground rule double to left center field.
But this time Phoenix would bounce back. In the fifth inning, the team tied the game when Tashi Clesse singled up the middle and drove in Daniel Abiles. One inning later, Abiles singled home Natheo Collazos-Muños from second base.
Robbe de Jongh limited the Squirrels to one hit in 4.1 inning in relief and was credited with the win. He walked two and struck out one. Nick Vanthillo took the loss. In one inning in VBSL - Vlaamse Baseball en Softball Liga relief (the sixth frame), he allowed the go-ahead run to Mont-Saint-Guibert. Vanthillo allowed one base hit and walked one.
The best hitter for Mont-Saint-Guibert Phoenix was Daniel Abiles, who collected two hits out of three at-bats, and drove in one run and scored one himself.

Standings:

Division 1 A

	Team	W	L	T	PCT	GB
1		11	1	0	.917	0
	Hoboken Pioneers
2		10	2	0	.833	1
	Deurne Spartans
3		8	4	0	.667	3
	Brussels Kangaroos
4		5	7	0	.417	6
	Merchtem Cats
5		2	10	0	.167	9
	Namur Angels
6		0	12	0	.000	11
	Sunville Tigers