2022 Dutch Hoofdklasse: Round 7, Day 2

On the second day of the seventh round, the following games were scheduled:
Curaçao Neptunus @ Storks, Hoofddorp Pioniers @ Quick Amersfoort, DSS/Kinheim @ RCH Memorie Sieraden, and HCAW @ L&D Amsterdam Pirates. Two near surprises, but eventually, the score turned out like everyone expected.

Curaçao Neptunus  8  –  7  Storks
One of yesterday’s near surprises. For five innings, neither team did score a run, but in the top of the sixth, Curaçao Neptunus opened the score. With the bases loaded, all on walks, Dashenko Ricardo walked in the opening run. Dwayne Kemp then scored the second run on a wild pitch, followed by a single up the middle, hit by Greg Muller, who drove in Sheadion Jamanika. But those people who thought Storks might have been the usual pushover, that expectation would blow up in their face. Brandon Herbold took over for Kaj Timmermans on the mound, and that move didn’t pan out well. With the bases loaded, Kelvin Knape scored on a wild pitch. Herbold loaded the bases again by walking Joel Hernandez. Jurickson Fecunda was hit by a pitch to drive in Storks’ second run. Another wild pitch allowed Storks to score another run. Then, Herbold was replaced by Kevin Bakker, who wasn’t helped by his defense as Sigmar Eustacia hit into what would have been a force out, but thanks to an error by the second baseman, Jurickson Fecunda and Joel Hernandez could score the fourth and fifth run for Storks. A groundout and a double down the right field line drove in two more runs for Storks. But once again, Neptunus stepped on it and turned the tables in the next inning. A bases-loaded triple by Christian Diaz, and a two run shot by Sheadion Jamanika put five more runs on the board for Neptunus, which gave them a one-run lead. 
In the remainder of the game, nothing changed.
Kevin Bakker earned the win. In two innings, he gave up one unearned run on three hits and struck out two. Kevin van Veen took the loss. He took the mound in the seventh inning, but did not record an out. Instead, he gave up three runs on two hits and two walks. 
Going 2 for 4 with a triple, three RBI and a run scored, Christian Diaz was the best hitter for Curaçao Neptunus. 


Pioniers  10  –  8  Quick Amersfoort
Another near surprise. After Hoofddorp Pioniers had taken, what appeared to be, a firm lead, Quick Amersfoort turned the tables. With Pioniers leading 5-3 after three frames, Quick took the lead in the fifth. It all started with a stolen home plate by Jorge Hernandez Morantes, while Taylor Clemensia struck out swinging. Singles by Rodney Daal and Amar van Zwieten, drove in two more runs for Quick. But that wasn’t the end of the offensive aspirations of Quick Amersfoort. Singles by Ibrahin Redan and Rodney Daal in the sixth inning drove in two more runs to give Quick a 8-5 lead. In the following two innings, the Hoofddorp Pioniers lineup was kept in check, but in the top of the ninth, Quick’s pitching imploded (or did Pioniers’ offense explode?). Anyhow, a triple by Denzel Brooks, a single by Raul Jacobs, and Stijn Goedee, tied the game at eight. A double down the left field line, hit by Roy Winkel, sealed the fate for Quick, as Pioniers scored twice. 
Nick Winkel earned the win. In one inning in relief, he walked two and struck out one. The save went to Lars Broers, who walked one and struck out one in the ninth. Braden Lee was tabbed with the loss. He took over from Jack Wagner, who allowed two runs already, in the ninth, and gave up three more runs on two hits and a walk, without recording an out. 
Roy Winkel was the best hitter for Hoofddorp Pioniers as he went 2 for 4 with a double and a triple, and three RBI. 


DSS/Kinheim  11  –  6  RCH Memorie Sieraden
For a brief moment in the game, RCH Memorie Sieraden took the lead, but it lasted only half an inning. For the rest of the game, DSS/Kinheim used the opportunities it got and walked off as the victor in this game. 
After DSS/Kinheim had taken a 3-0 lead in the top of the fourth, RCH-Pinguïns slowly got back in the game by scoring a run in the bottom of the fourth and in the fifth. Then DSS/Kinheim added another run when Nick Hofer drove in Sem Kuijper with a single to the shortstop. But in the bottom of the same inning, RCH-Pinguïns took the lead when Dillon Thomas drove in two runs on a single to left center field and Leandro Anasagasti drove in Dillon Thomas with a sac fly. As written above, RCH-Pinguïns lead would not last long. In the top of the seventh inning, a single down the right field line, hit by Koen Halderman, drove in Jason Jakobus and Jesse Velders. Another two-RBI single by Mees Robberse, gave DSS/Kinheim the lead again. In the remainder of the game, RCH-Pinguïns would score one more run and DSS/Kinheim three. 
Dorian Lippens earned the win. In one inning in relief, he gave up three runs (two earned) on two hits and a walk. Lochlan Southee took the loss. In one inning in relief, he gave up four runs on three hits and two walks and struck out one. 
Nick Hofer was the best hitter for DSS/Kinheim. He went 2 for 4 with a double, three RBI, and a run scored. 


HCAW  1  –  2  L&D Amsterdam Pirates (11 innings)
Well, it finally happened. HCAW is no longer unbeaten anymore. But L&D Amsterdam Pirates had to put up a fight, and needed eleven innings to accomplish the feat. 
The fans at the Loek Loevendi Ballpark were treated to a real pitching duel in which neither team gave in for nine innings. 
For six innings, neither team did score, but in the bottom of the seventh, Pirates took the lead when starting pitcher Lars Huijer struggled with his control. Back-to-back HBPs put Kalian Sams into scoring position. Then, Rashid Gerard singled through the left side and drove in Kalian Sams for the opening run. But HCAW would bounce back. In the top of the ninth, Shairon Martis, who had a spot start, couldn’t get out of the inning after two quick outs. With runners on first and second, Franklin van Gurp took over on the mound and immediately allowed a double to center field that drove in Bob van der Meer for the game tying run. Van Gurp managed to record the final out to limit the damage at one run. After nine innings, it was time for free baseball. Van Gurp retired the side in both the tenth and the eleventh inning. Pirates, on the other hand, had a runner in scoring position in the tenth, but could not cash in. But in the eleventh, Kalian Sams ended the game in style with a home run to deep left field. 
Franklin van Gurp earned the win. In 2.1 innings, he gave up one hit and struck out three. After two innings in relief, Nick Keur took the loss. He allowed one run on three hits and struck out two. 
Average-wise, Sicnarf Loopstok was the best hitter for L&D Amsterdam Pirates, as he went 1 for 1. 


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