After the regular competition has ended. the Dutch hoofdklasse has been split up into two groups: The top four (with L&D Amsterdam Pirates, Curaçao Neptunus, HCAW, and Oosterhout Twins) and the bottom five group (with DSS/Kinheim, Storks, RCH Memorie Sieraden, Quick Amersfoort, and Hoofddorp Pioniers. In the top four group, the following games were scheduled: Curaçao Neptunus @ L&D Amsterdam Pirates and HCAW @ Oosterhout Twins.
Curaçao Neptunus 0 – 6 L&D Amsterdam Pirates
A shutout performance by Shairon Martis, Jelle van der Lelie, and Naut Kragt. The three pitchers limited Neptunus to only five hits.
Shairon Martis had a strong outing in which he gave up only three hits and a walk. Juan Carlos Sulbaran on the other hand was hit rather well. In five innings he allowed four runs (three earned) on six hits and three walks, and struck out five.
Pirates opened the score in the first inning, When Rachid Engelhardt scored an unearned run on Sharlon Schoop’s fielders choice (a force out at second base). A solo shot by Sharlon Schoop, in the fourth inning, extended Pirates’ lead with a run. After Tommy van de Sanden drew a leadoff walk in the fifth inning, he stole second base and scored on Rachid Engelhardt’s single to left field. Engelhardt himself could score from third base on Denzel Richardson’s fielders choice. The final score was reached in the sixth inning when Rachid
Engelhardt drove in Kenny Berkenbosch on a sac fly, and when Delano Selassa drove in Tommy van de Sanden with a single to left field.
It is clear that Shairon Martis earned the win and Juan Carlos Sulbaran took the loss.
With three hits out of four at-bats, Sharlon Schoop was the best hitter for L&D Amsterdam Pirates.
HCAW 3 – 5 Oosterhout Twins
So far this season, Oosterhout Twins wasn’t able to beat HCAW. But last night it would be different. For five straight innings, neither team did score but in the sixth inning, HCAW opened the score. A sac fly by Victor Draijer drove in Brendly Martina to hand HCAW the lead. But in the seventh inining, Oosterhout Twins would bounce back. It all started with a double by Arthur Bonevacia, that drove in Diamond Silberie and Jason Halman. After a pitching change, Shurman Marlin was intentionally walked and replaced for a pinch runner. Luuk Bun was clutch as he hit a home run to left field to extend the lead to 5-1.
HCAW would inch a bit closer in the ninth when Brendly Martina drew a bases-loaded walk, that drove in Max Draijer and when Jeandro Tromp hit a sac fly to left field to drive in Jules Cremer.
Koen Postelmans pitched a gem. He lasted seven innings, in which he allowed one run on five hits and two walks, and struck out nine. Jim Ploeger took the loss. In 6.1 innings, he gave up three runs on three hits and a walk, and struck out four. Igami Chikara earned the
save, as he recorded the final out after he took over on the mound when Raf Cocu was pulled.
Railison Bentura as the best hitter for Oosterhout Twins, as he went 2 for 3 with a triple.
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