2022 Belgian Series: Game Four

After yesterday’s mistake at home, a 6-4 loss against the Deurne Spartans, today the Hoboken Pioneers put things in order by beating up their opponent at their opponent’s home field. In fact, after three innings, it wasn’t much of a game anymore, and Pioneers proved why it was the strongest team throughout the season.

Hoboken Pioneers  25  –  10  Deurne Spartans
In the top of the first inning, Hoboken Pioneers took a commanding lead thanks to a bases-loaded single by Benjamin Goffaux, a bases-loaded double by Xander Verspreet, a double by Toon Hendrickx with runners in scoring position, that gave the team a 6-0 lead. In the second inning, starting pitcher Edgardo Jose Nieto Castillo was replaced by Nando Mostaert, but only after he gave up a grand slam to Lino Ballardini after a couple of miscues by the shortstop and an HBP to Thomas de Wolf.
A two-run home run by Drew Janssen and a solo shot by Dennis the Quint in the third inning, extended Pioneers’ lead to fourteen runs. After adding one more run in the fourth, Deurne Spartans finally did “something” back. In the bottom of the fourth, the team nearly cut Hoboken’s lead in half as it scored seven runs, thanks to a solo shot by Frank Alejandro Prieto Burjos, a bases-loaded walk by Leonel Reina, a fielders choice, hit by Steff Roymans, and a grand slam home run by Alexis Marquez. 
But in the top of the fifth inning, Hoboken restored the order with a solo home run by Thomas de Wolf, a bases loaded two-RBI single by Xander Verspreet, a three-run home run by Toon Hendrickx, and a three-RBI home run by Thomas de Wolf to extend its lead with nine runs. 
In this mercy rule shortened game, Hoboken scored one more run in the sixth, and another in the seventh, while Deurne scored two more runs in the bottom of the sixth, and one more in the bottom of the seventh.
Despite giving up five runs in one inning, Brendan Verspreet earned the win. Edgardo Jose Nieto Castillo took the loss as he allowed nine runs in 1.1 innings on six hits and three walks. 
Playing in the final game of his career, Thomas de Wolf ended with a bang as he was the best hitter for Hoboken Pioneers with three hits out of four at-bats with two home runs with four RBI and four runs scored. 

This championship is Hoboken’s eight official championship. In 2020 the team finished on top of the standings at the end of the Covid-shortened season, as an official championship series was never played. 

Video courtesy of FotoPe

 

This blog post is brought to you by