2026 Belgian Divison One: Match of The Day (April, 18)

In the second week of the 2026 Belgian Division One, it was a rainy day. Yours truly attempted to see a game at the Brussels Kangaroos but after an inning and a half it was raining cats and dogs, so he left. So he tried to see a game at Borgerhout Squirrels, but it was raining there too. Nevertheless there were some games finished and this is the game report about the most surprising result.

Deurne Spartans 10 – 16 Namur Angels

A surprising result in game one in Wépion (a part of the municipality of Namur) today. The Namur Angels finished in seventh place in 2025 and Deurne made it to the playoffs. With hardly any additions for Namur one would expect a victory for Deurne, but that was far beside the truth.

In the first inning, the Angels boldly took a 4-1 lead. After Leonel Santiago Reina Viant and Johiner Alfonso Arzuigones Ocanto hit back-to-back leadoff doubles for the 1-0 lead for Deurne, Namur’s pitching settled down and left runners in scoring position.

Like the Spartans, the Angels opened their at-bat with a double, followed by back-to-back singles to tie the game. Back-to-back doubles by Edouard Vanheer and Nathan Croon, drove in three more runs for Namur.

In the top of the first inning, Deurne bounced back and scored thrice to tie the game once again, but Namur added four more runs to their total for a comfortable four-run lead.

In the next four innings, Spartans scored a run per inning, where the Angels only scored a run in the fourth and the sixth. But in the seventh inning, the Spartans scored twice to tie the game once again.

With the score tied at ten at the start of the bottom of the eighth inning, the Angels flexed their muscles one more time. Namur got the first runner on base when Arthur Heymans was hit by a pitch. After he stole second, he was bunted over to third. Then Lucas Heymans was walked intentionally, so with runners on the corners, singled to left field to drive in Arthur Heymans. With runners on first and second, Nathan Croon connected for a double. Lucas Heymans scored from second and Edouard Vanheer tried to score from first base but was thrown out at home plate. Nathan Croon advanced to third on the play.

With two outs, Elvis Joel Polanco Machado couldn’t get out of the inning. Singles by Oscar Delory, Emeric Clinckart, and Arthur Heymans, and a triple by Arthur Delory, drove in four more runs.

Emeric Clinckar earned the win. In four innings, he allowed four runs on eight hits and four walks and struck out three. Elvis Joel Polanco Machado pitched a complete game but took the loss nevertheless as he allowed sixteen runs on twenty-four hits and four walks. He struck out six.

Best hitter for the Namur Angels was Arthur Heymans, who went 5 for 5 with one RBI and five runs scored. Edouard Vanheer drove in a whopping seven runs as he went 4 for 4.

Other results:

Phoenix Mont-Saint-Guibert – Merchtem Cats: 7-6; 8-10
Hoboken Pioneers – Brussels Kangaroos: 20-1 (5 innings); game two PPD.
Brasschaat Braves – Borgerhout Squirrels: 14-11;
Deurne Spartans – Namur Angels: 16-1 (7 innings)

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