2026 Belgian Division One: Promotion/Relegation Series

A few weeks ago, the Dutch Baseball Hangout mentioned that the Namur Angels had finished last in the standings of the 2026 Belgian Division One. This meant they had to face the best team of division two, in a promotion/relegation series for a spot in the 2027 Division One.

That opponent became the Ghent Knights, which finished with the best record in Division Two.

So on September 5, two games were played in Ghent. Game one was won by Namur with big numbers (22-9). Game two was a much closer affair as Ghent won 11-10. So a decisive third game was needed.

That game was played last Saturday in Wépion, a sub-municipality of Namur. Also this game was a rather close affair.

In the first inning, the Namur Angels opened the score. With runners in scoring position, Stéphane Daspremont hit a sac fly to center field on which Arthur Heymans could score the opening run and Edouard Vanheer advanced to third. Vanheer scored on Nathan Croon’s single up the middle.

In the third inning, Ghent Knights got on the board when Seppe Borchardt scored on a failed pickoff attempt. In the following frame, Ghent took the lead on a two-run bases loaded single, hit by Sam van Autreve, and an RBI-double by Tim Hoflack. In the top of the fifth, Ghent added another run to their score.

But in the bottom of the fifth, Namur tied the game at five. A bases-loaded single, hit by Lucas Heymans, drove in two runs, followed by an RBI-single by Stéphane Daspremont.

In the sixth and seventh innings, Ghent scored twices, while Namur scored thrice. In the top of the eighth, Ghent tied the game at eight, but Namur would bounce back one more time.

In the bottom of the eighth inning, with the bases loaded, Nathan Croon, singled to center field to drive in Edouard Vanheer and Lucas Heymans for the game winning runs.

Arthur Heymans pitched the final two innings for the win. He gave up one run on three hits and two walks, and struck out one. José Luis Larringa Ocampo , who pitched 2.2 innings for the Ghent Knights, took the loss. He gave up five runs on four hits and struck out two.

Best hitter for the Namur Angels was Lucas Heymans, who went 3 for 5 with two RBI and two runs scored.

So, Namur Angels will stay in the Belgian Division One, at least, if they decide to stay there. Last year there were all kinds of rumors that they were willing to step down to Division Two voluntarily.

Personally I think that this sympathetic club deserves to stay in Division One.

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