Dutch hoofdklasse 2017: Round 11, day 3. A day full of surprises

On the third day of round eleven, L&D Amsterdam Pirates hosted De Glaskoning Twins, DSS hosted Hoofddorp Pioniers and Curaçao Neptunus hosted HCAW. Where in the previous two days, the results were rather predictable, today’s games had a somewhat surprising outcome.

HCAW  11  –  6  Curaçao Neptunus
In an exciting game in which the score went back and forth, HCAW clinched a comeback from behind victory. Neptunus took a 3-0 lead in the first two innings before HCAW tied the game at three in the third inning. In the fourth inning, HCAW added two runs for the lead but with a three-run sixth inning, Neptunus took the initiative again.
Where in the previous two games an acceleration of the Rotterdam-based team was enough for the lead, this time it wasn’t.
When Misja Harcksen took over on the mound in the eighth inning and replaced Loek van Mil. Harcksen struggled with his control as he gave up a six-pitch walk to Kevin Weijgertse, who advanced two bases on two consecutive wild pitches. Harcksen allowed HCAW to load the bases before Berry van Driel took over in an attempt to keep HCAW from tying the game. Dylan Koster singled home Weijgertse with a single to Van Driel to tie the game at six. Tim Niekerk kept his team in the game as he Neptunus from scoring in the eighth frame.
A big rally by HCAW in the top of the ninth would seal the fate of Neptunus today. Vince Rooi led off with a double, followed by an intentional walk given to Kevin Dirksen. Kevin Weijgertse drew a walk as well to load the bases. Rashid Engelhardt singled through the left side to drive in Rooi and Dirksen for a two-run lead. Boyd Tuhumury followed with a single to left field on which Kevin Weijgertse scored the third run of the inning and with which the bases remained loaded. Dylan Koster singled to right field to drive in Engelhardt and Tuhumury. 
Sedley Karel took over in the bottom of the ninth and retired two but loaded the bases as well. Manager Henrique sent Oscar Meuris to the mound who recorded the final out of the game when he fanned Daniel Fernandes.
Tim Niekerk pitched a shutout eighth inning for the win, in which he walked one and struck out one. Berry van Driel took the loss. In two innings he gave up five runs  (four earned) on five hits and two walks.
Best hitter for HCAW was Raoell Kortstam, who went 2 for 3 with two runs scored.

Hoofddorp Pioniers  6  –  7  DSS
Hoofddorp Pioniers rallied in the final two innings but their rally fell short by a run, so DSS walked off as a victor today. It looked like it would be business as usual when Pioniers took a 2-0 lead in the first three innings. But in the fourth inning DSS tied the game. An error in the fifth inning would give DSS a one-run lead when pitcher Nick Keur made a fielding error when Mitchel Dautzenberg laid down a sac bunt and managed to get on base. Devano Pieter managed to score the go-ahead run on the error. With the bases loaded, Tino van Erk was hit by a pitch to drive in the second run of the inning. With two outs, Omar Williams doubled down the left field line to drive in two more runs for DSS.
Pioniers rallied in the eighth inning and in the ninth. With runners on the corners in the eighth, Shurman Marlin singled through the right side to drive in Duco Nuijten. A single by Max Draijer drove in Dudley Leonora to bring Pioniers within two runs from DSS. But DSS scored an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth inning to save the day.  A double by Devano Pieter, drove in Sven van de Sanden.
Even though Pioniers rallied once more in the ninth and scored two more runs, they just did not manage to score enough runs. 
Donny Breek lasted 5.1 innings for the win. He gave up two runs on six hits and five walks and struck out four. Nick Keur took the loss as he lasted 4.2 innings and allowed six runs (three earned) on four hits and three walks.
Best hitter for DSS was Devano Pieter, who went 3 for 4 with a double, a RBI and a run scored.
Even though DSS was outhit by Pioniers 11-7, the four errors Pioniers committed proved to be the difference as DSS scored three unearned runs on it.

De Glaskoning Twins  4  –  3  L&D Amsterdam Pirates
Today’s game between De Glaskoning Twins and L&D Amsterdam Pirates had a completely different outcome than the previous two. Where Pirates jumped on the pitching of Twins in the previous two games, the pitching of Twins kept the team in the game today. Brendan Schoemaker made his first start since weeks and what a game he pitched. For seven innings he kept Pirates limited to two runs. Only in the eighth he gave up the third run and was replaced by Jan Evertse who got out of the inning without any further damage.
Twins took a 2-0 lead in the top of the second inning. Melvin Perdue led off with a single through the left side, stole second and scored the opening run on Gino Yonis’ single up the middle. Yonis scored on Nick Peels’ bunt towards first base and the throwing error committed by first baseman Patrick Bok.
But Pirates would cut the lead in half when, with runners in scoring position, Jesse Aussems hit a sac fly to center field to drive in Gilmer Lampe. 
Two innings later, Twins extended their lead with two more runs. With runners in scoring position, Bob van der Meer doubled down the right field line to drive in Bram Grooten and Gino Yonis. In the bottom of the fourth inning, Pirates inched closer when Gilmer Lampe scored from third base when Patrick Bok hit into a force out at second.
Brendan Schoemaker earned his first win of the season after a solid game. In 7.1 innings he gave up three runs on ten hits and two walks. Matthew Latta earned the save as he pitched a perfect ninth.
Best hitter for De Glaskoning Twins was Gino Yonis who went 2 for 3 with a RBI and two runs scored. Bob van der Meer had the most impact with a double and two runs batted in on two hits out of four at-bats.

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