Dutch hoofdklasse 2018: Neptunus wins title, Storks remains in hoofdklasse
As expected, Curaçao Neptunus won the Dutch championship for the sixth time in a row. After two poor games, the team fought back and won the Holland Series in Six games. In the promotion/relegation series, Silicon Storks from The Hague prolonged its stay in the hoofdklasse with one more year.
After Neptunus won 4-1 in Rotterdam yesterday, the circus moved to Amsterdam again. So far, both teams took full advantage of the home field advantage but today, home field advantage did not help Pirates as it lost 3-0. With the clinching of the pennant, Neptunus finishes their 75th year of existence in superior fashion after it also won the European Champions Cup.
For seven innings, both pitchers kept the opponent in check rather well. Elton Koeiman, who lasted six innings continued his strong performance of last week. Kyle Ward, on the other hand, bounced back from a poor outing in the previous week. For Ward, it wasn’t enough to earn the win as he gave up three runs in the eighth inning of which none was earned. After third baseman Rashid Gerard allowed Shaldimar Daantji on base on a throwing error, right fielder Linoy Croes dropped a fly ball, with two outs, that allowed Neptunus to score thrice and decide the game and the series with it.
In the promotion/ relegation series, Silicon Storks managed to beat Kinheim from Haarlem to prolong its stay in the hoofdklasse for another year. After the team won 3-0 in Haarlem yesterday, it had to step on it today because Kinheim refused to give up.
Storks took a 2-0 by scoring a run in the fifth and the sixth inning. In the seventh inning, a throwing error led to an insurance run for Storks.
Kinheim scored twice, once in the seventh and once in the top of the ninth. After Kinheim scored their second run, and had a runner on second, Cristiaan Herkemij grounded into a game-ending double play.
Even though Storks was the worst team in the hoofdklasse by far, the club was too strong for the best team of the overgangsklasse which proves that the difference between both leagues is still too big too overcome for many overgangsklasse clubs.
With the season ending today, it is clear that the hoofdklasse will contain the eight same clubs that played in it this season: Curaçao Neptunus, L&D Amsterdam Pirates, HCAW, De Glaskoning Twins, DSS, Meerlease Pioniers, Cityside Apartments Quick Amersfoort and
Silicon Storks.
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