Mister Baseball

by Pim van Nes

After the 3-7 win by DOOR NEPTUNUS in Haarlem on Saturday, the series between European cup winners KINHEIM and NEPTUNUS went back to Rotterdam on Sunday. Last Thursday both teams were ready for their game one in Rotterdam, but the rain postponed that game to Tuesday 29 April again in Rotterdam. Original game three was played yesterday in the Familie Stadion, home of NEPTUNUS, but home advantage does not count in the Netherlands Hoofdklasse. Thanks to strong reliever Michiel van Kampen, CORENDON KINHEIM withstood the late attacks by NEPTUNUS batters. Alike in Haarlem also in Rotterdam the visitors were victorious (2-3) and tied the series (1-1).

The game of the left-handed starting pitchers Diegomar Markwell and Patrick Beljaards began on a sunny afternoon. Alike in Haarlem also in Rotterdam the home team took the first lead. In the fourth inning pitcher Beljaards more or less slipped away, when fielding Benjamin Dille’s bunt. His throw to first base was not precise enough and Dille arrived in second. His scoring position was sufficient to score 1-0 when next batter Raily Legito lined along third base for a double. The rend-ability of the double was immediately copied by KINHEIM in the top of the fifth: Danny Rombley, Rene Cremer and Dirk van’t Klooster doubled three times and scored two times on Markwell’s pitching: 1-2. Although Legito in the sixth inning started with a triple for a score tying rally (2-2), Markwell saw his bases being reloaded in the seventh when he had given up singles to Van’t Klooster and Tjerk Smeets and pitched on Roel Koolen’s body.

NEPTUNUS manager Eric de Bruin decided for a pitcher change and sent Wouter Lensselink to the mound. The youngster walked his first batter Jason Halman causing the third run earned on Markwell. Also KINHEIM manager then replaced his starting pitcher by another experienced pitcher: Michiel van Kampen. Instead of KINHEIM’s relievers on Saturday spoiling the lead in the score, Van Kampen managed to save his team’s lead on Sunday. NEPTUNUS did not get any further than on second base and lost the game (2-3), its second defeat in the new season. The same result of four wins and two losses applies to KINHEIM in the present close standings in Hoofdklasse.

The two European Cup winners are a game behind MINOLTA PIONIERS and L&D AMSTERDAM (5-1) and a game before numbers five and six SPARTA/FEYENOORD and MR COCKER HCAW (3-3). Tomorrow the original game one between NEPTUNUS and KINHEIM takes place and on Thursday afternoon a full schedule because of Ascension Day is played: Nr 1 PIONIERS vs. Nr 2 AMSTERDAM, ADO - HCAW, RCH - KINHEIM and NEPTUNUS - SPARTA/FEYENOORD.

DOOR Neptunus - Corendon Kinheim box score

Pim van Nes
Baseball writer for
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