The Netherlands have reached the final at the 28th Honkbalweek Haarlem. They defeated Japan on Friday evening to clinch a spot in the championship game. Japan gets a second chance with a matchup against Australia on Saturday evening. Australia kept alive thanks to a walk-off win against Curacao. Chinese Taipei and Curacao will play for fourth place in the final standings on Saturday afternoon.
Curacao 000 010 212 001 7 14 5 Australia 000 101 103 002 8 12 2
In probably one of the most dramatic games in tournament history Australia stayed alive. The team from Down Under beat Curacao 8-7 after 12 innings. Australia first tied the game with three runs in the bottom of the ninth and then erased a 6-7 deficit in the bottom of the third extra inning thanks to a single by David Kandilas, which scored two after an error in center field. Trent Oeltjen hit a home run for the Aussies. Josh Tols earned the win with three innings of relief. Hershelon Juliana got charged with the loss.
Japan 000 000 000 0 6 1 Netherlands 210 000 00X 3 9 2
The Netherlands scored three runs in the first two innings and received another stellar pitching performance en route to a 3-0 shutout against Japan. Regensburg’s Mike Bolsenbroek conceded only four hits and a walk in seven scoreless innings for the win. Kevin Kelly and Loek van Mil closed out the shutout with scoreless frames. Shuya Kanno took the loss, surrendering six hits, three runs (2 ER) and a base on balls in three innings.