Chinese Taipei – USA 0-3
Team USA closed out the first round at the Haarlemse Honkbalweek on Friday with a 3-0 shutout over Chinese Taipei. It’s their third in the tournament and the eighth overall. The US squad won five of the six games in the preliminary phase and enters the semi-finals as number-one seed. Opponent on Saturday will be once against Chinese Taipei.
Jake Lemoine, Andrew Moore and Tyler Jay combined to keep the team from Taiwan to five hits and two walks. Lemoine earned the win with six Ks in five innings. Runs in the fifth, sixth and ninth provided the necessary run support. Ming Hsuan Chen took the loss.
Japan – Netherlands 2-3
The evening game at Pim Mulier Stadium also featured a preview for the semi-finals, as both teams will meet again 24 hours later. The Netherlands captured their third win of the week, defeating Japan 3-2. The team of manager Steve Janssen took a quick 3-0 lead and then needed a timely double play in the bottom of the ninth to avoid the Japanese comeback.
A sac fly by Dashenko Ricardo in the top of the second gave the Dutch team a 1-0 lead. Gianison Boekhoudt crossed the plate on the flyball. One frame later Kevin Mosquit used a wild pitch for the second run and Shaldimar Daantji scored on a single by Bas de Jong.
Japan needed until the sixth inning to get on the board. Masataka Yoshida scored on a sac fly by Sho Azegami. In the ninth Berry van Driel took over for Kevin Kelly. After a flyball for the first out, Tatsuya Yamaashi got on base with a single. He stole second and third and scored on a single by Tatsuhiro Shibata following a walk to Kazayuki Muto. Arshwin Asjes came in and got Takuma Hasegawa to line into in an unassisted double play at second base to end the game and the threat.
Japan’s Ambassador in the Netherlands Masaru Tsuji threw out the ceremonial first pitch prior to the game.