by Namur Angels, www.namur-angels.be
Angels Win Big Against Pioneers
The Angels yet again got another outstanding mound performance from starting pitcher Jake Hummel. However, Hummel silenced the Pioneers with his bat more so than his arm. He finished the day at the plate with five hits in seven at bats. He also drove in six runs as the Angels beat the Hoboken Pioneers 18-10 in an offensive showcase from both teams.
The first five Angel batters scored in the top of the first inning. Thomas Vandenabeele drew a leadoff walk and then second baseman Greg Van Sickler laced a line drive home run over the left field fence to quickly plate two runs. Starting pitcher Jake Hummel then drilled a line drive into the left field corner for a double. After a walk to Williams Rosario, Vincent King hit a single to center to load the bases. Adrien Geuquet delivered with a single through the right side to plate Hummel. Jerome Sana stepped up and was hit by a fastball with bases loaded to plate the fourth Angel run of the inning. Ludovic Geuquet drove in the final run of the inning with a fielder’s choice groundball to third base, whose only play was Geuquet at first. All nine starters stepped to the plate in the first inning.
Hummel threw seven strong innings, giving up four runs on ten hits, did not walk a batter, and struck out seven. The Pioneers did not score on him until the sixth inning when David Herssens led off with a single to right and then second baseman Alberto Valerio hit a two run home run to deep left center.
Left-hander Thomas Vandenabeele came on in relief of Hummel to start the eighth inning, with Namur leading 13-4. However, Vandenabeele was touched up for six runs (two earned) in the inning, and the pioneers cut the lead to three heading into the ninth. Taking advantage of three walks in the inning, Namur was able to post four insurance runs in the top of the ninth for right-hander Cedric Nauts, who came on in relief of Vandenabeele late in the eighth inning. After recording the first out on a come backer to the pitcher, an error and a walk put runners at first and second for the Pioneers. It seemed as though the relentless Pioneers would strike again in the inning, but Nauts was able to get two fly outs to end the threat.
Shortstop Vincent King finished the day at the plate 4-7 with two doubles and four runs batted in. Namur pounded 16 hits for 18 runs in the game, five of the 16 for extra bases. The Angels improve to 6-1 on the year and finish the weekend series against the Pioneers tomorrow.
Pioneers Silence Angels Bats
After a very strong offensive Saturday, the Angels were unable to scratch a run across the board in a 3-0 loss to the Hoboken Pioneers. Namur could not find an answer to Pioneers starter Kenny Van Den Branden, who went all nine innings, giving up four hits, struck out nine, and held the Angels scoreless for the first time this season. Namur did make for an interesting ninth inning after Greg Van Sickler led off with an infield single, and Jake Hummel then walked. However, with runners at first and second and no outs, the tying run at the plate, Van Den Branden was able to record the final three outs of the game with two fly balls and a strikeout.
The Pioneers plated their first two runs in the bottom half of the first inning when Angels starting pitcher Kevin Desmedt walked leadoff batter Randy Giorgiadis and then center fielder Dave Herssens hit a single to left. Both runners advanced into scoring position via passed ball. With runners at second and third, second baseman Alberto Valerio grounded out to shortstop, deep enough to plate Giorgiadis from third and advance Herssens to third base. With Dennis De Quint at the plate, a fastball in the dirt skipped to the backstop and Herssens scored from third base. Desmedt was able to force De Quint to groundout to short and then recorded a strikeout to end the inning. The Pioneers final run came an inning later when Gregory Lambrechts hit a leadoff double to right center to start the second inning. Desmedt then balked Lambrechts to third base, and with a runner at third and no outs, right fielder Roy D’Oliveira singled to left for the Pioneers third and final run.
Despite scoring in the first two innings, the Pioneers were held scoreless the rest of the game. Desmedt was relieved after 4.1 innings of work. He gave up three runs on four hits, walked three, and struck out one. Nicolas Migeot then came in and closed the door. He held the Pioneers scoreless for 3.2 innings of relief, giving up only one hit, walking two, and striking out two. He forced the Pioneers into groundball double plays in the sixth and eighth innings.
Namur only had four hits on the day. Two of the came from DH Vincent King, who finished 2-4 on the day. Julien Soree and Greg Van Sickler each had one hit for the vistors. After a weekend split, the Angels fall to 6-2 on the season. Namur plays again this weekend against the Antwerp Eagles.