The Dutch Hoofdklasse got underway on Thursday evening with three games. All three ended with lopsided scores. L&D Amsterdam downed DSS 11-4 at Pim Mulier Stadium in Haarlem. Five runs in the first two innings and four more in the fourth blew the score open pretty quickly. Nick Urbanus and Kenny Berkenbosch combined for six RBI. Rob Cordemans pitched four innings of one-run ball. Omar Williams had two RBI for DSS.
HCAW blew by the Hoofddorp Pioniers 14-4 in seven innings. The team from Bussum led 8-2 after three frames and scored in six of the seven innings. Vince Rooi dominated with two home runs and seven RBI. Kevin Weijgertse collected four hits. Jim Ploeger struck out 11 in 5 1/3 innings for the win. Lars Huijer got charged with the loss. His battery mate Glenn Bakker drove in two.
The third game was actually a close one until the bottom of the seventh. Pickles UVV already was leading 3-1 over De Glaskoning Twins when they scored eight runs to end the game via ten-run rule for an 11-1 win, the first for rookie manager Ty Eriksen in the Hoofdklasse. Shortstop Jelle Blaauw went 4-for-4 with two doubles, four runs scored and three RBI from the leadoff spot. Timo van Ancum pitched six innings for the win. Jan Evertse took the loss.