Min-Sih Chen and Ericson Leonora continued their scorching approaches at Honkbal Week Haarlem, with the former leading Taiwan to victory in a game against the International Globetrotters with third place in the standings up for grabs. Later, Czech Republic gave Italy a scare, before Leonora’s Curaçao took on the Netherlands in an all-Dutch derby.
Taiwan 10 – Globetrotters 0
Chen led a well-rounded Taiwanese offense, in which six different hitters drove in at least one run, with Hsiao-Yun Chen collecting three RBI. Chen had two hits, two RBI, and scored a run, continuing his relentless attack since arriving in Haarlem. The game ended after seven innings, with Tsung-Ju Yu going the distance in the shutout victory.
Italy 3 – Czech Republic 1
Davide Montanari was superb for Italy, permitting only a single hit and striking out six in as many innings. The Azzurri took a 1-0 lead in the third when Gabriele Angioi singled and stole second, moving to third on a line drive hit from Robel García. A bouncing ball from Noel González was enough for Angioi to scamper home.
When Montanari left the game in the seventh, the Czechs immediately took advantage. Jan Pospísil singled and came around to score on a Max Prejda single. Marco Artitzu, who struck out the side in an inning of relief on Sunday, then entered to snuff out the rally, but the game was tied. However, Angioi ensured that would not last long, leading off the eighth with a single, stealing second once more, and scoring on a RBI-single, this time from pinch hitter Lorrenzo Morresi. Italian veteran and leader Alberto Mineo then entered as a pinch hitter and drove home a third run. Claudio Scotti would ice the win as Italy remained perfect.
Netherlands 6 – Curaçao 4
Ericson Leonora accomplished something no hitter has ever done at Honkbal Week Haarlem, but Shervyen Newton upstaged the Curaçaoan slugger in an exciting nightcap at Pim Mulier Stadium. The Netherlands opened the scoring in the first with a single from Delano Selassa, who advanced to third after a little ill-timed fielding. The speedster raced home on a sacrifice by Darryl Collins. In the second, Raphael Smeek singled, and consecutive doubles by Sem Kuijper and Collins meant a 3-0 lead.
Shairon Martis was still cruising for the Orange in the third, with hits for Riordan Windster and Jeandro Tromp and a walk to Darren Seferina loading the bases. Up stepped Ericson Leonora and, for the second time in three days, the ex-Yankee farmhand launched a rocket that left the park for a grand slam. In doing so, the outfielder became the first player ever to hit two grand slames in one Honkbal Week Haarlem tournament.
With a 4-3 lead for Curaçao, Newton immediately answered for the Dutch, launching a solo shot in the fourth for his second dinger of the event. The hits kept coming for the Netherlands in the fourth, by the end of which eight different Dutch hitters had notched a base knock and the honkbalsters had a 5-4 lead. A single insurance run would add to the lead, but neither team could string together a long rally and the Netherlands retained second place at HHW.
Our coverage of Honkbal Week Haarlem includes: Introduction [link], Day 1 [link], Day 2 [link], Day 3 [link], Day 4 [link]. The wrap for Day 5, in Dutch, is here [link]. Box scores are available here [link].
Results
June 26
Globetrotters 1 – Netherlands 6
June 27
Curaçao 2 – Taiwan 3 (10)
Czech Republic 3 – Globetrotters 4
Netherlands 0 – Italy 2 (8)
June 28
Italy 3 – Globetrotters 1
Netherlands 15 – Taiwan 4
Curaçao 12 – Czech Republic 2
June 29
Czech Republic 1 – Taiwan 0
Italy 11 – Curaçao 3
June 30
Taiwan 10 – Globetrotters 0 (7)
Italy 3 – Czech Republic 1
Netherlands 6 – Curaçao 4
July 1
Italy – Taiwan
Curaçao – Globetrotters
Czech Republic – Netherlands
Standings
| Team | W-L | RF | RA |
| Italy | 4-0 | 19 | 5 |
| Netherlands | 3-1 | 27 | 11 |
| Taiwan | 2-2 | 17 | 18 |
| Curaçao | 1-3 | 21 | 22 |
| Czech Republic | 1-3 | 7 | 19 |
| International Globetrotters | 1-3 | 6 | 22 |