Taiwan accomplished something that no one else during the round robin phase of Honkbal Week Haarlem could do: defeat Italy. Later on the sixth day of play, Dudley Leonora and Ryson Polonius combined for seven hits to lead Curaçao in a romp over the International Globetrotters, and Shervyen Newton went yard again as the Netherlands and Czech Republic tangled.
Taiwan 6 – Italy 4
Italy had already secured the top spot at the end of round robin play, and Taiwan took advantage, securing its spot in third place, but only after overcoming a strong start by the Azzurri. Luca Paolini led off with a single, and scored all the way from first on a Noel González double, with a botched grab of the hit sending Paolini home. Renzo Martini then singled González home.
Taiwan immediately rectified matters in the second, in part due to sloppy play from Italy. With one out, the next three hitters reached on a hit, catcher’s interference, and a walk. A balk scored the first run, before a walk, a single, and an error led to three more runs.
The following inning was more of the same, with Taiwan taking a 6-2 lead by the middle of the third. Nathanael Batista hit a two-run shot in the fifth, but that was it for either side as both bullpens took care of business.
Globetrotters 2 – Curaçao 12 (7)
Heading into the bottom of the sixth, the score was only 4-2 in favor of Curaçao, but a relentless Antillean attack plated eight runs on eight hits in the frame, prompting an early end to the game. Polonius reached base all four times at bat from the leadoff spot, while Leonora went 4-for-4 with a double, scoring three times and driving in two. Kimi Verkruijssen allowed only two hits and an unearned run over five innings for the victors.
Netherlands 7 – Czech Republic 4
In the nightcap, the Kingdom of the Netherlands faced off with the already eliminated Czechs. Scott Prins threw a great game and gave up only one run in 5.1 innings, while Jakub Winkler and Jan PospíšilNewton hit his third homerun of the Honkbal Week. Baseball Czechia started brightly, with stroking singles. A sacrifice fly from Marek Chlup put the visitors on the board. However, a Dutch answer was not long in coming. Shervyen Newton started the next at bat a mighty swing to equalize the contest, with his teammates then starting a new rally that saw Sharlon Schoop score on a sacrifice fly by Raphael Smeenk and Gedionne Marlin scamper home on a rundown at second.
The game remained 3-1 until the sixth, when two walks and an error led to two more runs. An inning later, Newton singled home Delanno Selassa, whilst in the eighth, Selassa scored Smeenk on a booming double. The Czechs mounted rallies in the last two frames, with Chlup and Max Prejda both hitting singles in the eighth and scoring on a Matouš Bubeník safety. Chlup then finished a big day with a solo shot in the ninth, but that was as close as the Czech baseballers could get.
Our coverage of Honkbal Week Haarlem includes: Introduction [link], Day 1 [link], Day 2 [link], Day 3 [link], Day 4 [link], Day 5 [link]. The wrap for Day 6, 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
Czech Republic 1 – Italy 3
Taiwan 10 – Globetrotters 0 (7)
Netherlands 6 – Curaçao 4
July 1
Taiwan 6 – Italy 4
Globetrotters 2 – Curaçao 12 (7)
Netherlands 7 – Czech Republic 4
July 2
4 vs. 3: Curaçao – Taiwan
2 vs. 1: Netherlands – Italy
Standings
| Team | W-L | RF | RA |
| Italy | 4-1 | 23 | 11 |
| Netherlands | 4-1 | 34 | 15 |
| Taiwan | 3-2 | 23 | 22 |
| Curaçao | 2-3 | 33 | 24 |
| International Globetrotters | 1-4 | 8 | 34 |
| Czech Republic | 1-4 | 11 | 26 |