The Honkbalweek Haarlem continued on Sunday with two more games of the preliminary phase in front of a sellout attendance of more than 3,750 at Pim Mulier Stadium in Haarlem, Netherlands. The Netherlands and Australia improved to 2-0 in the 28th edition of the Honkbalweek with victories over Chinese Taipei and Japan.
Prior to the Dutch-Chinese Taipei matchup the Royal Dutch Baseball and Softball Association (KNBSB) with managing director Bart Volkerijk presented and congratulated the Netherlands U22 Women’s Softball Team, which won the European Championship in Pardubice, Czech Republic last week. The players lining up for the afternoon game were accompanied by youth players. Ken Chiu, Deputy Representative of Chinese Taipei trade office in the Netherlands threw out the first pitch. About 150 Chinese Taipei supporters were in the stands.
Netherlands 000 202 040 8 13 0 Chinese Taipei 000 000 000 0 3 2
The Netherlands shut out Chinese Taipei 8-0 in the afternoon game at the Honkbalweek Haarlem on Sunday. Tom Stuifbergen and three relievers kept Chinese Taipei to three hits and two walks in nine scoreless innings. Stuifbergen didn’t allow a base runner until a leadoff single in the fifth. He struck out nine in six innings. At the plate Yurendell de Caster and Nick Urbanus hit home runs and combined for five RBI. Yi Chung Liao allowed two hits, two runs and three base on balls in four innings to take the loss.
Australia 000 003 010 4 4 0 Japan 100 000 101 3 9 2
Japan out-hit Australia 9-4, but still ended up losing 3-4 in the evening game at Pim Mulier Stadium. A three-run sixth gave the team from Down Under the lead. A sac fly by Mitch Dening in the eighth provided much needed insurance, as Japan cut the deficit to a run in the bottom of the ninth. However a strikeout and a flyout ended the game with a runner on second. Dening drove in two runs overall. Ryan Battaglia doubled, scored and picked up a RBI. Steve Chambers conceded six hits and a run in 5 1/3 innings to pick up the win. Shuya Kanno surrendered four hits, three runs (1 ER) and a base on balls in six innings to take the loss.
The Honkbalweek continues on Monday with a 7pm game between Curacao and Australia.
Official Website
Live play by play
Live stream of all games
Photo by Robert Bos