Railey LEGITO hit two more home runs and David BERGMAN threw five solid innings as the Dutch National Team (3-0) stormed past Sweden 14-2 on Monday.
A bone-fide European star for Dutch power Neptunus, LEGITO was 2-for-3 with a pair of homers and seven RBI’s. The 29-year-old is hitting a scorching .667 (6-for-9) with three home runs, 10 RBI’s, and has scored eight runs thus far in the European Olympic Qualifier.
BERGMAN, one of the top pitchers in the Dutch Major League with Kinheim, scattered seven hits and two runs over five innings to get the victory. The 26-year-old righty walked three and fanned four to pick up his first win of the tourney.
The Dutch exploded for seven runs in the second inning with Yurendell DECASTER’s two-run RBI single and LEGITO’s three-run blast helping to build a 7-0 lead.
LEGITO connected again the next inning – this time with the bases loaded – as the Dutch went up 13-0 after three innings and coasted to their third straight victory. DECASTER was 2-for-3 with a solo homer to leadoff the fourth and the 27-year-old US minor leaguer is hitting .636 (7-for-11) with six RBI’s.
Sweden avoided the shutout with two runs in the fifth when Magnus PILEGARD tripled to left center to score Adam SORGI and Tony DERMENDZIEV. Kent KARLSSON (0-1) was roughed up for seven runs in only 1.2 innings and suffered the loss.
The Dutch will meet Germany in a Pool A matchup of two unbeaten teams on Tuesday and Sweden will clash with the Czech Republic in what should be an interesting contest.