Premier12, Quarterfinals: USA – Netherlands 6-1
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The Netherlands dream of the title at the Premier12 is over. On Monday they lost 1-6 against the USA in the quarterfinals. Prior to the game a moment of silence was held in remembrance of the six family members Dutch players lost in the last couple of weeks.
Originally Jair Jurrjens was slated to start against the US, but after his father had died he immediately returned to Curacao to attend the funeral. Tom Stuifbergen took over and issued three hits and a walk in 3 2/3 scoreless frames. He and Jim Ploeger kept the team of manager Willie Randolph off the board in the first four innings. The Netherlands led since Kalian Sams scored on a wild pitch in the third.
Ploeger remained on the mound in the bottom of the fifth, but got replaced by Orlando Yntema after Tyler Pastornicky reached on a dropped fly ball in left field. Three of the next three batters laid down bunts and in each case Yntema committed a throwing error, allowing the US to score three runs. This essentially decided the outcome.
Team USA added three more runs as insurance on their way into the semi-finals. Meanwhile the Dutch offense couldn’t produce any more home runs to field a comeback. Zack Segovia and Brooks Pounders combined to keep the Netherlands to four hits, a run and a walk in nine innings.