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Day 13: Dutch held off base by dominating USA
BEIJING (China) - The Dutch Olympic Softball Team was unable to reach base on Sunday-evening against Olympic title-defender USA and was shutout 8-0 in a 4 1/2 inning game. This was the third 8-0 loss in a row and fourth consecutive shutout-loss for the Dutch squad, which has now hit only two basehits in the last three games. On Monday, the Dutch Team will close its Olympic tournament with the game against Chinese Taipei.
American pitcher Monica Abbotto dominated. The lefthander struckout nine batters and retired all 15 batters she faced, meaning she threw a Perfect Game.
The Perfect Game and No-Hitter were threatened only once.
In the third inning, Petra van Heijst led off with a line drive shot into rightfield, but there veteran player Laura Berg made a great diving catch to save the No-Hitter and Perfect Game for Abbott.
It was the lone Dutch hit which ended up in the outfield.
Team USA took charge of the game in the first inning when it scored its first run.
With one out and Caitlin Lowe (fielder's choice) on first base, Dutch starter Rebecca Soumeru hit next batter Jessica Mendoza with a pitch, then gave up an RBI-single to Crystl Bustos.
In the second inning, two runs were added.
First, rightfielder Marjan Smit made a fine leaping catch on a drive by Lovieanne Jung, but then next batter Tairia Flowers hit a line drive homerun into centerfield.
Laura Berg followed with a single, then later scored on a single by Natasha Watley to make it 3-0.
Three runs were scored in the third at bat.
Powerhitter Crystl Bustos led off with a homerun, then Kelly Kretschman and Stacey Nuveman singled.
Judith van Kampen came on in relief of Rebecca Soumeru, but gave up RBI-singles to Lovieanne Jung and Laura Berg.
By the way, Laura Berg is participating in her fourth Olympic Games, meaning she took part in all Olympics in which softball was an official medal sport.
With Team USA, the experienced Berg won the gold medal in Atlanta, Sydney and Athens. She also was a member of the gold-medal team on four World Championships and three Pan American Games.
In the fourth inning, the 7-run difference was reached.
Jessica Mendoza, who played for Dutch big league-team Terrasvogels in 2005, led off with a line drive homerun.
The ball was hit that hard and had so much speed, that by the time centerfielder Saskia Kosterink made a little adjustment to pick up the ball, it already went by her and went over the fence.
For Mendoza, this was her fourth homerun of the tournament, as was the one hit by Crystl Bustos, who was 3-for-3 and followed with a single.
She then scored the eighth American run on a 2-out double by pinch-hitter Victoria Galindo.
Losing to the strong American team, which almost surely will win the gold again this time, is nog shame. The only thing for an opponent to do against Team USA is to keep the score reasonable and that's just what the Dutch team did. It was a loss, but no walk-over and that's the positive side of this game.
On a brighter side, the Dutch Olympic Team today captured three more medals.
In rowing, Marit van Eupen and Kirsten van der Kolk became the first Dutch in Olympic history to win gold in the lightweight women's double sculls.
Also in rowing, the Women Eight won silver.
In the Yngling-class Sailing, Mandy Mulder, Merel Witteveen and Annemieke Bes won the silver medal.
The Dutch Olympic Baseball Team had the day off, but some of the players were on hand to cheer for the Dutch Softball Team in the evening against the USA.
Box Score Game 6 vs. USA
Live Play-by-Play and Box Score Netherlands vs. Chinese Taipei (softball) on Monday
Live Play-by-Play and Box Score Netherlands vs. Cuba (baseball) on Monday
Dutch umpire Rob Veldkamp behind the plate in the game between Venezuela and Japan
And he did a great job!
Relatives of Kim Kluijskens (7), Saskia Kosterink (16) and Noémi Boekel (25)
wear the old shirts and cheer the Dutch team
The Dutch players are introduced before the game
Dutch starting pitcher Rebecca Soumeru
American starter Monica Abbott threw a Perfect Game
Crystl Bustos runs towards home after hitting a homerun in the 3rd inning
Outfielders Marloes Fellinger, Saskia Kosterink and Marjan Smit during a break in the action
Kim Kluijskens at first base
Judith van Kampen turns to the outfield
In the back Jessica Mendoza is running the bases after her homerun in the 4th
Centerfielder Saskia Kosterink catches a ball hit by Kelly Kretschman in the 4th inning
Short stop Sandra Gouverneur is ready for action
Head Coach Liz Kelly, who today celebrated her birthday, leaves the circle after a conference
Players of both teams shake hands at the end of the game
In the mixed zone, Rebecca Soumeru (31) talks with someone of the Olympic website,
while Petra van Heijst (12) talks with Ronald Boot of NOS Radio Olympia
Also talking to the press are Americans Crystl Bustos (8) and Monica Abbott (14)
Coach Rob Walgien with Dennis Presburg
Daisy de Peinder (right) with Lynn Geertman
Dutch baseball-players came to Fengtai Softball Field to cheer the softball-team
From left to right: Sharnol Adriana, Raily Legito, Shairon Martis, Diegomar Markwell,
Eugene Kingsale, Bryan Engelhardt and Yurendell de Caster
Go back to the schedule of the Olympic Games
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