Dutch Women Softball Team

2008

USA Tour I - Day 10

DAVIS (California, USA) - The Dutch Women Softball Team opened the first day of the Davis Invitational Tournament with two victories. The day started clouded and it had rained during the night, but when the first game was underway, clouds started to break and the sun came out, making it a nice morning to play ball.

After the players of host UC Davis had rolled up the tarp, which was put on the field out of precaution, the Dutch team began with a 6-1 win vs. Providence College with Kristi de Vries and Dagmar Bloeming combining on a 3-hitter. In the next game, the Dutch were outhit 12-8, but won 6-4 against California State University Bakersfield. After the team returned to the hotel following this game, it started to rain again shortly after. It was even reported that a thunderstorm had hit nearby Sacramento and hail was reported. In the afternoon, Bakersfield shutout Providence 4-0 in a rain-shortened game, which was halted by heavy rain in the bottom of the fifth inning. Tomorrow, the Dutch team will play two more games, before it travels back to Emeryville.

Records are meant to be broken and so some of them were before the first game was even played. The team set a record for the earliest breakfast during this trip, as everyone was in the restaurant at 6:45 AM! Then, it was off to the field where the second record of this trip was set, as the game started at 9:04 AM, which was the earliest start so far.

For the record: After Valentine's Day, Presidents' Day and the total lunar eclipse, another special moment is coming up this weekend. On Sunday-evening, the Academy Awards (Oscars) will be handed out in Los Angeles. So, movie-fans amongst us have the opportunity to see the live broadcast, including the Red Carpet with the arrival of the celebrities.

Players of UC Davis move the rain-tarp from the field

Box Score vs. Providence

In the opening game, the Dutch needed one big inning to secure the victory against the Providence College Friars, rallying for five runs on five hits in the fourth at bat. The team already threatened in the first inning when Kim Kluijskens reached on an error with one out and Marloes Fellinger walked with two outs, but both stranded when next batter Jolanda Kroesen lined out to second base.

The Dutch reached base four times in the third inning, but were unable to score, as the Providence-defense made some fine putouts. Saskia Kosterink led off with a walk, then advanced on a sacrifice bunt by Kim Kluijskens. After Sandra Gouverneur walked, both Saskia and Sandra were forced out at third base on two following grounders to third base-player Katelyn Revens, who made two nice plays.

Noémi Boekel, here playing defensively at third base,
tripled to lead off the fourth, setting things in motion for the Dutch squad
Umpire Tim Altheide looks on

But the Dutch broke open the game by scoring five runs in the fourth inning. Noémi Boekel drilled the ball into deep right-centerfield for a triple, then scored the first run of the game when Chantal Versluis followed with a single through the infield. After Chantal had moved on a sac-bunt by Daisy de Peinder and Nina van Huissteden had walked, the bases were loaded when Saskia Kosterink hit a line drive down the third base-line. After a strikeout, an error was made on a force play-grounder by Sandra Gouverneur, to increase the lead to 2-0. Next, the bases were loaded again when short stop Jenna Garcia couldn't make a force out on a hit by Marloes Fellinger, whi was credited with an infield-hit and resulted in another run. With the bases still loaded, Jolanda Kroesen singled through the middle, adding two more runs and increase the lead to 5-0. A strikeout then ended the inning.

Saskia Kosterink lines the ball to third in the fourth inning

Moments later, Chantal Versluis singles in the first run
Here, she waits for the pitch, with Teresa Bertels doing the catching and Gary Kinard behind the plate

The Dutch added a run in the fifth at bat when Daisy de Peinder reached on an infield-hit with one out, then her pinch-runner Dana Horeman advanced on a single by Nina van Huissteden and a force play-grounder by Saskia Kosterink, before scoring on a single by Kim Kluijskens.

Dutch starter Kristi de Vries held the Providence Friars to only one hit in the first four innings. In the first three innings, she allowed only one batter to reach base after hitting her with a pitch, but moments later that same player was caught stealing in a rundown. In the fourth inning, Kristi gave up an one-out single and later walked a batter, but the Dutch defense prevented runs, as 3B Noémi Boekel and 1B Kim Kluijskens made some nice putouts. In the fifth, Teresa Bertels led off for Providence with a solo-homerun for her team's lone run (pictured right). After next batter Gina Rossi followed with a double, Dutch Head Coach Liz Kelly brought in Dagmar Bloeming, who completed the game, threw three innings, didn't gave up a hit, struckout four and earned her second save of the trip. She saw only two players reached base, both on a walk in the sixth inning. Kristi de Vries won her second game of the series.

Winning pitcher Kristi de Vries throws to catcher Nina van Huissteden

Dagmar Bloeming closes the game and earns her second save

After game one, it was time for a quick lunch, as game two was coming up

Box Score vs. California State University Bakersfield

In the next game, the Dutch team was outhit 12-8, but seven of the eight Dutch hit contributed in the six runs to give them a 6-4 win against the California State University Bakersfield Roadrunners.

Initially, it were the Roadrunners who put the pressure on. The first two batters in the first inning singled, but the the Dutch defense did the rest, as a comeback grounder to starting pitcher Judith van Kampen, a pop-fly to 2B Marjan Smit and a strikeout followed. In the second inning, the Roadrunners opened the score. Pikake Nutter-Gaudet led off with a single, advanced on a sac-bunt and an illegal pitch, then scored on a sacrifice fly.

Short stop Sandra Gouveneur checks her uniform after attempting to catch a foul ball,
diving into wet dirt behind third base. Coach Linda Wells helps Sandra

Trailing 1-0, the Dutch team turned the game around in its second at bat. Jolanda Kroesen led off with a walk, then her pinch-runner Chantal Versluis moved on a sacrifice bunt by Noémi Boekel and scored on a single through the middle by Marloes Fellinger to tie the score. After Marjan Smit lined out to third, Ellen Venker reached on a bunt-single, then the bases were loaded when Saskia Kosterink walked. Kim Kluijskens then also singled to bring in two runs and give the Dutch a 3-1 lead, but the inning ended when Saskia was thrown out at third base, trying to advance on the play.

Jolanda Kroesen waiting on deck, moments before delivering her double in the third inning

In the third inning, the Dutch added a run. With one out, Debby Connor walked, then Jolanda Kroesen doubled to put runners on second and third base. A sacrifice fly by Noémi Boekel enabled Debby to score and make it 4-1.

Marjan Smit led off the fourth inning with a single and went on to score

Two more insurances runs were scored in the fourth and fifth inning. In the fourth, Marjan Smit led off with a single, then moved on the second bunt-single by Ellen Venker. After the two runnerrs advanced on a sac-bunt by Saskia Kosterink, Marjan scored on a grounder by Kim Kluijskens, who had four RBI's today, including three in this game.

In the fifth, off a new pitcher, Noémi Boekel singled with one out and went on to score the sixth Dutch run on a passed ball.

Winning pitcher Judith van Kampen starts her wind-up
By the way, check the flag on the left side in the building behind her
Is Italy scouting us?

Anouk Mels completed the game by throwing the seventh inning

After giving up the Roadrunners' first run in the second inning, Dutch starter Judith van Kampen was supported with a nice double play in the third inning and more good defensive plays in the fourth and fifth at bat. In the sixth, CSU scored a run on three basehits, then added two more in the seventh off new pitcher Anouk Mels on RBI-doubles by Bethany Snow and Cara Klein. But between the two doubles, Anouk got a batter to groundout and to flyout, then ended the game when another batter grounded out with a runner in scoring position.

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