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Day 3: Dutch Team shuts out All Stars
OLDENZAAL (Netherlands) - On Sunday, July 13, the Dutch National Softball Team concluded its Holland Tour with a 4-0 shutout win against the Holland All Stars, a specially formed team, consisting of foreign players in the Dutch big league, completed with players from the eight big league-teams. Today's game was played at the site of Run '71 in Oldenzaal, which is located in the eastern part of the Netherlands close to the German border.
The Dutch Team took charge of the game early, scoring three runs in the first two innings.
Crissy Autry (Terrasvogels), the starter for the Holland All Stars, gave up two runs in the first at bat, thanks to a double by Jolanda Kroesen.
Saskia Kosterink led off with a single and advanced on a sac-bunt by Kim Kluijskens.
After Marloes Fellinger was hit by a pitch, the two runners moved on a wild pitch.
With two outs, Jolanda Kroesen then hit a 2-1 pitch into centerfield for a 2-run double.
In the second inning, the third run was added. Noémi Boekel led off with a double, moved on a sacrifice bunt by Ellen Venker and scored on an infield-hit by Saskia Kosterink.
The Dutch Team made it 4-0 in the sixth at bat.
With one out, Sandra Gouverneur singled, then her pinch-runner Chantal Versluis reached third base on a single by Noémi Boekel, then scored on a wild pitch by Blake Hoorelbeke (Terrasvogels), who had taken over the pitching for the All Stars in the fifth inning.
The Dutch Team played strong defensively.
Starting pitcher Dagmar Bloeming struckout five in 4 1/3 inning and gave up only four basehits.
She gave up an one-out single to Lindseay Meadows (Computer SOS Tex Town Tigers) in the first inning, then retired eleven of the next twelve batters, before giving up two singles with one out in the fifth inning to Merel Oosterveld and pinch-hitter Nadine Marinus (who both also play for Computer SOS Tex Town Tigers).
Dagmar was relieved by Anouk Mels, who got out of the inning after a line-out and fly-out.
In the sixth and seventh inning, Anouk gave up two triples.
In the sixth, Areke Spel (another Tex Town Tigers-player) tripled with two outs and in the seventh, Merel Oosterveld tripled with one out.
The Dutch defense avoided runs by making some nince plays, highlighted by some catches in centerfield by Saskia Kosterink.
In the seventh inning, with one out and Merel Oosterveld on third base, Nadine Marinus flied out to centerfield. Merel left third, scoring on the fly, but was then called out, as the Dutch defense appealed she had left third base too early, which was confirmed by the umpire.
The double play ended the game and gave the Dutch a 4-0 shutout-win.
Box Score Game 2 vs. Holland All Stars
The Dutch National Team and Holland All Stars
enter the field
The teams line-up prior to introductions
Mayor Frans Backhuijs of Oldenzaal throws out the ceremonial first pitch
Debby Connor (left) and Petra van Heijst are introduced
...as are Ellen Venker (left) and Dagmar Bloeming
Jolanda Kroesen doubles in two runs in the first inning
Saskia Kosterink dives into second base
A lot of spectators showed up for the game in Oldenzaal
Marloes Fellinger slides into second base
Saskia Kosterink hands out signatures
Marloes Fellinger, Rebecca Soumeru, Saskia Kosterink
and Nathalie Timmermans pose with Henri Brand,
the longtime executive of Run '71, the club where these four started their career
(All photos taken by Ed Kosterink)
Go here for more photos taken by Ed Kosterink
Go back to the schedule of the Holland Tour
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