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Former international hits first homerun in indoor-season; Games vs. Notre Dame?
 Nederlandse tekst
AMSTERDAM (Netherlands) -
A week ago, it was sunny, but there was a freezing cold.
Today, it was stormy and very windy, resulting in different approach for planes en route to nearby Amsterdam Schiphol Airport.
Therefore, planes flew over Amsterdam and the Sporthallen Zuid at a low altitude, which was a beautiful sight when you like planes.
Because of the heavy winds, the planes flew slowly and must have had some turbulence when they were on final approach of the runway.
Okay, back to softball.
Today, the Dutch National Softball Team played its third intersquad game of the 'Tulip League'.
Two more games are scheduled before the squad leaves for its 2-week trip to Florida and Tennessee.
The next intersquad game will be played on Friday, February 11, also at the Sporthallen Zuid in Amsterdam, starting at 11:45 PM.
Before the start of the practice, Head Coach Craig Montvidas introduced Leo Jenkins from London (England), who represents several American college sports teams, who travel to Europe to play games there.
Including therein is the softball-team of Notre Dame University.
Earlier in the morning, the possibility was discussed of bringing the Fighting Irish, the softballteam of Notre Dame, to the Netherlands to play a 4-game Friendly Challenge Series.
As possible playing dates were opted Saturday, October 15 and Sunday, October 16 with a double-header scheduled on both days.
More information about this possible event will be added when it becomes available.
From the Dutch Junior Red Team, Kiki Draaijer and Cindy van der Zanden today participated the intersquad game.
In today's game, Team Black led 5-2, but then Team Grey scored three runs in the eighth inning to tie the score.
No more runs were added by both teams, so today's game ended in a 5-5 tie.
Did the batters start with an 1-1 count last week, today, they began with a normal 0-0 count.
Today, eight innings were played.
There were 20 basehits, including three doubles and one homerun, six stolen bases, four walks, 13 strikeouts and two sacrifice bunts.
Also participating in today's game was former international Linda Hoenderdos, who will leave for Italy shortly to start preparations for her first season in the Italian Softball League.
Linda will play for Italian champion DES Caserta this season.
Linda had a memorable comeback in her first game in the National Team since August 6, 2005.
In that game, she entered the bronze medal game of the European Championship in Prague (Czech Republic) vs. Italy as a pinch-hitter for Ellen Venker in the fifth inning and grounded out.
Today, 5 years and 182 days (which is a total of 2008 days) after her last plate appearance, Linda stepped back into the batter's box in the first inning and at 11:57 AM connected on the first pitch she saw from pitcher Femke van Dusschoten and hit a homerun!
By the way, last year Femke was Linda's teammate while playing for Iber Lengua Terrasvogels.
The homerun (the first in this year's Tulip League) gave Team Black an 1-0 lead, but in the second inning Virginie Anneveld walked and scored the tying run on a wild pitch.
In the fourth inning, Cindy van der Zanden and Fabienne van Uden (who both singled) scored on a double by Linda Hoenderdos, who went 3-for-6.
Team Black added a run in the sixth inning when Areke Spel singled and scored on an error.
In the seventh, Team Grey got a run back thanks to an RBI-single by Nadine Marinus, scoring Virginie Anneveld (hit by pitch).
In the bottom of the seventh, Team Black increased the lead to 5-2 when Saskia Kosterink singled and scored on a double by Solange Starrenburg.
Trailing 5-2, Team Grey scored three runs in the eighth inning.
Nathalie Gosewehr and Merel Oosterveld first singled.
Then, Kiki Draaijer (Nathalie's pinch-runner) and Merel scored on a single by Nadine Marinus and a force play-grounder by Kiki Draaijer respectively.
Moments later, Nadine scored the tying run on an error.
Oh, by the way, the game in which Linda had her pinch-hit appearance vs. Italy more than five years ago was lost 2-1, resulting in the Dutch finishing in third place.
Also playing for the Dutch Team that year were current players Rebecca Soumeru, Nathalie Gosewehr and Saskia Kosterink.
For the latter, 2005 was her first year in the national team.
We would like to thank umpires Gerrit-Jan van der Hoeven and Louis 'Ponkey' Rohan for their participation in today's game.
As always, Head Coach Craig Montvidas addresses the players before the practice
Today, he introduced Leo Jenkins (standing at left with cap), who represenst American college sports teams
Dutch Juniors Cindy van der Zanden and Kiki Draaijer joined the National Team
Today's umpires Gerrit-Jan van der Hoeven and Ponkey Rohan
Team Black-pitchers Rebecca Soumeru and Ginger de Weert
Team Grey-pitchers Femke van Dusschoten and Dagmar Bloeming
Ready to field is short stop Chantal Versluis
Kiki Draaijer and Cindy van der Zanden playing at short and 2nd base
Looking on from the dug-out
Linda Hoenderdos moments before hitting a homerun in her first at bat in the 1st inning
At right, Linda is greeted by her teammates
Shortly after, Virginie Anneveld walks and scores the tying run on a wild pitch in the 2nd inning
In the 3rd at bat, Merel Oosterveld reaches third base, while Linda Hoenderdos retires the batter
At left, Lindsey Meadows has a 'talk' with her bat
At right, Fabienne van Uden has her eyes on the ball
Coaches Karen Marr and Craig Montvidas have a talk
In the back, pitcher Rebecca Soumeru delivers a pitch
At left, Plate Umpire Gerrit-Jan van der Hoeven gives the count
At right, Umpire Ponkey Rohan looks into the action
There was a lot of action on the basepaths today
Here, Lindsey Meadows steals second base in the 2nd inning
Short stop Chantal Versluis just ends up short
In the 3rd inning, Fabienne van Uden slides past Kiki Draaijer with a stolen base
Moments later, Cindy van der Zanden and Fabienne score the second and third run for Team Black
In the 6th inning, Areke Spel reaches for third base after advancing
3B Virginie Anneveld awaits the ball
In the 7th inning, Nadine Marinus successfully puts down a squeeze
Solange Starrenburg is the catcher; Gerrit-Jan van der Hoeven the umpire
Virginie Anneveld scores head-first on Nadine's squeeze
At right, a sliding 1B Saskia Kosterink fields the ball and keeps her eyes on the action
Umpire Gerrit-Jan van der Hoeven signals the bunt is fair; catcher Solange Starrenburg points at the action
In the 7th inning, Solange Starrenburg slides into second base safely with a double
2B Merel Oosterveld is just too late putting on the tag
In the 8th inning, Nathalie Gosewehr steals second base
Short stop Chantal Versluis has no play
Karin Tuk (left) and Nadine Marinus at second and first base in the 8th inning
Saskia Kosterink is playing at first, Cindy van der Zanden at second base
Virginie Anneveld connects, but lines out in the 8th inning
Solange Starrenburg is the catcher, Gerrit-Jan van der Hoeven the umpire
After the game, the players conduct their conditioning program
More conditioning drills
And more
After completion of the practice, the coaches had a challenge
Here, Head Coach Craig Montvidas carries a bag of equipment
And here, Coach Karen Marr does the same
The challenge was to get all the equipment in the (small) car of Karen
But in the end, they succeeded
Because of the strong winds today, planes flew over Amsterdam and Sporthallen Zuid
low and slowly and must have a lot of turbulence approaching the runway of Schiphol Airport
Here, a cargo-plane of Singapore Airlines is on final approach
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