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Day 14: Softball & Baseball in Hot Allentown
Day 14 of our trip was an extremely hot day, as a heatwave is currently going on in Allentown.
Today's highs were 95 degrees Fahrenheit (about 35 degrees Celsius). This, combined with the humidity, compares to what it can be in Beijing during the Olympic Games.
So, besides have daily practice sessions, we all also can get somewhat acquainted with the Chinese weather conditions.
This Saturday, another practice session was scheduled.
On the field on Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive, the focus today went to hitting with several hitting stations, but also a batting practice on live pitching.
Hereafter, today's outing was again completed with a brief conditioning and running session.
After returning back to the hotel and having lunch, everyone got a few hours off, before we had dinner in our Mexican restaurant across the street.
After dinner, everyone had off and had the option of going to the fourth game between the Philadelphia Force and New England Riptide, visiting the triple-A baseball game between the Lehigh Valley IronPigs and Rochester Red Wings, or stay at the hotel.
Most players went to the softball-game at ECTB Stadium, while Coach Linda Wells, Assistant Coach Rob Walgien and Media Officer/Webmaster Marco Stoovelaar went to Coca-Cola Park (can you think of a better name?) to see part of the baseball-game.
For the record:
Philadelphia Force shutout New England Riptide, 3-0, behind superb pitching of Megan Gibson, who made her professional debut and threw a complete game 3-hitter and struckout nine batters.
The match-up completed their 4-game series, which was split, 2-2.
In the bottom of the first inning, Riptide-centerfielder Gina Carbonatto made three outstanding defensive plays. She robbed lead-off batter Clare Burnum and next batter Chelsea Spencer of homeruns by catching the ball over the fence, then made a diving catch on a hit by Megan Gibson.
In the second inning, the Force opened the score on a homerun by Jenna Hall off starting pitcher Erica Beach, then added two runs in the fourth inning.
At Coca-Cola Stadium, home playing Lehigh Valley IronPigs, the triple-A team of the Philadelphia Phillies won 8-2 vs. the Rochester Red Wings, the triple-A affiliate of the Minnesota Twins in front of a sell-out crowd of almost 10.000 spectators.
In the game Red Wings 1B Randy Ruiz was ejected in the sixth inning after IronPigs batter Jason Jaramillo was hit by a pitch.
In the seventh inning, José Morales homered for Rochester.
The IronPigs are playing in their first season in Allentown. Coca-Cola Park was officially opened in April of this year during the first home game of the IronPigs.
As always, the day on the field started with a meeting
Pitchers Dagmar Bloeming, Judith van Kampen and Rebecca Soumeru
Pitchers Kristi de Vries and Anouk Mels
Catcher Nina van Huissteden and 1B Kim Kluijskens batting
Catcher Ellen Venker in full gear
Catchers Ellen Venker and Nina van Huissteden completed their practice
A youth baseball-game was going on on the field besides the softball-field
Assistant Coach Rob Walgien hits another one to the outfielders
Time for a break to drink a lot of water on this extremely hot day
Chantal Versluis prepares to go at bat
A relaxing moment for Assistant Coach Rob Walgien after throwing batting practice
Players have a break in the shadow
An overview of the softball-field on Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive
A running session concluded today's practice
Business Manager Caroline Theunissen and Coach Linda Wells return after practice
The immense scoreboard of Coca-Cola Park (how about that for a name of your field?)
A sellout crowd visited the AAA-game between Lehigh Valley and Rochester in Allentown
A view from behind home plate
Assistant Coach Rob Walgien and Media Officer/Webmaster Marco Stoovelaar in the stadium
(photo taken by Linda Wells)
Coach Linda Wells with Assistant Coach Rob Walgien and Media Officer Marco Stoovelaar
(right photo taken by Rob Walgien)
The view from the picknick-area behind centerfield
The home of the Lehigh Valley IronPigs
Dutch Catcher Ellen Venker with New England Riptide Pitcher Jocelyn Forest
The two were teammates in 2003 at DSC '74, which then won the Dutch title
Go back to the schedule of the 2nd USA Tour
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