Olympic Qualifying Tournament 2007
	Netherlands vs. Slovakia June 9, 2007

Compiled and Copyright © 1997-2007 by Marco Stoovelaar

Dutch open with convincing victory
Nederlands | Box Score & Play-by-Play
STARANZANO (Italy) - The Dutch Softball Team opened the Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Italy on Saturday-afternoon with a convincing 14-0 shutout-victory against Slovakia. In the next game, the Dutch will face Italy on Sunday-evening.
Today's game started with a temperature of approximately 33 degrees Celsius, but there was a cool breeze. The hot temperatures were temperarily lowered when a brief shower appeared out of nowhere after the third inning and lasted a few minutes.

...Winning Pitcher Dagmar Bloeming... (Photo: Marco Stoovelaar)

The Dutch team decided the game right away in the first at bat. Saskia Kosterink opened with a basehit, followed by a bunt-single by Kim Kluijskens, who today celebrated her birthday. A throwing error followed on the bunt. Both players then scored when a hit by Sandra Gouverneur ended in a throwing error. A double by Debby Conner, who was added to the roster on Friady, increased the lead to 3-0. Hereafter, Noémi Boekel, Jolanda Kroesen and Petra van Heijst also singled. The first at bat produced five runs and the tone was set. But shortly before, Slovakia threatened to open the score in their first at bat. Pitcher Dagmar Bloeming herself retired the lead-off hitter on a comebacker, but then had to allow an infield-hit to Katariná Vrabceková. She was eliminated shortly after on a force play-grounder by Andrea Vasková, but then Kristína Jevicová hit a nice double down the line to put runners on second and third base. Dagmar Bloeming then took charge of the inning herself and ended it with a strikeout. In the next two innings, she wouldn't allowed more baserunners. Judith van Kampen finishe the job in the fourth and fifth inning and only allowed one basehit in the fifth at bat.

In the meantime, the Dutch team continued scoring. In the second inning, three runs were added on only one basehit. Kim Kluijskens (error), Sandra Gouverneur and Noémi Boekel (both walks) reached base, then a wild pitch, a basehit by Jolanda Kroesen (who was 3-for-3) and a fielder's choice on a grounder by Nina van Huissteden accounted for the runs.

In the third, the Dutch team had another productive inning. This time, six players passed home plate and increased the lead to 14-0. With the bases loaded and one out, the Slovakian coach made a pitching change, but the new pitcher was greeted with a single by Debby Conner, which gave the Dutch two more runs. An error on a hit by Noémi Boekel, singles by Jolanda Kroesen and Petra van Heijst and a sacrifice fly by Nina van Huissteden resulted in four more runs. In the fouth inning, it appeared that the Dutch would end the game with a 15-run difference, but then Kim Kluijskens was thrown out at the plate on a nice throw by rightfielder Monika Guranová (who had just entered the game), who plays in the Dutch big league for Van der Peijl DSC '74.

The Dutch team played solid defense, made no errors and collected thirteen basehits, including three by Jolanda Kroesen and Kim Kluijskens.
Seven of the nine players in the Dutch line-up hit at least one basehit. Kim Kluijskens (who reached base four times), Sandra Gouverneur and Noémi Boekel all scored three runs. All players reached base, but eight of the nine players reached base at least twice in this game.
(June 9)