European Softball Championships 2007
	Netherlands vs. Czech Republic May 27, 2007

Compiled and Copyright © 1997-2007 by Marco Stoovelaar

Dutch open with victory
Nederlands | Box Score & More information
AMSTERDAM (Neth.) - The Dutch National Softball Team on Sunday-evening opened the 15th European Women Championships with a 3-1 victory against the Czech Republic in an attractive opening game in front of a massive home crowd.

...Approximately 2000 spectators watched the opener... ...of the 15th European Softball Championships... (Photo: Marco Stoovelaar)

Despite some threatening weather, the beautiful Pirates Softball Stadium at Sportpark Ookmeer in Amsterdam was packed and had a capacity crowd of approximately 2000 spectators, who first saw the Opening Ceremony, then the Opening Game.
After introduction of the ten participating countries, umpires and official scorers, Tournament President Lex van Zaane, KNBSB President Ruud van Zetten and ESF Delegate Totoni Sanna addressed the crowd and the participants, the national anthems of the Netherlands and Europe then followed and the ceremonial first pitch was thrown by Mrs. Teulings, the Chairman of the Amsterdam-Osdorp Borough.

The good turnout by the spectators showed that there is a lot of interest in an attractive softball-tournament in the Netherlands. For years, the international Haarlem Softball Week was a bi-annual strong tournament with leading teams from around the world. Unfortunately, the tournament isn't organized anymore. In his opening remarks, Lex van Zaane, the President of the Organizing Committee, stated that it is the intention of his foundation BASTA (Baseball And Softball Tournaments Amsterdam) to organize an annual (international) softball-event in the Dutch capital.

The Dutch team, which started the game and the event with some healthy tension, got the bases loaded in the first inning, but failed to score. Czech starter Eliska Cerná-Pojerová walked lead-off hitter Saskia Kosterink, who then advanced on a wild pitch and a sac-bunt by Kim Kluijskens. Hereafter Cerná also walked Marloes Fellinger, then walked Sandra Gouverneur intentionally to set up a force play. That wasn't needed, as she ended the inning strongly by striking out Nina van Huissteden and Noémi Boekel.

The Czech team immediately got the momemtum out of that first at bat and opened the score in the next inning. With one out, Eva Rendlová singled, then Dutch starter Kristi DeVries walked Magdalena Loudová with two outs. A grounder by Lenka Spurná towards short then not only didn't result in a force out at second base, but also in a run as Rendlová was able to score.

...The Dutch team scored twice in the fifth inning... (Photo: Marco Stoovelaar)

The Dutch team again got runners on base in the second inning, but didn't score again. Finally, that did happen in the third inning. With one out, Sandra Gouverneur hit a hard grounder towards third, which was credited with an error, and reached first base. After advancing on a wild pitch, a flyout followed, but Gouverneur was able to move up to third base. Then Jolanda Kroesen was brought in as pinch-hitter for Noémi Boekel and did was she does best, hitting the ball hard. Kroesen singled through the middle and Gouverneur scored the tying run. Next batter Daisy de Peinder fouled out to end the inning.

In the fifth inning, the Dutch took charge of the game with good baserunning. Kim Kluijskens led off with an infield-hit and was replaced by pinch-runner Dana Horeman, who advanced on sac-bunt by Marloes Fellinger. The Czech coaches then decided to bring in Jitka Zakorová in relief for Eliska Cerna-Pojerová, who started with a wild pitch, then was greeted with a single by Sandra Gouverneur, enabling Horeman to score the go-ahead run. Horeman became only the second Dutch player whose father played in an European Baseball Championship, being Harm Horeman. The other player is Bertil Haage's daughter Femke Haage, who participated in the EC 2005 in Prague. On the throw to home, Gouverneur advanced to second base. She then moved to third when a grounder by Nina van Huissteden ended in a throwing error. After a strikeout, Daisy de Peinder grounded the ball back to Zakorová. Gouverneur took off for home, Zakorová threw the ball to the catcher, but Gouverneur beat the throw and scored. In the sixth inning, the Dutch again came into scoring position, but this time, Saskia Kosterink was eliminated at home in an one-three-situation and another runner stranded at third base.

After giving up the run in the second inning, Dutch pitcher Kristi DeVries settled down and took control of the game. She was supported with some fine defensive plays, like a fine double play, set-up by third baseman Noémi Boekel, in the fourth inning. From the third through sixth inning, only three Czech batters reached base and only one of them reached third base, which happened in the fifth with two outs.

In the seventh inning, the tension came back, as the Czech team got the bases loaded with no outs. Eva Rendlová led off with a walk and moved on a wild pitch, then next batter Jenka Jaklová appeared to be thrown out by Noémi Boekel at first base, but after a conference, that call was reversed, as first baseman Kim Kluijskens was in touch with the wrong side of the first base (the red side, instead of the white side) when she received the ball. Now with runners on first and third base, another wild pitch followed, but only moved the runner from first base. Magdalena Loudová then walked, which loaded the bases. Kristi DeVries then recovered strongly and struckout the next two batters, before ending the game on a comeback-grounder by Dina Pfeiferová.
(May 27)