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Sept 26
The Danish Fastball season ended last weekend. The men's final
was between Ballerup, winners of the European Cup (Champioship
for European National Champions from the previous year) and Allerod,
winners of the Cup winners Cup (Champioship for teams that came
in second at their Nationals the previous year). It was a repeat
of last years Championships and a battle of European Champions.
The final was a best out of 3 and a real crowd pleaser. Like
last year, Allerod won the 1st game. After 7 scoreless innings
the game was decided in the bottom of the 12th inning and Allerod
winning 4 to 3 (great game!).
In the second game, Ballerup did not give up and scored 4 runs
in the 1st inning. Allerod decided to preserve their number one
pitcher, Martin Holmberg, and replaced him after the 1st inning.
Ballerup won the game in a 5 inning mercy.
The 3 rd and final game went in to extra innings as well. Ballerup
winning in the 8th inning, with the bases loaded and a game (series)
ending double play.
Games 1 and 3 were probably the most exciting fastball games
ever played on Danish soil.
Ballerup is the first Danish fastball team to ever win the "triple crown".
The Elite Cup Champions (Open Danish year long tournament for elite division
teams in Denmark), The European Cup Champions and Danish National Champions
in the same year.
It was a great season for the Ballerup fastball club The men's
team accomplishments, the women's team also won the National title
and the junior program, that was started last year, is now up to
31 registered juniors, between the ages of 10 and 15.
The men's team is now very seriously considering the invitation
that they have received for the 2004 ISC World Championships in
Fargo ND. The financial considerations will be presented at a meeting
next Wednesday and they seem to be in place. The biggest obstacle
seems to be that the dates might coincide with the European Cup
(EC) dates. The Ballerup team is now considering bidding for the
EC, so that it would be held in Ballerup and thereby Ballerup would
have an influence on the date that the EC will be held in 2004.
Hope that everyone had a great fastball season and for those that
are about to start, have a great one.
Take care
Gilles Fournier
mailto:sb.herre.landshold@dbasof.dk
The semifinals in The Danish National league was played during
this
weekend. The finalists are decided in best of three series.
The first semi was between Odense Giants (finalists from 93-98
with 4
Championships) and the Penguins (Bronze '01 silver'02 EuropeanCWC
Champions '02 and '03) Penguins toppped the league in the regular
season. Penguins only needed two games to proceed to the finals.
Martin
Holmberg pitched a no hitter as the only baserunner was allowed
on base
by an infield error. The game ended 2-0 both runs scorde by the
Kiwis on
the Penguins team; 2'nd baseman Steve McFarlane and Catcher Sam
Woodcock. The second game was a close battle with a good start from
the
Giants team, with 6 hits and 8 baserunners in the first three innings
-
but no runs. Again Steve McFarlane proved valuable for the Penguins
as
he scored Sam Woodcock with a double. Penguins scored 3 runs in
the top
of 5th - this took the spirit out of the Giants and the Penguins
took
the spot in the finals with a 6-1 win.
The second semi was between the defending Champions Ballerup Vandals
(Champions '96 '98 '00 '01 '02 EC Champions '03) and the unexperienced
Bulls. Bulls played the first game without their first-choice pitcher
Kim Hansen (only aged 17). The lack of their pitcher was evident
and the
Vandals took an easy win: 15-0. Kim Hansen was back for the sunday
game
and the Bulls started off with high spirits, getting their leadoff
batter Martin Sørensen on base with an single. Pitcher Thomas
Bonde
struck out the next two batters and an out at first ended the Bulls
in
this inning. Thomas Bonde allowed only this one hit and the Vandals
won
the game on two runs by Canadian Pat McCarron (single HR) and Jesper
Petersen on a wild pitch to end the Game 3-0. Thomas Bonde allowing
only
1 run in the two games. The young Bulls team proved to be a team
to look
out for in the future.
The finals is played next weekend - betwen the defending champions
Vandals and Penguins, with the Penguins looking for revenge for
last
years loss in the finals.
The winner of this three games series can truely call itself the
best
Fastpitch team in Europe as both the European Cups was won by these
two
team respectively.
The two finalists of the Dutch National Fastpitch League are not
a
surprise. The defending National Champions Raggers Thamen (Uithoorn)
has to
face the nr. 1 of the regular competition AIMS EHS (Haarlem). Raggers
Thamen beat the nr. 3 seeded TIW Survivors (Diemen) in 4 games.
Pitcher
Tuti Rumai won 3 games, 53 year old Paya Boekhouder taking the 4th
win.
After winning the first two games 10-0 and 5-0, AIMS EHS co mpleted
another
shut out 0-11 in 6 innings (mercy rule). AIMS EHS got off to a great
start
scoring 5 runs in the first inning when Beaumont reached first on
a bunt
and Michel Groenhart hit a line drive to left field. Both runners
advanced
on a fly ball in deep right field by CJ van Bommel and they both
scored on
a single by Milton Gilbert. Gilbert and Peter Kolderie (reached
on walk)
scored on a triple to right/center by centerfielder Erik Vrugt.
The fifth
run was scored by Vrugt on a single to right field by Eric Beugeling.
This comfortable lead was defended in great style by Danish ace
Jesper
Panduro who threw a convincing 2-hitter. The AIMS EHS defense lead
in this
three game series by Panduro (Denmark) and Glen Moreland (Richmond
Hill,
ON) combined for 42 K?s, 4 walks, 5 hits and no runs in 18 innings!!!
After Rob Wilmink and Jeffrey Visser scored 2 runs in the 4th,
Visser,
Wilmink and Beaumont scored on a grand slam game by Michel Groenhart.
National Team short stop Groenhart lead the offense 6 for 9 with
a single,
a double and four HR?s, 9 RBI?s and scoring 5 runs!
Box Scores:
AIMS EHS...5...0...0...2...0...4...=...11...10...0
Kokolishi.....0...0...0...0...0...0...=...0...2...2
WP: Jesper Panduro (AIMS EHS): 16-1-2-0
LP: Alwin Bonafacio (Kokolishi): 2-2-10-2
The Holland Series (best of seven) will start coming weekend in
Haarlem,
The Netherlands with a double header followed by a double header
in
Uithoorn on Saturday the 27th. A possible game 5 and 6 will be played
in
Haarlem again on Saturday October 4th. A possible game 7 will be
played on
Sunday October 5th in Uithoorn.
Cheers,
Norm
Norman Ames
http://home.quicknet.nl/qn/prive/n.ames
norman.ames@gielissen.nl
GROENHART (3) VAN BOMMEL (2) AND KOLDERIE (1) COMBINE FOR 6 HR'S
IN DOUBLE
HEADER. PITCHING STAFF, PANDURO AND MORELAND COMBINE FOR 26 K?s
AND THREE
HITS IN 12 INNINGS.
Game 1
Jesper Panduro threw a 1 hitter against the strong hitting team
of
Kokolishi striking out 12 in 5 innings. Offensively AIMS EHS got
on the
board quickly in the first with a two out rally when short stop
Michel
Groenhart hit a solo shot over the right field fence followed by
a 3-run HR
of the bat of CJ van Bommel that also scored Panduro (walk) and
Kolderie
(single). Runs in the second and third were followed by a 4-run
fourth
including a line drive solo HR by Peter Kolderie.
Box score:
Kokolishi.....0...0...0...0...0...=.....0...1...0
AIMS EHS...4...1...1...4...x...=...10...9...0
WP Panduro (AIMS EHS) 12-3-1-0
LP Anthony (Kokolishi) 1-3-9-0
Game 2
44-year old Canadian ace Glen Moreland (Richmond Hill, ON) pitched
a great
game coming back from a shoulder injury. Perfect until the sixth
when
Moreland gave up a single to Owen de Windt followed by a single
in the 7th
by Julius Veeris.
AIMS EHS took the lead in he 2nd when CJ van Bommel hit his second
HR of
the day over the right field fence. Michel Groenhart did the same
in the
3rd followed by a productive 5th in which Eric Beugeling hit a lead
off
double followed by a double by Anthony Beaumont. In the end it was
the MVP
of this weekend Michel Groenhart who hit his 3rd HR of the day.
A
?screaming? 100meter (300ft) shot to left center field.
AIMS EHS needs only one win next week to advance to the ?Holland
Series?.
By this we will secure already a spot in the 2004 European Cup.
AIMS EHS
will play the winner of the second semi between Thamen and Survivors
(1-1).
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