As baseball and softball seasons are finally starting in Europe, after being sidelined due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the first international women's softball games of the year will be staged in Germany. On Sunday, the 32nd best-ranked softball nation in the world, Germany, will play host to No. 9 Netherlands in a friendly doubleheader. The games will be held at Wesseling Vermins field in Cologne.
The two games, starting at 1 p.m. local time, will be live-streamed through SoftbaldinoTV.
After a disappointing 2019 season for the Netherlands, losing the final of the European Championship to Italy and finishing in third place at the WBSC Softball Europe/Africa Olympic Qualifier on home soil, the Netherlands’ new head coach Ferenc Jongejan named 15 players to make the trip to Germany. Eight of them are back from last year’s team:
Pitchers
Margot van Eijl
Marjolein Merkx
Rebecca Soumeru
Eva Voortman
Catchers
Brenda Beers
Laura Wissink
Infielders
Lizzie Clarijs
Shakeena Croes
Maxime van Dalen
Suka van Gurp
Marielle Vleugels
Britt Vonk
Outfielders
Jessie van Aalst
Wies Ligtvoet
Cindy van der Zanden
Reserve
Yindi Beekveldt
Bullpen catcher
Tess Remmers