Dutch pitchers rack up nine strikeouts in triumph over Germany

Dutch pitchers rack up nine strikeouts in triumph over Germany
22/10/2022
The Netherlands ended the Placement Round by defeating Germany, 3-0. They will finish in eighth place, with the same record as Venezuela.

Three pitchers of the Netherlands combined for nine strikeouts to help record a 3-0 win against Germany in their last game on Saturday in the Placement Round of the IV WBSC U-23 Baseball World Cup.

The Dutch outhit Germany 7-3 and the pitchers played solidly on the mound against the Germans.

The Netherlands had a chance to score in the second, with Jeandro Tromp trying to score on a base hit by Delano Selassa. Centre fielder Brandon Schrepf threw a bullet to catcher Maurice Rendrien, who tagged Kemp for the out.

After three scoreless innings, Van Borkulo first reached on a walk, and Delano Selassa doubled to left centre to send him to home plate, putting the Netherlands on the scoreboard in the bottom of the fourth.

Into the fifth, Shervyen Newton doubled down the right field line, advanced on a Tommy Van De Sanden’s single, and scored on a balk. Van De Sanden added another run for the Netherlands, extending the lead to 3-0.

Besides starting pitcher Florian Kawczynski, five other German pitchers took the mound, including Giraud, Ira Clifton, Noah Lindt, Christoph Ehrich, and Simon Baumer, while the Netherlands utilised three pitchers.

Starter Aaron De Groot and relievers Kevin Bakker and Jefrem Leon allowed Germany only three hits and combined nine strikeouts. Leon ended the game by striking out two.

The Netherlands finished the Placement Round with a 4-1 record, the same as Venezuela, while Puerto Rico finished at 1-4.