With the Dutch Hoofdklasse regular season approaching its conclusion, Kinheim secured its place in the playoffs by completing a series sweep against UVV. Oosterhout Twins also strengthened its postseason position with three crucial victories over direct rival HCAW.
In Hoofddorp, Amsterdam Pirates pitcher Lars Huijer delivered the weekend’s standout individual performance. The right-hander held Hoofddorp Pioniers hitless over five innings to record the third no-hitter of his Hoofdklasse career.
UVV vs. Kinheim
Kinheim Opens Doubleheader With 11-6 Victory
Kinheim immediately took control of the opening game at Sportpark de Paperclip, scoring seven runs in the top of the first inning.
The Haarlem lineup produced five doubles during the opening rally. Jesse Velders, Jair van Borkulo, Max Draijer, Amarensio Franka and Raydley Legito all recorded two-base hits, while Luca van Gorkum provided the biggest swing of the inning with a three-run home run.
UVV responded in the bottom of the second when Dayrell Pieternella hit a solo homer, but Kinheim restored its seven-run advantage in the third. Van Gorkum and Jayvon Vicario opened the inning with singles before Legito lifted a sacrifice fly to make it 8-1.
The home side mounted a serious comeback attempt in the fifth inning. Geoffrey Verhoef started the rally with a solo home run, while hits from Pieternella, Marvin Jakobus and Reyer Lind helped UVV reduce the deficit to 8-5.
Kinheim prevented the game from slipping away and added three more runs before the end of the contest. UVV scored once more, but the visitors closed out an 11-6 victory.
Noah Zavolas was credited with the win for Kinheim.
Final score: UVV 6, Kinheim 11
Eight-Run Third Inning Leads Kinheim to Sweep
The second game of the doubleheader began in completely different fashion, with UVV producing the early offensive pressure.
Hits from Reyer Lind, Lucas Bekker, Geoffrey Verhoef and Dayrell Pieternella gave the home team a 2-0 lead in the first inning. Bekker’s contribution went for a double.
UVV extended its advantage to 5-0 one inning later. Julian Hutzezon doubled, while Lind and Jordy Burger added singles during another productive inning for the Utrecht lineup.
Kinheim erased the entire deficit in the top of the third, scoring eight runs to move ahead 8-5. Van Borkulo collected both a double and a single during the inning, while Aidan Finnegan, Vicario, Franka, Van Gorkum and Velders also recorded hits.
UVV pulled one run back in the fourth on a fielder’s choice, cutting Kinheim’s lead to 8-6. The Haarlem club then added an insurance run in the seventh. After drawing a walk, Franka advanced to second and eventually scored on a wild pitch.
Draijer tripled in the eighth and came home on another wild pitch, increasing the score to 10-6. Kinheim added two more runs in the ninth to complete a 12-6 victory.
The result secured the sweep for Kinheim and officially confirmed the Haarlem team’s place in the Hoofdklasse playoffs.
Final score: UVV 6, Kinheim 12
Hoofddorp Pioniers vs. Amsterdam Pirates
Lars Huijer Throws Third Career Hoofdklasse No-Hitter
Amsterdam Pirates needed only two batters to take the lead at Sportpark Pioniers.
Raphael Smeenk, batting second in the Pirates order, drove a solo home run over the left-field fence to give Amsterdam a 1-0 advantage in the opening inning.
The visitors broke the game open in the second by scoring five additional runs. Pirates added another run in the third and four more in the fifth, producing an 11-0 lead after five innings.
That was more than enough support for Lars Huijer, who completely controlled the Pioniers lineup. The Amsterdam starter did not allow a hit across five complete innings, issuing two walks and striking out eight batters.
Huijer’s dominant performance gave him the third no-hitter of his Dutch Hoofdklasse career.
Final score: Hoofddorp Pioniers 0, Amsterdam Pirates 11
Pirates Win 11-7 After Four-Run Ninth Inning
After being held without a hit in the first game, Pioniers responded with a remarkable offensive performance in the second contest. The home team collected 22 hits, including 12 against Amsterdam starter Dennis Burgersdijk.
Despite allowing frequent baserunners, Burgersdijk limited the damage. The right-hander completed six innings and surrendered only two runs, an unusual total considering the number of hits recorded against him.
Pirates also produced consistently at the plate, finishing the game with 17 hits. The high-scoring contest remained tied at 7-7 after eight innings before Amsterdam finally created separation in the ninth.
Jason Jakobus opened the decisive inning with a single. Julian Toppen then reached on a bunt that Pioniers failed to handle cleanly.
Jakobus scored on a wild pitch, and Toppen also crossed home plate before Mihai Bracacescu delivered a base hit. Bracacescu later scored on a sacrifice fly by Tommy van de Sanden. Alex Madera followed with an RBI single that brought Smeenk home and completed the four-run rally.
Pirates protected the lead in the bottom of the ninth and finished the afternoon with an 11-7 victory.
Final score: Hoofddorp Pioniers 7, Amsterdam Pirates 11
HCAW vs. Oosterhout Twins
Rob Paller Powers Twins to 6-2 Win
With both teams competing directly for a playoff position, Oosterhout Twins entered the weekend carrying momentum from its Thursday-night victory over HCAW.
Twins immediately added to that momentum by scoring three runs in the top of the first inning. Rob Paller and Railison Bentura each drove in a run with a double, while Luuk Bun added an RBI single.
HCAW answered with two runs in the third. Jesse Aussems and Arjen Nijkamp started the inning with base hits, and both runners eventually scored following a defensive error and a wild pitch.
Paller restored a two-run advantage for Twins in the fifth when he hit a solo home run to make it 4-2.
The former Colorado Rockies organization player delivered again two innings later. With Yves Poesmans and Daan Verpaalen on base, Paller hit a two-run double that extended the Twins lead to 6-2.
The Oosterhout pitching staff kept HCAW scoreless over the final four innings to secure the victory at the Rob Hoffmann Vallei.
Final score: HCAW 2, Oosterhout Twins 6
Twins Completes Crucial Sweep Against HCAW
Although the series victory had already been secured, Twins maintained its intensity in the final game.
The visitors took a 1-0 lead in the first inning after two walks and an HCAW fielding error. Twins added two more runs in the third through singles by Faas Sluijter and Daan Verpaalen, followed by a two-run hit from Bentura.
Another HCAW error allowed Thijmen Peters to score in the fourth, extending the advantage to 4-0.
HCAW scored its only run in the bottom half of the inning. Mees Robberse singled before Terrance Heemskerk drove him home with a double.
Twins continued to add to its lead during the remainder of the game and eventually completed a 7-1 victory.
By winning all three games against its closest playoff competitor, Oosterhout moved into a strong position entering the final stage of the regular season. The team now controls its own path toward qualification for the Hoofdklasse playoffs.
Final score: HCAW 1, Oosterhout Twins 7