Sparks win title in Dutch Golden Softball League after thriller

Post date: Oct 15, 2016 2:33:38 AM

The Haarlem Sparks have repeated as National Champions of the Dutch Golden Softball League. In a thrilling 1-0 finale victory over Terrasvogels, Chantal Versluis scored the winning run in the 8th inning — a game in which she was honored for her 100th international game.

The game was a pitcher’s duel, with each team allowing only three hits each — three for Spark’s Rebecca Soumeru and three for Terrasvogels’ Dani Bonnet. Britt Vonk monopolized the hits for Terrasvogels — recording all three hits, but could not manage to record any RBIs.

With the game scoreless after seven regulation innings, Chantal Versluis started the 8th inning on second base due to the international tie-breaker rule. Terrasvogels quickly got into a jam with the bases loaded. Jenny Kinburn then hit a ground ball to second baseman Britt Vonk, whose high throw to home allowed Versluis — the 2015 Golden League MVP — to score the game’s only run and give the Sparks the national title.

The Holland Series MVP Award went to Soumeru, who threw eight shutout innings, including ten strikeouts.

Sparks Haarlem and Terrasvogels have now faced each other thirteen times in a Holland Series, with the Sparks winning seven times. This marks the 23rd national championship for the Haarlem club — 12 of which were won under the name HHC.