2015 Holland Series

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2015 Holland Series: Curaçao Neptunus (33-9) defeated Corendon Kinheim (29-11), 4 games to 1

Introduction

The 2015 Holland Series was the 29th Holland Series. It was the fifth Holland Series between Neptunus and Kinheim, the teams meeting each year from 1993-1995 and again in 2012. Neptunus won its third straight title. 2B Benjamin Dille was named Series MVP for the third time of his career.

Teams

Neptunus

Two-time defending titlists Neptunus remained a powerhouse, going 33-9 with a 302-117 run differential, then 6-3 in the play-offs; they also won the 2015 European Cup. OF Christian Diaz (431/.545/.626, 31 R) led the league in average, OBP and slugging, IF Dwayne Kemp (.368/.410.497, 39 R) tied for the lead with 20 steals, OF Shaldimar Daantji hit .358/.404/.508 and C Gianison Boekhoudt (.277/.420/.466) had the lowest average of their regulars but led the league with 42 RBI and tied for first with 8 dingers. Belgian import Kenny Vandenbranden was the ace at 8-1, 1.26 while former AA hurler Diegomar Markwell (9-2, 2.06) led the league in wins. Loek van Mil (2-1, 6 Sv, 0.36) had been the top reliever but had left to sign with the Minnesota Twins late in the year then returned in time for tthe Series; Jorian van Acker (1-0, 1.65) was also a fine bullpen option). They were managed by Evert-Jan 't Hoen

Kinheim

Managed by Wim Martinus, Kinheim had gone 29-11 in the 2015 Hoofdklasse campaign (263 R, 146 RA) and 6-3 in the play-offs. C Dashenko Ricardo (.420/.441/.609, 40 RBI) led the league with 71 hits and 103 total bases while IF Mervin Gario (.395/.486/.571) led with 41 runs and OF Bryan Engelhardt (.295/.392/.571, 35 RBI) won his eighth home run crown, tying for the lead with eight home runs. Tom Stuifbergen (4-1, Sv, 1.81), pitching coach-player David Bergman (8-2, 1.90) and Pim Walsma (3-0, 1.30) were the top hurlers.

Games

September 12

Game 1 in Familiestadion

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Kinheim	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	1	7	3
Neptunus	0	0	3	1	0	2	0	1	X	7	10	1
Win: Markwell (1-0) Loss: Bergman (0-1)

Neptunus started off the series on a good note. In the third, SS Kemp doubled and 2B Dille walked. 3B Raily Legito singled in Kemp and C Boekhoudt singled in Dille for a 2-0 lead. RF Diaz contributed a sacrifice fly for a third run off Bergman. They added insurance in the 4th on a double by DH Gyenuar Lopez, a single by CF Daantji and a two-out error by 3B Gario on a grounder from Dille.

Kinheim got their lone run in the 6th. 2B Kevin Moesquit singled off Markwell. After Gario whiffed, LF Engelhardt grounded the runner up. RF Phil Ortez then singled to make it 4-1. Neptunus pulled further away in the 6th. Daantji and LF Urving Kemp both singled, then Dwayne Kemp and Dille flew out. Legito drew a walk. Boekhoudt into a two-run error by Moesquit as Kinheim's defense again hampered them. In the 8th, defense again played a role in a Neptunus run (4 of their 7 runs today were unearned). Dille hit into a one-out error by Gario, then Legito singled him to third and Boekhoudt grounded him home.

Markwell left after 8 innings (6 H, 1 BB, 7 K) and Kevin Kelly closed it up.

September 13

Game 2 in Familiestadion

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Kinheim	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	5	0
Neptunus	2	0	0	1	3	3	0	0	X	9	9	1
Win: Yntema (1-0) Loss: Wassink (0-1)

Kinheim started off well against Orlando Yntema as 2B Moesquit was hit by a pitch, 3B Gario singled and stole second, LF Engelhardt whiffed, RF Ortez grounded out, C Ricardo hit into an error by SS Dwayne Kemp and 1B Jeffrey Arends singled to make it 2-0. Neptunus answered quickly on a walk to Dwayne Kemp and a two-run homer by 2B Dille; Dille (celebrating his 29th birthday today) had last gone deep in July 2012.

In the bottom of the 4th, the hosts took the lead for good. 1B Rien Vernooij walked and stole, DH Lopez singled and CF Daantji singled in Vernooij. In the 5th, they got some more offense. Dille started it with a single and 3B Legito doubled to chase Wassink. Former minor leaguer Scott Ronnenbergh relieved and fanned C Boekhoudt, then RF Diaz grounded to second, but the throw went home to get Dille. Vernooij singled in Legito, though, and Lopez smacked a two-run double to make it 5-2. In the 6th, LF Urving Kemp singled, Dwayne Kemp walked and Dille kept his birthday party going with a two-run triple. Walsma relieved and allowed a sacrifice fly to Legito for the final run. Like Markwell last game, Yntema went 8 innings, with Berry van Driel going 1-2-3 in the 9th to wrap it up.

September 18

Game 3 in Pim Mulier Stadium

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Neptunus	2	5	0	0	0	0	0	0	4	11	10	3
Kinheim	0	0	0	0	0	5	0	0	1	6	11	4
Win: Markwell (2-0) Loss: Veltkamp (0-1) Save: van Mil (1)

Neptunus kept on cruising. With one out in the first, 2B Dille singled off Nick Veltkamp and 3B Legito hit a two-run homer. In a five-run second that put it away, five different players drove in runs in a sustained charge. Dille finished 3-for-4 with two runs, RF Diaz had four hits and Legito had 3 RBI. Neptunus' lead was trimmed to 7-5 before 4 unearned runs in the 9th off Arshwin Asjes thanks to errors by Asjes and 3B Gario (who was Kinheim's offensive star, with 3 hits, a walk and a RBI). Neptunus moved one win from the title.

September 19

Game 4 in Pim Mulier Stadium

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Neptunus	0	0	0	0	0	0	4	0	0	4	11	0
Kinheim	0	0	2	0	3	0	1	2	X	8	13	0
Win: Stuifbergen (1-0) Loss: Vandenbranden (0-1) Save: Walsma (1)

Kinheim avoided a sweep, beating ace Vandenbranden with a strong effort. They got going in the third on a walk to DH Ortez, a bunt single by SS Dudley Leonora, a one-out walk to 2B Moesquit, a sacrifice fly by 3B Gario and a RBI single by LF Engelhardt. They padded their lead significantly in the 5th. Leonora singled and was bunted over by RF Jochem Koedijk. Moesquit grounded out, then Gario singled in Leonora. Engelhardt smacked a two-run dinger for a 5-0 lead.

In the top of the 7th, Neptunus made it a game. Shut out for six frames by former AAA hurler and Dutch national team regular Stuifbergen, they started the scoring that inning with a one-out homer by C Boekhoudt. RF Diaz and 1B Vernooij both singled and with two outs, Daantji had a RBI single to make it 5-2. Walsma relieved Stuifbergen and walked LF Urving Kemp then gave up a two-run single to SS Dwayne Kemp and the lead was down to one. That brought up 2B Dille, a two-time Holland Series MVP (who would win again this year). He struck out this time and Walsma allowed nothing more in the 8th or 9th for the save.

Meanwhile, Kinheim was adding insurance. With two away in the bottom of the 7th, Engelhardt homered off van Acker to become the first player to hit two home runs in a Holland Series game since Lars Koehorst in 1999. In the bottom of the 8th, C Ricardo and 1B Arends singled off van Acker, Ortez bunted them over, Leonora walked and Koedijk hit a two-run single for the final runs.

September 20

Game 5 in Pim Mulier Stadium

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Neptunus	4	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	6	9	0
Kinheim	0	1	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	2	7	2
Win: Yntema (2-0) Loss: Wassink (0-2)

Neptunus closed out the Series with an explosive start. SS Dwayne Kemp opened by getting hit by a pitch from Wassink, then stole second and scored on a single by 2B Dille. C Boekhoudt had a one-out RBI double, then RF Diaz singled for the first of his three hits today. 1B Vernooij's sacrifice fly scored Boekhoudt. DH Lopez walked and CF Daantji hit into a run-scoring error by SS Leonora. In the top of the second against reliever Bergman, Dille had a one-out single, 3B Legito singled, Boekhoudt walked and Diaz had a RBI force-out for a 5-0 lead. It was the only run in 5 2/3 innings allowed by Bergman before back problems forced his exit.

Kinheim got their first run in the bottom of the second off Yntema. CF Kalian Sams walked, C Ricardo singled and DH Ortez had a one-out RBI single. Leonora singled to load the bases but Yntema retired RF Koedijk and 2B Moesquit (the latter on a liner back to the mound). He cruised from there until the bottom of the 7th, when Leonora doubled, Koedijk singled and Moesquit hit into a run-scoring force. They challenged for more as LF Engelhardt walked later but Sams struck out to end the rally. Yntema left with 2 runs allowed in 7 then 2014 Series MVP van Driel went a 1-2-3 8th and former AAA pitcher van Mil had a 1-2-3 9th. Neptunus got their last run in the top of the 9th against Asjes. Boekhoudt walked, Diaz singled, Vernooij walked and Lopez hit a sacrifice fly.