2024 Holland Series

vs.

2024 Holland Series: Curaçao Neptunus (22-2) def. HCAW (16-7-1), 4 games to 0

Introduction

The 2024 Holland Series was the 38th Holland Series and was a rematch of 2022.

Teams

Neptunus

Neptunus had won a record 19 titles, but it had been six years since the last one. They were a dominant 22-2 in the regular season and swept Kinheim in the semifinals. They outscored opponents by a whopping 189-49 margin. The offensive was led by OBP leader Stijn van der Meer (.377/.524/.410), the shortstop. 1B/DH Arthur Bonevacia (.377/.468/.416) and RF Christian Diaz (.370/.417/.466) were among the many other fine hitters. Juan Carlos Sulbaran (6-0, 0.94) led the league in ERA while Tom de Blok (4-1, 1.05) was third and former major leaguer Shairon Martis (6-0, 1.72) fifth. Aaron de Groot (1-0, 1.29) led with four saves while Ryan Huntington was 2-0 with a 0.92 ERA out of the bullpen. They were managed by Greg Muller.

HCAW

HCAW, managed by Ronald Jaarsma, had been third in the regular season at 16-7-1 but upset defending champion Amsterdam in the semifinals. They had an even better offense (195 R) but allowed 104 runs, significantly more. They still had the #2 and 4 hurlers in ERA in Lars Huijer (6-1, 0.95) and Kaj Timmermans (5-0, 1.08) while #3 starter Dennis Burgersdijk was solid as well at 3-0, 1.82. Nick Keur (1-2, 3.86) was the only regular reliever with an ERA under 5, though, as the bullpen was no match for Neptunus's. C/OF Jair van Borkulo (.325/.505/.494) and CF Jeandro Tromp (.341/.474/.418) tied for the most runs in the 2024 Hoofdklasse (25) while 1B Shurman Marlin (.298/.390/.345) led with 24 RBI despite being among their worst starters in OPS.

Games

October 5

Game 1 in Neptunus Familiestadion

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
HCAW	1	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	3	4	0
Neptunus	0	0	1	0	0	1	0	3	x	5	9	1
Win: De Blok (1-0) Loss: Timmermans (0-1) Save: Bakker (1)

HCAW got to de Blok quickly. 2B Eric Brenk, a long-time veteran of the German Bundesliga, drew an opening walk. Tromp laid down a bunt and 1B Sheadion Jamanika made a two-base error. 3B Delano Selassa and RF van Borkulo each grounded into an out at home then DH Victor Draijer doubled in Selassa for the game's first run. They doubled the lead in the third as Brenk had a one-out walk, Selassa a two-out single, van Borkulo a walk and then de Blok uncorked a wild pitch as the former Tigers farmhand was wild in the early going. He settled down from there, allowing only one hit and one walk over the next five innings.

In the meantime, the home team had made a comeback. Jamanika and 3B Jesse Aussems opened the bottom of the third with hits. Van der Meer bunted them over and CF Darryl Collins (a former Royals minor leaguer) hit a sacrifice fly to bring in Jamanika. In the 6th, Collins singled off Timmermans and Diaz doubled him in. In the 8th, Timmermans was flagging but with the HCAW bullpen not effective, they stuck with him. Diaz had a two-out double for his third hit and Dwayne Kemp was intentionally walked. After Bonevacia walked as well, HCAW turned the ball over to Keur. He threw a wild pitch to give Neptunus the lead then C Vincent Ahrens, a German national team veteran, singled up the middle to bring in both Kemp and Bonevacia and make it 5-2.

Kevin Bakker succeeded de Blok in the 9th to try to save it. He got the first batter then walked Marlin. After a wild pitch, Daan Verpaalen grounded over PR Zico Atmopawiro. Denzel Brooks had a pinch-hit single to cut it to 5-3, bringing up Brenk as the potential tying run. Bakker ensured he was not the tying run by striking him out to seal the game.

October 7

Game 2 in Rob Hoffmann Vallei

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	R	H	E
Neptunus	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	0	0	0	1	3	8	1
HCAW	1	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	7	0
Win: Bakker (1-0) Loss: Karel (0-1) Save: Sulbaran (1)

In a replay of two days earlier, HCAW got on the board first, building a 2-0 lead, but the difference in bullpens proving their downfall. In the bottom of the first, 2B Brenk doubled off Martis. CF Tromp bunted him over and 3B Selassa was hit by a pitch but Martis struck out RF van Borkulo. After DH Draijer walked, the theme of wild pitches from day 1 continued, scoring Brenk to make it 1-0. In the second, HCAW shortstop Bob van der Meer (brother of Neptunus SS Stijn van der Meer), C Julian Goins and Brenk had back-to-back-to-back one-out singles to double the lead. Martis, Huntington, Bakker and Sulbaran yielded only three hits over the next nine innings, though, as HCAW's hot offense went cold.

Huijer was superb, tossing five no-hit innings before Collins singled in the 6th. In the 7th, he gave up his only runs. Bonevacia had a one-out single and LF Kevin Dirksen singled (Rayshelon Carolina pinch-ran). 1B Jamanika doubled in Bonevacia and 2B Jonathan Willems hit into a run-scoring fielder's choice to bring in Carolina to tie it. Huijer then threw shutout ball from the 8th through the 10th, finally leaving after 134 pitches. He was replaced by Sedley Karel and Neptunus found him an easier problem. C Ahrens drew a lead-off walk and Carolina bunted him to second. Jamanika singled in Ahrens for his second RBI of the day, plating what would be the game-winner. Sulbaran showed the superiority of the Neptunus bullpen by going 1-2-3 in the bottom of the inning to save it; he retired Marlin, van der Meer and Brooks to close it out.

October 11

Game 3 in Neptunus Familiestadion

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	R	H	E
HCAW	1	0	0	0	0	0	5	0	6	11	2
Neptunus	0	4	6	4	0	0	1	1	16	19	2
Win: Sulbaran (1-0) Loss: Timmermans (0-2)

For the third straight game, HCAW took a 1-0 lead in the first but it was all downhill from there in a mercy rule rout. Collins and Diaz each had 3 hits, Collins driving in four and Diaz 3, while Sulbaran pitched shutout ball from the 2nd through the 6th before the bullpen let HCAW make it not quite as lopsided. Timmermans allowed 8 runs (7 earned) in two innings and five "reliever"s combine to give up another 8 over the next 5 1/3.

October 12

Game 4 in Rob Hoffmann Vallei

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Neptunus	0	0	0	1	1	0	0	1	2	5	7	1
HCAW	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	1	0
Win: De Blok (2-0) Loss: Huijer (0-1)

Two Dutch natives with US pro experience squared off and both went the distance. Through three, de Blok and Huijer traded goose eggs. In the 4th, Collins and Diaz again did their jobs, this time with a walk and a single. Kemp bunted them over and a sac fly by Bonevacia made it 1-0. In the bottom of the 4th, HCAW got their lone run off de Blok, who walked seven today but allowed just one hit. Draijer and Marlin drew walks and, with one out, Goins singled in Draijer to tie it. Another walk loaded them up but Brenk flew into a double play to end HCAW's best shot. De Blok got hotter as the game went along, retiring the final 11 in order.

Neptunus got the title-winning run in the 5th. With one out, Jamanika singled. A two-out wild pitch advanced him then Stijn van der Meer singled in the run. It remained a 2-1 pitching duel until the 8th, when Huijer flagged. Singles by van der Meer, Kemp and Diaz made it 3-1. In the 9th, Carolina and Jamanika drew one-out walks and both scored on a two-out single by van der Meer that gave him a 3-RBI day. Diaz won MVP after having gone 10-for-16 for the Series.

Sources

• Dutch Baseball and Softball Federation