At the European Championships through victories in Great Britain (9-3), France (13-4), Israel (9-1), Croatia (3-1) (6-1) (6-1), the Kingdom Team was convincing for the final battle against the Italians. The team of national coach Evert-Jan ‘t Hoen awarded himself at the tournament where it showed that the Orange is a class apart in Europe.
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The Kingdom Team played at the European Championship with three players who were active in the American Major League (MLB) in the past. Didi Gregorius (including former New York Yankees), Jonathan Schoop (including former Baltimore Orioles) and Shareon Martis (including former Washington Nationals) were the most important forces in the mix of experienced baseball players and rising talent.
The Kingdom team started Martis on the Heuvel against Italy. Orange came in the first inning via Didi Gregorius and Hendrik Clementina over a 2-0 lead. Italy made a homerun from Giaconino Lasaracina in the second inning and a point of Alberto Mineo in the fourth inning in the sold -out family stadium.
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In the second half of the fourth inning, the Netherlands took a distance again through points from Sharlon Schoop (Homerun), Juremi Profar and Eugene Helder. In the fifth inning, Catcher Clementina set the home team at 6-2.
Pitcher Martis was replaced by Wendell Floranus after the fifth inning by national coach ‘t Hoen. The Italians came back to 6-5 in the sixth inning via Mineo, Jhorjan Guevara Dycato and Lorenzo Morresi. That was it.
The Netherlands had to hand over the European title to Spain two years ago. At the European Championship in the Czech Republic, the Spaniards in the semi-final with 7-6 were too strong for the Orange.