The regular season of baseball is nearing its end. For RCH Pinguins from Heemstede there is still a very important triptych with Twins Oosterhout on the program these days. If the baseball club from Heemstede wins twice, RCH will qualify for the play-offs for the first time in history. “This is very much alive within the club.”
The Bussum-based HCAW and Amsterdam Pirates, together with Neptunus from Rotterdam, are already certain of the play-offs. The last and fourth place goes to Twins Oosterhout or RCH Pinguins. “Twins had a tough weekend with three losses against HCAW”, says Frits van Iperen. The chairman of RCH is confident about a successful outcome. “This has given their self-confidence a bit. I expect it to be mainly a battle between the pitchers, because they have good and experienced pitchers, just like us.”
Barbeques
For the second year in a row, the baseball club from Heemstede plays in the Dutch big league. Now the play-offs beckon and according to chairman Van Iperen that is mainly due to the spirit in the team. “Coach Joshua Zara really deserves credit for creating a good atmosphere. You often see at baseball teams that the boys from ‘the islands’ speak Papiamento with each other. That is not the case with us. They are also often present at our barbecues that we organize at the club.”
“We have often acted at the highest level in the past”, Van Iperen sums up the history of the Heemstedelingen. “But this could be a very unique season. And if we reach the play-offs, the roof will come off.” On Thursday evening, Twins Oosterhout and RCH Pingins kick off the triptych in North Brabant. The second game is on Saturday at 3 PM in Heemstede and the third game is again in Oosterhout on Sunday.