By Bob Fromer
Ostrava, Czech Republic: August 5 – Playing the defending champions in your first game at a tournament is never fun, especially when it's the Netherlands, who are currently lording it over European softball at many age levels.
But that was the assignment for the GB Under-16 Girls' Fastpitch Team at the European Cadette Championships on this hot afternoon in Ostrava, and the result was a four-inning 11-1 mercy rule loss.
Losing to the Netherlands was not entirely unexpected, and a win over Romania tomorrow morning (the Romanians lost 13-0 to the Dutch earlier today) will put GB into the first playoff round that begins tomorrow afternoon.
The entire Romanian team and coaching staff was there to watch the GB-Holland game, and despite GB's loss, the Romanians did not look particularly encouraged.
Misleading scoreline
“The game didn't reflect the score,” said GB third base player Lorin Cook afterwards, and she was absolutely right.
GB did not looked outclassed by the Netherlands, and they certainly weren't overwhelmed. The game was well-contested throughout.
But GB pitching gave up too many walks, there were too many wild pitches and passed balls that sent Dutch runners scampering around the bases, and where the Dutch were sure-handed and decisive in the field, a GB team that has not had a fraction of the Dutch team's preparation were a little hesitant.
And where the Dutch took advantage of their scoring opportunities, GB didn't.
Although GB had only one hit off Dutch pitching – a line-drive single to right field by second baseplayer Laura Hirai in the bottom of the fourth inning – they did leave the bases loaded in the bottom of the third and might have scored more than just the single run they tallied in the fourth.
Laura Hirai scored the run, moving to second base after her single on a sacrifice bunt by Eleanor Dowd, and then advancing to third and then home on wild pitches by Dutch relief pitcher Shannon Hetem, whose mother, oddly enough, hails from Birmingham.
Strong pitching
GB received strong pitching from starter Amie Hutchison, who gave up five hits in three innings of work, but none of them were hard-hit, and a couple might have been caught by more aggressive outfield play.
Amie struggled with a home plate umpire who featured a very small strike zone, and her downfall was five walks and then several wild pitches and passed balls.
Altogether, Amie gave up seven runs – five earned – in her three innings, but she kept a powerful Dutch line-up relatively quiet, striking out three.
Amie had excellent support from Sian Wigington at first base, who retired the Dutch all on her own in the second inning on three ground balls to first base, and was credited with six of the twelve outs the Dutch made. On offense, Sian also put two balls sharply into play, but unfortunately both were hit to the outstanding Dutch shortstop Damishah Charles.
Lorin Cook took over the pitching duties for GB in the fourth inning, with Amie Hutchison moving to third base, and the Dutch found Lorin a little easier to solve, scoring four runs on three hits in the top of what turned out to be the final inning. The big blow was a bases-loaded triple by Britt Remmers – but even that was a bloop down the right field line that spun past the GB outfield.
Looking ahead
It wasn't simply the usual cliché of encouragement when GB Head Coach Jeremy Thomas told the team he was proud of them after the game, because GB certainly looked like they belonged on the same field as the Dutch.
“Now that we've got our eye in, I'd really like to meet the Dutch again,” Jeremy told the team – and he could get his wish if GB get to the second playoff round.
But for that to be a possibility, GB will have to make sure they get past Romania tomorrow morning – and then they can look at what the playoffs have to offer.
A loss to Romania will leave GB with only consolation and placing games to look forward to, and as Assistant Coach Russ Snow said, “That's not where we want to be.”
Day 1 Results
Scores on the opening day of the tournament were as follows:
Group A
Czech Republic 12, Serbia 3
Czech Republic 10, Poland 0
Group B
Slovakia 6, Ukraine 3
Belgium 5, Slovakia 1
Group C
Netherlands 13, Romania 0
Netherlands 11, GB 1
Group D
Russia 12, Germany 2
Russia 28, Lithuania 0