Dutch take Group F title with 7-0 shutout of Russia

Team Netherlands won its sixth straight game by shutout at this European Championship, defeating Russia 7-0 in a mercy-shortened five-inning game to decide the Group F title. For the Russians, it was their first loss of the tournament, and they will qualify for a quarterfinal game on Friday.

It was a match-up of the tournament´s last two remaining unbeaten teams, and both teams were already through to the final round regardless of the outcome, but everyone knew there was one clear favourite. While the Russians stayed with them for a few innings, though, eventually the potent Dutch bats proved too powerful.

The Dutch managed to end the game with a four-run fifth inning to give them the necessary seven-run difference. They had previously scored one run in the first and two in the fourth, and in all three innings in which they scored, the first two batters went out. The team´s offence was evenly distributed, with only centre fielder Saskina Kosterink getting two hits--she went 2-for-3 with 2 RBI.

Russian pitcher Yekaterina Yeronina was strong until the bottom of the fourth, when with two out and the bases empty she hit Merel Oostervelt, which was followed up by a two-run homer by Nathalie Timmermans to make it 3-0. In the fifth, the Russians again got the first two batters out, before the Dutch reeled off five consecutive hits to score four runs and end the game. The damaging blasts were done by Dinette Oosting, whose double scored two runs, and then Oostervelt, whose game-ending single drove in Oosting.

Russia´s only offensive threat came in the second inning, when designated player Elena Povarova doubled with one out. Yeronina then moved her to third base with a sacrifice bunt and Tatiana Beltiukova was hit by a pitch to put runners at the corners, but Lindsey Meadows then struck out Verdzhinia Levich to end the threat.

In five innings, Meadows allowed only two base-runners--the double and hit batter in the second--and struck out five of the seventeen batters she faced.

Post-Game Comments

Craig Montvidas (head coach of Team Netherlands): That was the best we´ve played at this tournament so far. We were hitting well and the Russians made some nice defensive plays. They are a good team but I think that home run deflated them. They didn´t push us much at bat, though. They only had that one inning where they got some offence. We are our biggest opponent, though. We´re not concerned about who we play next.