Baseball
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Hard-fought victory for NBC
Exhausted but satisfied after their first win in a long time: The Neanderthal baseball team at TSV Hochdahl.
Photo: P. Fassbender
Erkrath The Neanderthal baseballers in TSV Hochdahl win against bottom team Ratingen Goose Necks – it is the first win after four defeats in a row for the once again weakened team.
The Neanderthal Baseball Club (NBC) in TSV Hochdahl has ended its losing streak. In the fourth home game of the season, the bottom of the table without a win, the Ratingen Goose Necks, was a guest at the Kemperdick. NBC trainer Daniel Faßbender had to do without four regulars again: T. Faßbender and Chr. Ninow (vacation), E. Wendland (Corona) and M. Lehmann (injured). Nevertheless, the Neanderthals brought 13 players to the start.
This time U. Henning started on the throwing mound. With all his experience and routine as well as the necessary calm and an excellent field defense, he kept the opposing offensive at just one point each in the first two innings. But the starting pitcher of the “goosenecks”, L. Reusse, and his defense also had a good day, the first six batsmen of the Neanderthals were sent back into the dugout without counting. Both teams went without runs in the third inning.
Round four then brought the first run for NBC by A. Barth on the scoreboard after the ratingers could not score again. The fifth and sixth innings were also spotless for both sides, with Henning managing the feat of remaining unscathed with bases loaded in inning five. In the seventh inning, after Henning allowed the opponent’s first two batters base-on-balls, the Hochdahlers put their relief on the mound with P. McKelvy, and he didn’t allow the visitors another point . The Goose Necks with H. Wolle also brought in a new pitcher. After two quick exits, the Neanderthals managed three runs with good base-running and solid base hits, also helped by four mistakes by the Ratingen defense.
Two innings remained and the game was on the brink. NBC’s crowning play followed in the eighth inning: Second baseman Emtiazi was able to stop a ball that had been hit hard through the infield and throw it to first base while still sitting. However, the guests were able to score another run and shorten it to 3:4, because the NBC did not score a run after another pitcher change from the ratingers.
In round nine, McKelvy started with a strikeout, and the Goose Necks’ second batter was also sent into the dugout with a flyout. After the next ratinger got on base with a base on balls, it was again Emtiazi who ended the game with a throw to first base and secured the hard-fought victory. Now it’s time to preserve this performance and continue the trend in Bochum against the Barflys in two weeks.
NBC: S. Emtiazi (2B), A. Barth (3B), Chr. Hallmann (1B), L. Peekhaus (CF), D. Fassbender (SS), Chr. Bruhy (RF), D. Baptista (C), U. Henning (P), J.Kampf (LF), Chr. Kampf (RF), P. McKelvy (P) and the reservists N. Köhler and rookie M. Luckow
