Hollanders Pick Up Two Wins Over the Weekend

The Cologne Hollanders were able to pick up two much needed wins over the past weekend's homestand. 

The New Germany Dutchmen came down to Fritz Field for 2018's annual Fill the Hill night. It was an action packed game with special events and amongst the Hollander sticks. The Hollanders struck first and often thoughout the game and never gave up a lead. The action started in the bottom of the as lead off batter Tanner Luebke singled and stole second. Tanner scored on the next batter as Casey Clemensen hit an RBI single. Carter Clemensen then single and with Tim Swanson getting hit by a pitch the Hollanders had bases loaded with one out. Jon Kummer was able to bring Casey to the plate with an RBI sacrifice fly to left field. The offensive action kept going right into the second inning as Brandon Fritz lead off with a walk, Kraig Peterson singled. Then with two outs Carter Clemensen came through and hit a two RBI single. Carter was able to advance to second on a throwing error by New Germany's center fielder. Carter then scored when New Germany's second baseman made an error off the bat of Kyle Brazil. Brazil was able to advance to second on the error. Tim Swanson added to the inning by getting a single that scored Brazil. The third inning brought some fireworks as Kyle Twait lead the inning off with a hit by pitch. Brandon Fritz lit one up as he got into one and sent it over the left field fence for the two RBI homerun. The Hollanders scored one more in the fourth inning as Kyle Brazil led off the inning with a double and Tim Swanson brought him in with a single. The Hollanders were able to really put the game away in the sixth innings as the boys scored eight runs. Carter led the inning off with a triple followed by a walk to Brazil. Joey Lilya brought both home on a double. Austin Pysick then showed some speed by hitting an RBI triple. Fritzy followed that up with an RBI double. Hollander new comer, Quinn Eidem got his first career at bat and legged out an infield single. After back to back walks to Tanner and Casey, Carter polished off the inning by driving in three with a bases clearing double. The Hollanders pitchers threw well and didn't allow the Dutchmen to put up any real threat. Tim Swanson started on the bump and went four and two thirds innings giving up two runs, both earned, off of five hits and four walks. Joey Lilya finished the game off by throwing the final two and a third innings giving up three runs (all unearned) off of one hit, two walks, and four strikeouts. Hollanders won with a final score of 17-5. The Hollander barrage was led by Carter Clemensen who was able to rack up four hits and five RBI's. Brandon Fritz was able to pound out two hits and three RBI's on the night. Tim Swanson also got two hits and two RBI's.

Sunday brought some excitement in a very different styled game. The Hollanders found themselves in an early deep hole after the St Boni Saints scored five runs in the first and one in the second. Being down by six didn't discourage the Hollanders. Cologne responded back in the third. Tanner Luebke and Casey Clemensen started off the inning with back-to-back walks. Carter Clemensen came up and roped an RBI double. Then Kyle Brazil launched a moon shot over the right field wall for the three run homerun. The score remained 4-6 until the bottom of the seventh as Kyle Twait worked a lead-off walk. Zack Nelson followed Twait up with a single. Brandon Fritz was able to advance the runners with a sacrifice bunt. Alex Eichner hit a tough ground ball between third and short. Twait made the great read and scored on Eichner's groundout. Cologne went into the bottom of the eighth inning down by one. Casey Clemensen and Carter Clemensen each got hit by pitches to put two on the bases with no outs. Kyle Brazil then roped a liner to the right fielder, but the Saints were able to get Jordan Litchewski (running for Casey) out at third on the tough read. Tim Swanson then came up big with an RBI single that brough Carter home and Kyle Twait hit the clutch single that brought Brazil home for the go-ahead run. The boys sealed off the game with a 1-2-3 ninth inning. Casey Clemensen was the starting pitcher for the Hollanders. Casey, normally steady and consistent, didn't have his best stuff and the Saints capitlized by scoring all their six runs off of Casey's two innings pitched. Alex Eichner shined as he was asked to relieve Casey in the third and went the rest of the game. Eichner didn't allow a single Saint run for the seven innings he pitched. He didn't face more than four batters in any single inning. Eichner only allowed three hits, zero walks, and also punched out seven. Just about every Hollander contributed to the win. Casey Clemensen reached base four times with two hits, one walk, and one HBP. Kyle Brazil was able to reach base four times as well with a fielder's choice, a walk, a HBP, and with his three-run shot. Carter Clemensen, Tim Swanson, Kyle Twait, Zack Nelson, and Brandon Fritz all got hits on the day.

The club thanks all the fans that came out to the ballpark over the weekend for Fill the Hill. The Hollanders continue their homestand as they host the Jordan Brewers Tuesday night. The first pitch is scheduled at Fritz Field at 7:30pm. The week will be topped off with a showdown with the Plato Blue Jays on Friday night. 

Ga Hollanders!