Result
Australia - 22 to 2

Australia's Record
4 wins - 2 losses

Brett's Fielding Position and the Batting Order
Playing centrefield - and changed to rightfield in the fourth innings
Batting at #2

Brett's Statistics - Game
Batting - 1 hit from 5 at-bats - 1 x HOME RUN
------------------2 x runs-driven-in
------------------1 x run scored
------------------1 x strike out

Brett's Plate Appearances
First at-bat
As Brett came in to bat, the commentator said "and that brings in Brett Roneberg who has 6 x hits, 2 x home runs, and 5 x runs-driven-in - doing very nicely, thank you"
Righthanded pitcher
Runner at first base - none down
Foul ball - down the leftside
Ball - low inside
Bouncer back to the pitcher and his only play was to first base - runner advanced to second base
Out 1-to-3
Second at-bat
Lefthanded pitcher
Runner at first base - two down
Called strike - on the outside corner
HOME RUN
......and 2 x RBI's
And the commentator said:-
"that is driven deep into leftfield and I think it has cleared the fence ...... it has!!! ...... a two-run home run to Brett Roneberg"

Third at-bat
???handed pitcher
Bases empty - two down
Lined out
Out F4/F6 ?
Fourth at-bat
Righthanded pitcher
Led off the innings
Ground ball towards the first-baseman who threw to the pitcher covering at first base
Out 3-to-1
Fifth at-bat
Righthanded pitcher
Led off the innings
Ball - low
Called strike
Ball - inside and skipped out of the way
"Check swing - and the appeal is made to the third base umpire and he has rung him up for strike two"
Swing-and-a-miss (and Brett 'glared' down the line to the third base umpire for the check-swing call!!!)
Strike out

Email from Brett
Well, we are in the "Top 4" in the world!!!!
No matter what happens from here on out we are in the "Top 4", something no other Aussie team has ever done!
Yesterday we killed the Dutch team 22-2!!
I had a quiet day going 1 for 5
But I did hit another home run so that gives me three and a pretty good feeling going into the Semi's starting on Tuesday
We have a game today against Canada
It means nothing to win or lose, but we are not going to give it to them as we want to keep our momentum
How it works from here is the top four teams go through to the Semi's
Number 1 in the pool plays number 4 (winner to Gold Medal game)
Number 2 plays number 3 (winner to Gold Medal game)
The losers of those two games play off for the Bronze
So starting on Tuesday - if we win two games, we win Gold - we win one game, we win Bronze - we lose both, we get nothing
But overall the team is going great - we are all having a good time and enjoying winning
Hopefully by now we are getting some coverage over there on television and you guys are watching!
Have to jet - going to eat, sleep, then play

Pre-Game Notes
Favourites and hopefuls do battle on day six

With the tournament moving along and the matches getting more important, several teams can see their medal chances dashed on Saturday at the Olympic Baseball Centre in the Helliniko Olympic Complex.

With four wins and one loss, Japan, Cuba and previously unbeaten Canada stand alone atop the preliminary standings after five days of action in the Olympic baseball tournament.

Greece (0-5) is no longer in medal contention, while Australia (3-2), the Netherlands (2-3), Chinese Taipei (2-3) and Italy (1-4) are still alive.

JPN v TPE
Japan (4-1) will be looking to cement itself as the top medal contender while Chinese Taipei (2-3) will try to stay in the medal hunt.
Taipei was only three outs away from putting itself in good shape for the medal round but gave up a two-run home run in the top of the ninth to see previously winless Italy snatch victory.
A loss could be devastating to Taipei's medal hopes.
CAN v CUB
Canada (4-1) will be looking for retribution after losing 9-1 to Japan on Friday while Cuba (4-1) will be looking for revenge after losing to Canada 9-1 in a pre-Olympic tournament in Rome.
Though the game will most likely have no bearing on whether either team will make the medal round, it will be important for seeding purposes.
In its last game, Japan tripled the number of runs scored on Canada in the tournament.
NED v AUS
A win for the Netherlands (2-3) could launch the Dutch back into medal contention, while a loss would mean that Australia (3-2) could have a very easy road to the medal round.
Australia is still riding a wave of confidence and its 'nothing but gold will do' attitude has shown in victories against Japan, Greece, and Italy.
The Netherlands will have to bounce back after losing to Cuba 9-2.
ITA v GRE
Two teams will try to save face in the second match of the night session with Greece (0-5) playing Italy (1-4).
Both teams have played well for the most part in early innings only to see their bullpens give up piles of runs in the later innings.
Italy did exactly the opposite on Friday, holding Chinese Taipei's offense dormant until it hit a home run in the top of the ninth to help give the team something positive to look to in what has been a dreadful tournament so far.

Game Reports
Article from the Cairns Post

AUSTRALIA MASSACRES NEMESIS NETHERLANDS

In November 1999 Australia hosted the Intercontinental Cup in Sydney and, although we went on to a memorable victory in the tournament, an expectant crowd watched in disbelief and disappointment when the Netherlands upstaged Australia 4-1 in the gala opening game of the tournament.

Roll on to 17 September 2000 when Australia opened its ill-fated home Olympic Games campaign in Sydney with, you guessed it, another morale shattering 6-4 defeat at the hands of those little-known men from the Netherlands!

It was the kind of deja vu that few Australians could bear to contemplate!
We don't know what it was about the Netherlands team that caused Australia nightmares in International baseball events!

Well folks, if the Australian team felt that they had something to prove or a score to settle with the Netherlands, then they certainly made a statement with a huge punctuation mark in Athens on 21 August 2004 when we simply smashed the Dutchmen in a 22-2 "mercy killing" in seven innings of punishment that they will not forget for a long time.

While we haven't studied their history, we definitely can't remember anyone beating the Netherlands in this awesome manner.

Hardly any need to mention the Australian pitching which was as efficient as usual, but starter John Stephens and Craig Lewis may never receive the type of pressure-relieving run support that they did on this day.

Stephens was allowed to take some valuable rest for later in the tournament after striking out five in four innings of typically tidy work.
The versatile Lewis then took over to collect the easiest win of his life with three equally solid and effective innings before the game was mercifully brought to a premature halt.
Each allowed one solo home run to the Dutch in a combined four-hitter and we suspect that they could have performed just as well had the scores been much closer.

Without wanting to sound too arrogant about the glorious win last night, after Australia had mashed their way to nine, five and five runs in the first three innings it even became difficult for them to maintain their own high standards as any score seemed possible, such was the potency of our offence against this Dutch pitching.

It didn't take long for Australia to dispose of the Netherlands' starter Calvin Maduro who was a "blast from the past" for ABL fans.
Maduro played in the Australian Baseball League in 1996 with the Perth Heat as a US import from the Baltimore Orioles organisation.
Maduro went on to play in the major leagues with the Orioles but we suspect he is not close to that kind of form right now?

The Netherlands sent another four "throwers" to the mound but none seriously threatened to harness the Australian hitters who had them clearly overmatched.

It would not do the Dutch much of a favour to examine their statistics from this most embarrassing performance, so we won't bother!

It is also a bit long-winded to discuss in detail the Australian contributors with the bat on this occasion because eight players got into the hitter's column and another three supplied RBI's.

Can we believe that Australia racked up 17 hits in this game, yet NONE of those was supplied by David Nilsson?
You could have won a fortune betting against that, but the big fellow still drew a walk and scored twice as he refused to miss out on the action completely.

NSW infielders Glenn Williams (4-4), Rodney Van Buizen (3-4) and Gavin Fingleson (4-6) were the most prolific hitters in this game and each enjoyed watching one of their hits leave the yard.

Williams and Fingleson have been very consistent performers at this carnival and while it may be a fantastic swansong for veteran Fingleson in Athens, it may just be the springboard to bigger and better things for the steadily emerging Blue Jays 'AAA' player Williams.

Former Helms Award winner Rod Van Buizen has achieved a lot in Australian baseball but he will never forget his GRAND SLAM home run in Olympic Games competition.

Crashing the NSW party, as he usually does, was Brett Roneberg who added another "big fly" to the two he smacked against Greece yesterday.

While we will resist the temptation to get too carried away with our recent form against modest (pitching) opposition, the effect of hitters finding form with the bat against ANYONE cannot be underestimated and we have certainly come on with a rush as this tournament has progressed.

This can only be regarded as great news for our medal hopes.

Let's hope that we can now continue the trend in our final pool game against Canada, then into the semi-finals.

With other results helping our cause overnight, Australia has now qualified for the semi-final round along with the daunting trio of Japan, Cuba and Canada.

Our game against Canada is no longer of great importance apart from the "seedings" that will be set from the finishing positions in the top four.
We reckon that it would be smart for Australia to topple Canada so that we almost surely dodge Cuba in a semi-final, but then there are no guarantees about how other games will turn out!

The huge boost to our runs scored "for and against" from this game may prove very useful for us indeed!

What we can tell Australian baseball fans is that Australia maybe has its best chance EVER to grab an Olympic baseball medal and we are probably the best equipped we have EVER been to do so!

Let's keep everything we have crossed that our boys can make history for Australian baseball and thereby give our sport the impetus it needs to move forward.

GO 'A-ROOS' GO!

Roneberg shining at 2004 Summer Olympics

Sea Dogs All Star outfielder Brett Roneberg's Australian team has advanced to the medal round at the Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece.

Roneberg hit his third home run Saturday (tied for the lead in the Olympics) in Australia's 22-2 rout of the Netherlands.

Roneberg is 7-for-26 (.269) with three home runs, a double, six RBI and five runs scored as Australia is 4-2 so far in the tournament.

Australia plays its final round robin game on Sunday against Canada and will play in the semifinals on Tuesday against either Cuba or Japan.

ALTOONA CURVE - GAME NOTES FOR AUGUST 21
Olympic Update

Former Curve 1B/OF Brett Roneberg belted a two-run homer as part of Australia’s 22-2 dismantling of the Netherlands today.

Roneberg, who’s been the starting centerfielder for Team Australia, has clocked three home runs while driving in seven.

Australia wallops Netherlands to qualify for medal round

Australia erupted for nine runs in the first inning in thrashing the Netherlands 22-2 to qualify for the medal round at the Olympic Baseball Centre.

Australia's 22 runs set an Olympic baseball record for scoring in one game.
The previous mark was shared by Cuba and Chinese Taipei.
Cuba beat Italy 20-6 at the 1996 Games, and Chinese Taipei shut out Spain 20-0 at the 1992 Games.
Dutch pitching fell apart from the start.

Second baseman Gavin FINGLESON (AUS) greeted starter Calvin MADURO (NED) with a single to open the game and MADURO never recovered.
Unable to find his range and hurt by poor Dutch fielding, including two errors, MADURO gave up eight runs and four hits in just 2/3 of an inning before being yanked for Patrick BELJAARDS (NED).

The relief pitching that followed wasn't much better.

Brett RONEBERG (AUS) promptly hit a two-run homer off BELJAARDS before the 12-batter inning was over, and the red-hot Australian bats added another five runs in the next inning to take a 14-1 lead.

After Alexander SMIT (NED) walked four batters to bring home another run in the third, shortstop Rodney van BUIZEN (AUS) rocked a four-run grand slam to left field to put the game out of reach.

Van BUIZEN finished with three runs, three hits and six RBI (runs batted in), tying the second highest single-game RBI total in Olympic history.

Play was halted after seven innings per the run difference rule.
In Olympic competition games are stopped if a team is leading by 10 or more runs after the seventh inning.

With four wins and two losses, Australia will be making its first medal-round appearance.
It finished seventh in the 2000 Sydney Games in its Olympic baseball debut.

The Netherlands fell to 2-4.

Australia into baseball medals round

Australia advanced to the semi-finals of the Olympic baseball competition for the first time ever overnight on the back of a 22-run rampage against Holland.

Australia, beefed up by US minor leaguers, overwhelmed the Dutch in a night match which was stopped in the seventh inning because of the lopsided score.

Australia opened with nine runs in the first inning, followed by five runs each in the second and third.

Australian shortstop Rodney van Buizen cracked a grand slam in the third, adding sparks to the onslaught.

Holland could score only on two solo home-runs by Yurrendel de Caster and Andrew Utting in the bottoms of the second and fifth innings.

Australia has four wins and two losses with one more day to go in the eight-nation round robin.

Title favourites Cuba and Japan also advanced to the medal round as they each scored their fifth win against one loss in the preliminary stage, while Canada went through with a 4-2 record.
Cuba, the runners-up to the United States at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, whipped Canada 5-2 to hand the North Americans their second defeat in as many days.
But Canada still went through thanks to Australia's win.

Aussies through to semis with record win

Australia sealed a baseball semi-final berth with an Olympic Games record win over the Netherlands, winning by 22-2 in a mercy rule abbreviated match tonight.

The Aussies won their fourth straight match after losing their opening two games to ensure a top four spot regardless of their result against Canada in their final preliminary game.

Australia broke the Games run-scoring record with the win.
It eclipsed Taiwan's 20-0 defeat of Spain at the 1992 Games and also equalled the biggest ever winning margin in Olympic baseball set in that match.

Nine runs in the first inning set up the win, with five in the second, five in the third, one in the fourth and two in the sixth.

The game was halted under the mercy rule after seven innings.

Australia will finish third in the preliminaries if it can beat Canada in its next match.

It will face either Japan or Cuba in its semi-final on Tuesday.

Baseballers smash Olympic record with 22 runs

Australia smashed the Olympic record with an emphatic 22-2 baseball win over the Netherlands tonight clinching a medal play-off berth in the process.

The mercy rule was applied at the bottom of the seventh inning after the Australians blasted 14 runs in the first two innings to smash the Dutch hopes.

With the final preliminary matches to be played tomorrow (Sunday- Day 9), Australia will be joined in the semi-finals by Japan, Cuba and Canada.

Tomorrow’s matches will determine the final order and semi-final match-ups which will be played next week.

Australia’s tally of 22 runs surpassed the previous record of 20 runs in a single Olympic Games match scored by Cuba at the1996 Atlanta Games and by Chinese Taipei at the 1992 Barcelona Games.

Australia has now scored a massive 48 runs in the last 27 innings.

Head coach John Deeble sensed his batters would produce something special before play began.

“Our BP (batting practice) before the game was the best we’ve ever had,” said Deeble.
“The Dutch are a good ball club and we’ve had some great games over the years.
Unfortunately for them, they just had one of those nights,” he added.

Australia hit four home runs as the runs rained all night long.
Centre field Brett Roneberg hit the first to score second baseman Gavin Fingleson in the first inning before Fingleson scored Andrew Utting and Rod Van Buizen with his own in the second inning.
Van Buizen hit a grand slam homer in the third to see Brendan Kingman, Utting and Brett Tamburrino score.
The final home run was hit by third baseman Glenn Williams in the sixth inning when he batted in Craig Lewis.

It was another great night for Van Buizen as he hit a total of six RBIs just two days after hitting three RBIs in Australia's great win over Japan.

With the game in control, Deeble could afford to rest starting pitcher John Stephens and his bull pen pitchers after the fourth inning and toss the ball to utility player Craig Lewis who pitched the final three innings.

Additionally, catcher David Nilsson was rested after five innings while Ben Wigmore and Nick Kimpton enjoyed their first at bats of the Olympic tournament.

Australia will play Canada in the final preliminary game tomorrow (Day 9) with Northern Territory pitcher Adrian Burnside pitching in his first Olympic outing after recovering from a slight elbow strain.

Australia 22 - Netherlands 2

Four years ago in Sydney, Australia managed just two wins in the Olympic tournament, a crushing disappointment for the host nation.

This time around, Australia delivered a crushing blow of its own, destroying the Netherlands to secure its first-ever spot in the medal round in the biggest blowout in Olympic history.

Even though the Dutch had former big leaguer Calvin Maduro on the mound to start the game, Australia scored 19 runs in the first three innings.

The runs set an Olympic baseball record for most runs in a game by a team.
The victory margin for Australia also tied the largest win margin total by a team in Olympic history.
Both previous records were set in the 1992 Games in Barcelona, when Taiwan defeated host Spain 20-0 in 1992.
Cuba also scored 20 runs in a 20-6 victory at the 1996 Olympics.

After losing its first two games of the tournament, Australia has won and outscored its last four opponents (Italy, Japan, Greece, Netherlands) by a margin of 48-14.

Glenn Williams (Blue Jays), whose $825,000 signing bonus (signed 12 years ago) remains the largest for an Aussie player, led the way, going 4-for-4 with three RBIs as well as four runs scored.

Gavin Fingleson (independent) was also 4-for-6 with a homer, three runs scored and four RBIs.

The Australians outhit Netherlands 17-4.

Maduro, who blanked Greece for seven scoreless innings earlier in the tournament, didn't even get out of the first inning as 12 Australia batters accounted for nine runs.

With runners on first and second and one out, Williams got things rolling with a RBI single to score Fingleson.
A walk to Brendan Kingman then loaded the bases for Thomas Brice (White Sox).
His grounder to shortstop was booted by Raily Legito, allowing David Nilsson to score and keeping the bases full.
Australia took advantage of the error as Andrew Utting walked to score Williams for the third run.
Paul Gonzalez increased the lead for Australia with a RBI ground out.
Leading 4-0 with two outs, Australia put three hits together to increase its lead to nine runs and chased Maduro from the game.
Rodney van Buizen (Dodgers) laced a two-run single, Fingleson came up to bat for the second time in the inning and had a RBI base hit and Brett Roneberg (Red Sox) capped the rally when he blasted a two-run homer.

Australia didn't let up in the second inning as it scored five more times to take a 14-run lead.
Utting and Gonzalez each had RBI hits, with Fingleson providing the key hit of the inning with a three-run homer.

The Netherlands would get a solo home run from Yurrendel de Caster (Pirates) in the bottom half of the inning to cut the deficit to 13 runs.

Australia's offense continued to hit the Netherlands relief pitching in the third inning with five more runs in the third inning.
After loading the bases, Brett Tamburrino (Twins) walked to score another run for Australia.
The big play for Australia though was a grand slam home run by van Buizen.

Australia finished its scoring with a single run in the fourth inning on a RBI double from Kingman and a two-run homer by Williams in the sixth inning.

The seven-inning mercy rule victory is the second of the 2004 tournament.
On the opening day Japan defeated Italy 12-0 in seven innings.

Comments
Jon DEEBLE (AUS) - Manager
On his team's performance
"It was a great game.
Everyone played well and it was one of those nights when everything went well."
On their opponents
"The Netherlands are a great team, which we respect.
We have a long history with them, of which we have been on the wrong side.
They have great hitters and play good defence."
On Sunday's game against Canada
"Tomorrow we have to play as well as we did tonight.
From here on we have to win all our games."
On their preference in the semifinals
"It doesn't make a difference to us whom we play with.
All the games are tough and we just have to win them."
On their goals in this tournament
"We always expected to win the tournament.
There is no doubt in our mind that we can win the gold.
Our only goal is to execute as well as we did tonight."

Brett RONEBERG (AUS) - Centre fielder
On their performance tonight
"From game to game we are getting better and our pitchers did a great job today."
On their opponents
"The Netherlands are a good team.
They beat us in 2000 and we had to be very careful."

Glenn WILLIAMS (AUS) - Third baseman
On their performance tonight
"We didn't do anything new. We just did what we have always been doing.
We had some good pitching and we should keep going.
From the first inning we took the pressure off and we managed to swing well."

Gavin FINGLESON (AUS) - Second baseman
On their performance tonight
"We got a lot of help from a couple of veterans we have on the team."
On their hopes for a medal
"From day one we play for the medal. All we have to do is keep doing what we are doing."

Davey JOHNSON (NED) - coach
On the team's pitching
"When your starting pitching doesn't hold things down it can get ugly, and it did."
"Our starting pitching is usually our strength. But our starters have struggled this whole time."

Johnny BALENTINA (NED) - leftfielder
On the team's performance
"As soon as you start the game, you're down 9-0, but you can still believe.
But then you don't score, and they score another five runs, and it's 14-0.
You are forced to go for big innings."
On not making the medal round
"It's very disappointing."
On tomorrow's last preliminary game
"We still have to come out strong against Chinese Taipei.
We are playing for fifth place."

Calvin MADURO (NED) - starting pitcher
On tonight's pitching performance
"I thought I was hitting the spots. If the umpire doesn't call my spots then there's nothing I can do."
On tonight's game
"It was difficult when we immediately let in nine runs.
We came out to win, but I don't know what happened.
Maybe a bad umpire determined the outcome of the game."
On the failure to qualify for the semi-finals
"We had a good team and we came here to go for a medal; it's disappointing."
"When I go home and my son asks me where's my medal, that would add to the disappointment."
On the future
"I'll keep playing and hopefully will be back again to participate in the Games."