Mister Baseball

The Solingen Alligators opened defense of their German Baseball League championship in style with a tough 4-2 win over the Mannheim Tornados in Game 1 of their playoff matchup this past weekend. Team ace Andre Hughes (1-0) picked up the win for the defending German champions and the league’s top hitter, Dominik WULF .530 (35-for-66), added a pivotal three-run home run.

The Tornados used a dominating outing from Martin DEWALD (1-0) to knot the series at a game apiece in Game 2 with a 2-0 win. Enorbel MARQUEZ-RAMIREZ suffered the loss for Solingen.

The Heidenheim Heidekopfe used a Ben Himes Grand Slam to pound the Paderborn Untouchables 14-4 in Game 1 of their playoff series. Heidenheim scored early and often crossing the plate 10 times in the first three innings. Peter DANKERL (1-0) stymied the Untouchables to earn the victory. Paderborn got a strong performance from American hurler Dave PREZIOSI and Jerin HARPER added a home run as the Untouchables trounced Heidenheim 12 to 3 in Game 2 to knot the series at one game apiece. American Earl SMITH suffered the loss for the Heidekopfe.

The Bonn Capitals rode the arm of ace pitcher Tim HENKENJOHANN (10-2, 2.09), who outdueled Mainz ace Manuel Moller (10-1, 2.06), to claim a 4-2 win over the Athletics in Game 1. HENKENJOHANN fanned 14 hitters and has 134 strikeouts this season. Sascha LUTZ (.472) and the Athletics used a 14-hit attack to rout Bonn 13-1 in Game 2 to even the series at 1-1. The Capitals will try to avoid a repeat of last year’s playoffs when Mainz swept Games 3 and 4 to win the series.

The Regensburg Legionare used strong pitching and timely hitting to take two games from Cologne last weekend. Martin ALMSTETTER (1-0) remained unbeaten on the season as he outpitched Cardinals ace Dirk FRIES to get the win in Game 1. In Game 2, Matthew Flaherty tossed a three-hit gem to overshadow and nice outing from Moritz SCKAER as the Legionare completed the sweep and put the Cologne on the brink of elimination.

In other German baseball action, the Saarlouis Hornets swept the Gauting Indians, 7-4 and 10-0, in their Playdown matchup. The Tubingen Hawks captured two surprising wins over the Haar Disciples, and HSV claimed two unexpectedly tough victories over the winless Hannover Regents.

In this weekend playdown action, the Neunkirchen Nightmares will battle the Hannover while Saarlouis meets Haar. The final matchup has Gauting clashing with Tubingen.