Mister Baseball

by John Baum

CARDINALS END LOSING STREAK; FLYERS REMAIN UNBEATEN…HIGHLIGHT WEEKEND IN SWITZERLAND

ZURICH CHALLENGERS VS. BERN CARDINALS

After beginning the season 0-4, the worst start in recent memory, the Cardinals responded with two huge wins against the Zurich Challengers. GAME ONE was a matchup of young Swiss arms, as Thomas Burger (Challengers), faced off against Tobias Imboden. After a scoreless first inning, the Challengers responded with two runs in the second thanks to a one out triple from Jesus Martinez. The Challengers handed those runs, plus two right back to the Cards in the bottom half. After loading the bases, a two-out, three run throwing error from playing/coach Brian Hipps, followed by another error from Ueli von Burg giving the home team a 4-2 lead.

Unfortunately the Cards’ defense was next to break down in the top of the third inning, when three errors, two from Samuel Paulino gave all four runs back to the C’s, along with a 6-4 advantage. Both pitchers and both defenses would settle in nicely, not allowing another run until the Challengers added to their lead with two runs in the seventh as another big error helped add to the damage of three hits. But as what had happened all game long the Cards had an answer as they fought to score five times in the bottom of the seventh as six hits, and another costly error gave the Cardinals a lead they would not relinquish. Imboden finished strong, allowing no more runs to score, preserving a 9-8 win!

GAME TWO saw Jan Langhammer start on the hill for the Cardinals. The little lefty looked to be the wrong choice after being lit up by a leadoff triple from von Burg, and back to back doubles from Hipps and Jesus Martinez gave the Challengers a quick 3-0 lead. The Cards once again had an answer, scoring two times on two hits, RBI singles from Angelo Rodriguez and Seth Suplin; and two walks. Langhammer and Challenger starting pitcher, Tobias Siegrist then exchanged zeros in the second. Langhammer found himself back in trouble in the third, but a bases-loaded line drive double play started by Tinu Gygax getting him out of trouble.

After surrendering the one run in the third, again the Cards would score directly following their opponent, this time three runs on two hits and two errors doing the damage. Another four runs in the fourth stretched the Cards lead to 9-4, highlighted by a three-run inside the park homerun from Suplin. But the dagger was placed when a seven run fifth inning,(making the score 16-5), ended any hopes of a Challenger comeback, securing the sweep and putting the Cardinals squarely in the playoff race again.

SISSACH FROGS VS. THERWIL FLYERS

By: J.B. Tucker

Game One
The Therwil Flyers continued their dominant play this weekend when they faced the Sissach Frogs. The first game of the double header started off very quickly for the Flyers, scoring 4 and 6 runs in the first two innings respectively. Not only did the Flyers put a lot of runs on the board but, their pitching was also dominant. Stefan Koller pitched 5 innings giving up 1 run, unearned, 4 hits and he struck out 4 in the process. Taka Oshima also pitched brilliantly closing out the game giving up 2 hits and striking out 2. The major offensive contributors were veteran center fielder Reto Siegel, who had 3 hits and 3 RBI, and Adrian Kaufmann who was 3 for 3 with an RBI and a walk. The game was halted in the sixth inning due to the 15 run mercy rule. The final score was 17-1.

Game Two
The second game of the day started off much more slowly. The Flyers were only able to push across 2 runs in the first 3 frames. Rüfenacht, the pitcher for the Frogs, did a great job of keeping the potent Flyers offense off balance. Eventually the Flyers caught up to him, scoring 3 in the fourth inning and 1 more in the fifth. The sixth inning was tragic for the Frogs, changing pitchers 3 times, only able to get one out before the Flyers pushed across 11 runs which put into affect the 15 run mercy rule, for the second consecutive game. Flyers pitcher Chris Blackbee started the game and threw very well, surrendering 1 run on 4 hits while striking out 4. Lukas Croton relieved Blackbee and pitched outstanding giving up only one hit and one run while striking out 3. Offensive standouts for game two were Stefan Koller and Seppi Zwyer who had 4 and 2 RBI respectively and each added 2 hits. The final score was Flyers 17, Frogs 2. The Flyers improved their record to a perfect 6-0 and remain on top of the leader board in the league.

ZURICH BARRACUDAS VS. LAUSANNE INDIANS

Courtesy of the Zurich Barracudas webpage…

Game 1

With a pair of opening weekend losses still fresh in their mind, the Zurich Barracudas bounced back Sunday with a clean sweep of the Lausanne Indians in Hünenberg, bringing their season record to 2-2.

Nderim Coma made his second start in as many weeks in game one, and was again strong in his outing. He allowed just three hits and two runs (one earned) while striking out six through six innings for his first win and complete game of 2010.

On the other side of the scorebook, the Barracudas’ bats were electric, putting up 19 runs to force the mercy rule after six innings. The hit-fest was lead by the bats of third baseman Andi Rüesch who was 3-for-5 with 3 RBI and two doubles, as well as scoring four times, and center fielder Miguel Conde, who was 3-for-3 with 4 RBI. First baseman Derek Bondo also brought in four Barracudas in his 2-for-4 effort at the plate. Behind Coma the Barracudas defense was strong, committing only two errors, of which only one scored, as well as receiving a timely 5-4-3 double play in the third inning to stop an Indians rally that had started with a leadoff walk followed by a single.

Indians starting pitcher Nicolas Jaquemet faced only six batters before being replaced by Damian Bauman, who worked five innings of relief, yielding 10 runs on 12 hits, but only walking one batter.

Game 2

Game two saw another American matchup between Barracudas pitcher Derek Bondo, a native of Seattle, Washington, and Jon Mark Walls, a Jackson, Tennessee native who pitched four years at Union University and is now pursuing his Master’s Degree in International Relations.

The Indians put two quick runs on the board in the first inning, benefitting from a leadoff bunt single from Virgile Roux, followed by an RBI double on the first pitch to Walls three batters later. The Indians only other run would come in the third, when a leadoff walk to Roux and an intentional walk to Walls would load the bases for third baseman Matthew White, who dropped the first pitch he saw into center field for a run.

Walls was sharp for the Indians, working all the entirety of the seven-inning game, striking out 11 Barracudas while giving up just 6 hits and five runs (two earned). Behind Walls, the Indians made four errors, including a throwing error in the top of the seventh with the game tied 3-3 that allowed the go-ahead run to cross the plate for the Barracudas.

For Zurich, Bondo threw his first complete game of the season, for his first career Swiss League win. Through seven innings, Bondo allowed just four hits and two walks, while fanning 12 in facing 27 Indians at the plate. Andreas Hofler was the offensive leader for the Barracudas, as he drove in two runs and scored one himself. Andi Rüesch continued to have an impressive day at the plate, going 3-for-4 with a double and scoring once.

	Time	Home	Visitor	Result
Saturday, April 24 2010
	11:00	Bern Cardinals	Zürich Challengers	09:08
	11:00	Embrach Mustangs	Lucerne Eagles	10:11
	14:00	Bern Cardinals	Zürich Challengers	17:09
	14:00	Embrach Mustangs	Lucerne Eagles	05:03
Sunday, April 25 2010
	11:00	Lausanne Indians	Zürich Barracudas
	11:00	Therwil Flyers	Sissach Frogs	17:01
	14:00	Lausanne Indians	Zürich Barracudas
	14:00	Therwil Flyers	Sissach Frogs	17:02

Standings

Photo: © Therwil Flyers

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