Mister Baseball

by John Baum

Cardinals move one step closer two finishing with home field advantage in semis after sweep of Challengers. Sunday in Hunenberg, the Bern Cardinals (21-6) scored 27 times in a doubleheader sweep of the Zurich Challengers (14-10).
Things got off to a perfect start in game one, as Vitus Huber led off with a single to right. Raphael Hanzi followed with a ground-rule-double before John Baum scored them both with his seventh homerun of the season. With the score sitting at 3-0, Chris Beyeler took the hill for the visiting Cards. Chris would struggle with his control, and a bit of a sore shoulder, and would work just five innings, allowing eight runs on five hits and eight walks. At that point Andrea Girasole would make his Cards debut. Girasole would work the remainder of the game, giving up only two runs in the ninth, recording his first win as a Cardinal. The C’s took their first lead in the second inning. A fielding error on a fly ball by the left fielder, along with three hits, one of which a two-run shot by James Sanders, making it 5-3. The Cards however answered back in the top of the fourth, evening the game at five. Huber’s second hit and an RBI double by Baum scoring Hanzi for the second run. Another run in the bottom of the inning, and two more in the fifth put Zurich ahead 8-5. But once again the Cards had an answer, sending eight to the plate in scoring three runs to leave the score at 8-8 until the eighth inning. After issuing a leadoff single to Huber, Challengers starting pitcher Chris Palatinus would be relieved by Tobias Siegrist. Siegrist struggled with his control, walking Hanzi and Baum to load the bases. The next batter, Johnny Perigos, smoked the next pitch he saw over the right fielder for a two run double. With runners now on second and third with one out, Rudy Vargas put the nail in the coffin with a two run single up the middle, extending the lead to 12-8. Two more runs in the ninth for the Cards really put things away, even though the C’s rallied for two of their own runs in the last half, it wasn’t nearly enough as the Cards came from behind twice to take game one, 14-10.

Huber 3-6, 5 RUNS. Hanzi 3-5, 2B, 4 RUNS. Baum 4-5, HR, 2 2B, 6 RBI, 3 RUNS. Perigos 3-5, 3 RBI. 1-4 hitters combined: 13-21 (.619 BA), 13 RUNS, 9 RBI.

Game two started just as well for the Cards as game one, maybe even a little better. After struggling last time out against Y. Martinez of the Challengers, the Cards broke out for six runs in the first two innings to take a commanding lead. Huber once again was on base to lead of the game, this time on a walk. Hanzi continued his hot hitting scoring Huber on a single after he had stolen second. Hanzi would also swipe second base, after which he advanced to third on a wild pitch, and was scored by a Baum sac fly. In the second, Alex Cruz Tifa led off with a single and advanced to third on Huber’s double. Hanzi and Baum would add back to back run scoring singles, and Vargas added the fourth run on a single of his own. Baum, the starting pitcher for the Cardinals, threw three innings before handing the ball to Tobias Imboden in the fourth. Baum allowed three hits and one unearned run before exiting. Imboden worked the final four innings, giving up four hits, three runs while recording the win. Bern really put things out of reach by scoring five times in the fourth inning. Baum, two run single, Miro Bussmann RBI single, Cruz Tifa RBI single, stretching the lead to 9-1. The Challengers added three late runs but never really got close to the Cardinals, and two more runs in the top of the last inning for Bern sealed the sweep.

Vitus Huber reached base safely 11 times on 4 hits, 2 BB, HBP, 3 Fielders Choice, 1 error; in 12 plate appearances! He also scored 8 runs on the day!  The top four hitters combined for: 22-37 (.595 BA), 21 runs, 18 RBI in the doubleheader.

Huber 1-3, 3 RUNS, 2 BB, HBP. Hanzi 3-4, 3 RUNS,3 RBI. Baum 3-4, 3RBI. Perigos, 2-5. Cruz Tifa 2-4 2 RUNS.

Flyers are once again regular season champs!
The Therwil Flyers (23-5) completed their 2009 NLA regular season, clinching home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. It was a special day for Flyer ace Stefan Koller (11-3, 3.59) who threw his first career no-hitter in game one. Koller went 9 innings, struck out 4, and allowed only 3 base runners on the day. The Eagles (1-25) were overmatched from the first pitch, never threatening the no-hit bid. A few slow infield rollers had fans holding their breath, but the rock steady Flyer defense took care of business.

After Eagles left fielder Marc Hurschler reached on an error to lead off the 5th, Koller did not allow another base runner. He retired the last 15 batters he faced. Koller‘s trademark fastball was overpowering- the Eagles could merely hit the ball around the Flyer infield, which registered 16 put outs in the game.

The offense gave Koller an early 4-0 lead, as the Flyers put up 4 runs in the first 3 innings. Daniel Eichenberger had 3 hits, including 2 doubles and his league leading 7th homerun of the season. Reto Siegel had a season high 4 hits, and hit his first home run of the year in the 7th inning. With Koller in cruise control, the game was never in doubt. In the 9th inning, Koller retired the top of the Eagles line up in order, inducing Raphael Strund to ground out to second baseman Matthi Jung to complete the no-hitter.  Koller walked off the mound before being mobbed by his teammates.

Unfortunately, game 2 of the doubleheader would end prematurely. In the 3rd inning of a tie ball game, Strub was called out on a 3-2 fastball from Flyers righty Lukas Croton. Strub barked an obscenity at the umpire, and was promptly ejected. With only 9 players traveling for the road game, Reussbuehl immediately forfeited the contest.

With these two wins, the Therwil Flyers secure home field advantage throughout the playoffs. With the two losses this weekend, the Challengers, with one more win, will finish in fourth place, and be the Flyers semi-final opponent. This means that the other semifinal will be between the Cardinals and Indians.

	Time	Home	Visitor	Result
Sunday, August 09 2009
	11:00	Zürich Challengers	Bern Cardinals	10:14
	11:00	Therwil Flyers	Reussbühl Eagles	08:00
	14:00	Zürich Challengers	Bern Cardinals	04:13
	14:00	Therwil Flyers	Reussbühl Eagles	07:00

Standings