Mister Baseball

by John Baum

CARDINALS AND BARRACUDAS SPLIT… CARDS REMAIN IN SECOND PLACE
Saturday in Bern, the second place Cardinals (13-5) and third place Barracudas (12-7) played to a split in their doubleheader. Game one featured Chris Beyeler on the mound for the Cards against Nderim Coma for the ‘Cudas. After a scoreless inning for the visitors, the Cardinals struck first on Johnny Perigos’ sixth homerun of the season, a two-run shot to left. The ‘Cudas didn’t wait long to answer, sending ten batters to the plate, scoring five runs on three hits to take an early 5-2 lead in the second inning. The boys from Bern came back in the bottom of the inning with a run of their own, cutting the lead to 5-3. The Barracudas would extend their lead in the fourth inning, scoring three more times, giving them an 8-3 advantage. Beyeler would settle down after his rough start, keeping the ‘Cuda offense off the scoreboard for the next four innings. Meanwhile, the Cards began a comeback in the fifth inning, scoring once on two hits, a John Baum leadoff single, followed by a Perigos double, setting up the scoring chance. Three more runs in the sixth for the home team left the score at 8-7. It would stay this way until the bottom of the ninth when the Cards tied the game on a fielder’s choice, and eventually loaded the bases with nobody out. With the tying run 90 feet away, and a full count on the batter, ‘Cudas pitcher Frank Berchtold induced a 6-2-3 double play to kill the Cardinals chances. In the top of the tenth, the visitors once again took the lead on a long two-run homerun for J.T. Schroeder. The Cardinals brought the tying run to the plate but once again were left wanting as they were unable to make anything happen, and lost game one 10-8.

In game two, John Baum started for the home team, and Jeff Mottl for the visitors. Both pitchers dominated the first two a half innings, giving up no runs. In the third, the Cards found their way on the scoreboard. A one-out Ronnie Zimmermann double, followed by a fielding error on a fly ball from the leftfielder, and the Bern team had the first run. The Cardinals added their second unearned run later the same inning thanks to a Samuel Paulino two-out single. This ended up being more than enough for Baum, who eventually threw a three-hit shutout, striking out seven batters. The Cardinals tacked on an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth to leave the final score at 3-0. The win puts the Cardinals one win away from securing second place, and home field advantage in the semi-finals. The Cardinals welcome the fourth place Lausanne Indians next Sunday at the Allmend. The Cardinals and Indians recently squared off in the Swiss Cup final, with the Indians coming out on top 4-1.

CHALLENGERS LOST TWICE TO THERWIL FLYERS, ENDING SEASON WITH NEGATIVE RECORD OF 9-11
In Game one, The Flyers scored seven times in the second inning off Thomas Landis en route to an easy 13-1 win. In the second game, the Challengers offered a better contest, but nevertheless came up on the losing end in a 7-4 defeat.

Although providing a better competition in the second game of Sunday’s doubleheader, the Challengers still ended their disastrous season with a 7-4 defeat against the Therwil Flyers. Scoring three runs in the first inning off Adrian Kaufmann was not enough, as the Flyers responded with three runs of their own in the bottom half of the first frame and two more in the second inning off starter Harry Bregy. Bregy lasted only three innings, giving up five runs on five hits and seven walks, while striking out only one batter.

James Sanders relieved and pitched the next two innings, giving up two more runs on John Alexander’s sac fly and a steal home by Sebastian Zwyer. He raced home from third as catcher Bryan Shemley walked to the mound to talk to Sanders, without having called time.

That just was one more chapter in the Challengers forgettable 2008 campaign, one of the worst in recent memory.

Game and season notes:
The Challengers’ 9-11 season record is their first one below .500 since 1996 when they finished 10-11, then missing the Playoffs for the last time in 13 seasons. …The 125 strikeouts by the pitching staff were the fewest since 1995 (123). …The 2008 season ranks as the second worst in the last 13 seasons, only behind 2005’s black season.

FROGS SWEEP EAGLES… 7-5 / 12-5 … GO TO TIE BREAK AGAINST DEVILS TO SEE WHO MUST PLAY TO STAY IN THE NLA.

	Time	Home	Visitor	Result
Saturday, August 30 2008
	11:00	Bern Cardinals	Zürich Barracudas	08:10
	14:00	Bern Cardinals	Zürich Barracudas	03:00
Sunday, August 31 2008
	11:00	Reussbühl Eagles	Sissach Frogs	05:07
	11:00	Therwil Flyers	Zürich Challengers	13:01
	14:00	Reussbühl Eagles	Sissach Frogs	05:12
	14:00	Therwil Flyers	Zürich Challengers	07:03

Standings 1

Standings 2