The regular season in the Swiss Nationalliga A finally ended on Saturday afternoon, as the Zurich Challengers clinched the fourth and last spot in the semi-finals with an 8-6 win against the Therwil Flyers. Yonimiler Martinez hit a two-run game-winning homerun in the top of the eighth against reliever Hideori Oshima to seal the win. They finished the regular season with a 12-12 record, edging out local rivals Zurich Barracudas.
{mrb-result:2010-09-11|2010-09-12|CH}
{mrb-standing:switzerland-2010}
The Challengers and the Flyers now are meeting again in the best-of-five semi-final series. Game one already was played on Sunday at the Heerenschuerli in Zurich. And again the Challengers prevailed in a close game, taking a 1-0 lead in the series thanks to a 6-5 victory. Therwil, which is the defending champion, only had lost four games during the regular season, although three in the last six games.
In the second semi-final between the Bern Cardinals and the Embrach Mustangs, the series is tied 2-2 after four games. In game three on Saturday the Cardinals won 7-6 thanks to a walk-off homerun by Raphael Haenzi in the bottom of the ninth. Embrach had tied the game in the top of the frame. In game four on Sunday, the Mustangs celebrated a 7-5 victory to force a decisive game five next Saturday in Bern.
Results Playoffs:
Saturday, September 4:
Embrach Mustangs – Bern Cardinals 4-3
Sunday, September 5:
Bern Cardinals – Embrach Mustangs 5-2
Saturday, September 11:
Bern Cardinals – Embrach Mustangs 7-6
Sunday, September 12:
Embrach Mustangs – Bern Cardinals 7-5 (Series tied 2-2)
Zurich Challengers – Therwil Flyers 6-5 (Challengers leading Series 1-0)
Schedule Playoffs
Saturday, September 18:
14:00 Bern Cardinals – Embrach Mustangs
14:00 Therwil Flyers – Zurich Challengers
Saturday, September 25:
17:00 Therwil Flyers – Zurich Challengers
Sunday, September 26:
17:00 Zurich Challengers – Therwil Flyers*
Saturday, October 2:
14:00 Therwil Flyers – Zurich Challengers*
*if necessary