Zurich Challengers – Therwil Flyers 3-12, 1-3
by Zurich Challengers
Game1
The Challengers had to travel to Therwil to play their home doubleheader against the Flyers due to the flooding of the Heerenschürli field almost two weeks ago. And it wasn’t a good trip as the Flyers beat up starter Andrea Girasole and two relievers in a lopsided 12-3 win. Both Stefan Koller and Chris Blackbee had four hits in five at-bats, and Koller pitched eight effective innings for his fourth win of the season. Girasole (5-3) pitched three innings in his shortest outing of the season as a starter, and he ended up giving up seven runs on eight hits and six walks, and also striking out a season-low two batters. Thomas Burger relieved Girasole in the fourth and pitched four innings, allowing just two more runs, while Tobias Siegrist pitched the final two frames. Rob Sedin and Siegrist combined for nine of the 12 total bases by the Challengers. Siegrist had a single and a triple, while Sedin added a double and a triple. While the Flyers used their opportunities and went 9-for-22 with runners in scoring position, the Challengers wasted several good chances and ended up with just one hit in 11 chances with runners in scoring position.
Game2
In Game 2 of Sunday’s doubleheader, the Challengers were able to make a game out of it, but rain stopped their rally short. With the score 4-2 in the bottom of the sixth inning in favor of the Flyers, and two Challenger runners on, a sudden rain storm stopped play which never resumed. With that, the Flyers were awarded a 3-1 win (official score after five complete innings), and also the 4-0 season series sweep. Just like in Game 1, the Flyers again profited from walks by the Challengers pitching staff. Sedin walked two batters to set up Stefan Koller‘s RBI-single in the first inning. The Challengers got that run back on Harry Bregy‘s RBI-single in the bottom of the second with two outs. Sedin struck out four of the ten batters he faced in the second, third and fourth innings, but an error by first baseman Bregy and a passed ball by catcher Tobias Siegrist pushed two unearned runs across the plate in the top of the fourth for a 3-1 Flyers lead. The Challengers stranded runners in scoring position in every inning except the fourth and ended up going 2-for-9 with RISP. Chris Blackbee ended up pitching five innings for his first win of the season while Sedin took the first loss. Sedin was also the only batter of the game with more than one hit as he hit two singles and drew a walk in three plate appearances.
Results:
Saturday, July 14:
Lucerne Eagles – Wil Devils 15-6, 15-0
Sunday, July 15:
Zurich Challengers – Therwil Flyers 3-12, 1-3
Standings:
- Bern Cardinals 15-1
- Embrach Mustangs 14-3
- Therwil Flyers 9-4
- Zurich Barracudas 10-5
- Zurich Challengers 8-7
- Zurich Lions 3-13
- Lucerne Eagles 3-13
- Wil Devils 2-18