by Chris Byrnes
There is a famous saying in sports that says good teams find a way to win and the Barracudas managed to squeak out a very exciting ball game by scoring a run in the top of the 8th inning to win 5-4. The Barracudas found a way to win last night as they were out hit 11-3 by the Challengers and scored only one earned run off Rob Sedin. The Challengers allowed 10 walks, two hit batsman and seven stolen bases. Harry Wischnewski drove the bus for the Barracudas with a two rbi night. The Challengers were led offensively by their awesome threesome of Rob Sedin, Ryan Byrne and Eidrys Reyes who produced 7 of the 11 Challengers hits and scored all four runs.
Harry Wischnewski – Zurich Barracudas
The game opened up with the Barracudas scoring in the top half of the first when Harry Wischnewski was hit by pitch, stole second base, moved to third on a passed ball and scored on a wild pitch. The Challengers evened the score in the 3rd inning when Rob Sedin lead off with a single and Ryan Byrne hit a nice sac bunt and Eidrys Reyes lashed a single to right field to score Sedin. The Challengers went ahead in the fifth inning when Ryan Byrne smashed a triple and Eidrys Reyes hit a sac fly to make it 2-1 Challengers
Challenger’s pitcher Rob Sedin kept a no hitter going into the sixth inning but that is where the Barracudas went to work. A leadoff walk by catcher Bert Marsnik got things started and Nelson Santana singled to place runners at 1st and 2nd base. Hasson Rogers then hit the ball in the hole between SS and 3RD and the Challengers could not make the play and the bases were loaded. Sedin got the next batter on a strike out but Andi Rüesch had a professional at bat and hit a sac fly to right field to tie the game at 2-2. With runners on 1st and 3rd the Barracudas executed a double steal to make it 3-2 and then Harry Wischnewski stepped to the plate and smacked a line drive single to score Marc Schnider to make the score 4-2 Barracudas.
The Challengers fought back gallantly in the 7th by scoring two runs to tie the game when once again Rob Sedin singled and Ryan Byrne drilled his second triple of the game. Tobi Siegrist then produced a lined single down the left field line to score Byrne and the game was tied at 4-4.
The Barracudas answered back in the top 8th when Stephan Pribitzer fresh off the plane from Vienna walked, stole second and moved to third on a wild pitch and scored on an infield out by Harry Wischnewski who was driving the bus all day for the Barracudas. Chris Michals kept the Challengers at bay to close out the game. Chris Michals earned his fifth win on the season with another complete game effort.
The Barracudas move to 11-1 on the season and the Challengers drop to 4-6 on the season. The rematch will be help on Friday night in Zurich.