The Vienna Metrostars and the Union Kufstein Vikings clinched final berths with wins last weekend. The Vikings needed a victory in game five on Sunday morning to eliminate regular season winner Superfund Wanderers. Vienna beat Mosquito Athletics Attnang-Puchheim 3-1 in the best-of-five-series.
Superfund Wanderers – Union Kufstein Vikings 2-3 (5-6, 6-7, 4-3, 12-2, 4-6)
Game 3: Superfund got their first win of the series with 13-inning-thriller. They loaded the bases in the fourth extra-inning and scored the winning run on a groundball to third baseman Tobias SCHERMER, who could not make a play. The Wanderers had tied the game in the seventh frame. Both starting pitcher Clemens CHICHOCKI (Wan) and Werner HARRASSER (Vik) were on the mound until the end. Maximilian SCHLODAN had six hits in seven at-bats
Game 4: After the drama in game one on Saturday, Superfund was hot and tied the series with an easy 12-2. Kufsteins starting pitcher Koichi HIDA was hit hard and got the loss. Francois DU TOIT got the win. It ended after eight innings, due ten-run-rule.
Game 5: So, both teams met on Sunday morning to determine the winner of the semi-finals. The Wanderers struck first and took a fast 1-0 lead. But the Vikings answered with two runs in the fourth and added some more to build up a 6-1 advantage after six. The seventh inning stretch brought some life in the Superfund bats and they scored three runs. They had leadoff-doubles in the eighth and ninth frame, nevertheless they didn’t score. Bernie EIDHERR started for Kufstein. Johannes GODLER got the nod for the Wanderers.
The Vikings finished the regular season only in fourth place, but reached the Austrian baseball finals for the fifth time in eight years.
Vienna Metrostars – Mosquito Athletics Attnang-Puchheim 3-1 (9-7, 9-0, 4-5, 9-2)
Game 3: The first night game in Austrian playoff baseball history was a classic. The Athletics forced a game four with a 5-4 win. Wolfgang STRINI (Mos) and Andreas KRYSZAN (Met) faced on the mound. Attnang-Pucheim overcame an early deficit to stay alive. Vienna had one last chance in the ninth, when two runners advanced into scoring position with one out, but outfielder Martin RABENGRUBER made two spectacular catches to hold the win.
Game 4: Both teams resumed play on Sunday afternoon. Metrostars ace and coach Tim PATRICK pitched his team to an easy 9-2 to clinch the finals. Vienna scored three runs in the first and added some more afterwards. Mosquitos starting pitcher Werner STRASSER could not stop the Offense and lost the game.
The Metrostars will now host the best-of-five-series in the Austrian baseball finals, beginning next weekend.
Results:
Saturday September 29
Game 3, 13:00 SUPERFUND Wanderers – Union Kufstein Vikings 4:3
Game 4, 15:30 SUPERFUND Wanderers – Union Kufstein Vikings 12:2
Game 3, 19:00 Vienna Metrostars – Mosquito Athletics Attnang-Puchheim 4:5
Sunday September 30
Game 5, 10:00 SUPERFUND Wanderers – Union Kufstein Vikings 4:6
Game 4, 13:00 Vienna Metrostars – Mosquito Athletics Attnang-Puchheim 9:2