The Austrian Baseball finals are tied after the first two games. The Union Kufstein Vikings won the first part of the doubleheader 8-7. The second one was some what dramatic as well. The Metrostars Vienna drove home with the split after winning 8-3.
Game 1: Vikings – Metrostars 8-7
Union Kufstein worked hard in the beginning and got a 3-0 lead after a few frames. Vienna answered with a three-run-inside-the-park-homerun by Dominik LÖFFLER, who received some help from the Defense. With the game tied 3-3 in the seventh inning, Alex NEULINGER went to the plate and hit a three-run-double into left field. Kufstein added two more runs. Peter FERAK made it 5-8 with a two-run-homerun in the top of the eighth. The Mets started a comeback in the ninth, loaded the bases and scored a couple of runs through wild pitches. But they left the tying run on third and lost. Werner HARRASSER received the win, KÖRBER the loss.
Game 2: Vikings – Metrostars 3-8
The second game started with a pitching duel. Tim PATRICK and Bernhard EIDHERR faced each other. Vienna scored first and build a 2-0 lead. But the Vikings rallied and plated three runs in the fourth. The Metrostars answered right away and tied it. They added the decisive runs in the seventh inning and later some more to earn the split. Koichi HIDA replaced EIDHERR on the mound and received the loss. Andreas KRISZAN came in for PATRICK to finish the game.
The series will resume play next weekend in Vienna.
Results:
Finals:
Union Kufstein Vikings – Vienna Metrostars 8-7
Union Kufstein Vikings – Vienna Metrostars 3-8
For third place:
Mosquito Athletics Attnang-Puchheim – Superfund Wanderers 3-1
Mosquito Athletics Attnang-Puchheim – Superfund Wanderers 4-5
Photo: © Joe Yun