After last weekend’s hiatus, interrupted only by the Buchbinder Cup and the split between Solingen and Dortmund, the German Baseball-Bundesliga continues with the first game day of the second half in the regular season. On Friday evening the 14-0 Buchbinder Legionaere host Mannheim for the first of two games in this series. On opening weekend Regensburg celebrated easy wins against the Tornados to kick off their perfect run. Their pitching staff with Boris Bokaj (7-0, ERA 1.83) at the top has allowed three or fewer runs in twelve of the 14 games so far. The offense is on the same level, having scored at least seven runs in each but one game.
In other matchups in the south the Saarlouis Hornets take on reigning champion Heidenheim Heidekoepfe on Saturday. Both teams will have new players in the lineup, as Trey Hendricks (SLS) and Brandon Taylor (HEI) arrived in Germany last weekend. At the same time the Mainz Athletics are trying to stop their losing streak against the Neuenburg Atomics. On Sunday the two Munich based clubs Gauting Indians and Haar Disciples will face each other in a battle for the fourth spot. Both teams are separated by only a single game in the standings.
After five losses in the last five games the Bonn Capitals play against the Dohren Wild Farmers on Saturday in the northern division. Dohren is likely still without Vince DeCoito, who suffered a leg injury two weeks ago. Coming from a surprise victory in Solingen, Dortmund Wanderers could get back into the playoff race with a sweep in Hamburg against the HSV Stealers. On Sunday the Paderborn Untouchables hope to transfer their winning spree from the Buchbinder Cup into regular league play, as they host the Cologne Cardinals. Additionally the Pulheim Gophers hope to pull off another upset, when they are traveling to the Solingen Alligators.
{mrb-schedule:2010-05-28|2010-05-30|DE}
{mrb-standing:germany-2010}
Photo: © Gregor Eisenhuth www.eisenhuth-photographie.de