The HEIDENHEIM HEIDEKOEPFE won both games on Sunday to clinch their first-ever title in the German Baseball-Bundesliga, winning the best-of-five series against the MANNHEIM TORNADOS 3-2.
German Finals Game 4:
(2-2) Mannheim Tornados – Heidenheim Heidekoepfe 3-15 (8)
HEI 506 000 13 15 17 0 MAT 000 030 00 3 4 1
The outcome of game four of the series was decided shortly after the beginning. Simon Guehring, who made his comeback as designated hitter on Saturday, led the HEIDEKOEPFE with two homeruns (including a grand slam) and seven RBI in the first three innings to an easy 15-3 rout to even the series 2-2. HEIDENHEIM already led 11-0 after the first third of the game. Andreas Janzen and Sam Whitehead drove in a combined six more runs. Johannes Schaeffler hit a solo homerun and crossed the plate three times overall.
Dusty Bergman (W 4-1) allowed four hits, three runs and seven walks in eight innings. MANNHEIM’s head coach Georg Bull gave the starting nod in the fourth match to Jan Ruessel (L 0-1), choosing to hold Rene Franke back for a decisive game five. Ruessel surrendered seven hits, eight runs and three bb in just 2 2/3 innings. Reliever Michael Otto wasn’t much better afterward.
German Finals Game 5:
(2-3) Mannheim Tornados – Heidenheim Heidekoepfe 1-3
HEI 002 000 001 3 6 3 MAT 000 100 000 1 7 1
With the series tied a fifth match was needed to decide the fate in the German finals. The HEIDEKOEPFE had the better start, taking a 2-0 lead in the top of the third on a solo homerun by Ray Stokes and a bases loaded walk by Johannes Schaeffler. MANNHEIM answered right away, cutting the deficit in a half in the bottom of the fourth on a RBI fielder’s choice by Dominik Hoepfner. However during the same play Lukas Egetmeyer was thrown out at home, trying to score from second. Simon Guehring crowned his MVP-worthy performance on Sunday with a third homerun, a solo shot in the ninth, to seal the win and the championship for HEIDENHEIM.
Peter Dankerl (W 2-1), who had also won game five in the semi-final series against the SOLINGEN ALLIGATORS, gave up seven hits, one run and five walks in nine innings. He overcame bases loaded jams in the first and seventh frame. Rene Franke (L 1-4) was responsible for six hits, three runs and a whopping nine bb in eight-plus innings to take the loss.
Recap Game 1: Heidenheim – Mannheim 1-4
Recap Game 2: Heidenheim – Mannheim 5-0
Recap Game 3: Mannheim – Heidenheim 5-2
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