The two semi-final series in the German Baseball-Bundesliga will end this weekend. In Solingen, the ALLIGATORS host the HEIDEKOEPFE for games three and four on Saturday with a potential game five being played on Sunday. At the Baseball World Cup venue Armin Wolf Arena in Regensburg, the BUCHBINDER LEGIONAERE will take on the MANNHEIM TORNADOS.
(1-1) Solingen Alligators – Heidenheim Heidekoepfe (1-4, 5-2)
Still without catcher and offensive force Simon Guehring (broken foot), the HEIDEKOEPFE hope to beat the northern champion, trying to reach the finals for the first time in team history. Markus Winkler and Dusty Bergman will step on the mound in games three and four. Peter Dankerl probably would get the nod in a decisive game five. SOLINGEN on the other hand hopes for another final participation after 2006, when they celebrated the German title. Besides Andre Hughes, who only was eligible to help out in the quarterfinals, they will lack some depth in the pitching department if the series goes the distance after Enorbel Marquez-Ramirez and Jens Cornelsen will go in the first two games of the weekend.
(1-1) Buchbinder Legionaere Regensburg – Mannheim Tornados (6-5, 7-8)
Power dominated the first two games of this best-of-five series, as REGENSBURG won game one thanks to two homeruns by Ludwig Glaser and MANNHEIM the second due to a walk-off shot by Marvin Appiah. Pitching wise it will be as interesting as usual with the BUCHBINDER LEGIONAERE, which one of the four Martin Almstetter, Benedikt Antwi, Rodney Gessmann or Philipp Hoffschild will get the start in game three on Saturday, though Antwi made quite a nice impression in game one. Games four and five will follow on Sunday. Eddie Aucoin is set for the fourth match, with one of the already mentioned German starters going in a possible game five. The TORNADOS and Georg Bull will send out Martin Dewald in game three, as he has to go to the United States on Sunday to start the new year at college. He accounted for all four wins by MANNHEIM so far. Rene Franke now will follow him in the fourth match, with Philipp Hoehlein, Michael Otto and Jan Ruessel being available for the fifth, if not used earlier this weekend.
Schedule:
Saturday, August 15:
13:00 Solingen Alligators – Heidenheim Heidekoepfe
15:00 Buchbinder Legionaere Regensburg – Mannheim Tornados
15:30 Solingen Alligators – Heidenheim Heidekoepfe
Sunday, August 16:
13:00 Solingen Alligators – Heidenheim Heidekoepfe*
13:00 Buchbinder Legionaere Regensburg – Mannheim Tornados
15:30 Buchbinder Legionaere Regensburg – Mannheim Tornados*
(both series tied 1-1)
*if necessary