By Johannes Godler
Cubs put Highlanders in Relegation spot – A’s extend lead at top of standings – Wanderers take two from Schwaz – Blue Bats drop both to Metrostars
Saturday:
Attnang Puchheim Athletics @ Kufstein Vikings
Thomas Schrittwieser and Thomas Krimbacher started the game with a pitchers duel, with the A’s taking a narrow 2-1 lead through 6. The Vikings were unable to get to Schrittwieser, and later Strasser. Both defenses played a tight game, but with the removal of Krimbacher the A’s added some additional runs to bad their lead and took Game 1.
The second matchup started along the same lines, with the Athletics going out in front 3-1. Joshua Castanza worked a solid performance from the mound and had his D going behind him. Thomas Graf, pitching for the Vikings, was able to keep his team in the game at the beginning, but the 6th inning saw him get pounded by the A’s bats, and the visitors took a mercy rule win in the second game by a score of 15-2
Soroptimist Stockerauer Cubs @ Rico Highlanders
Michael Schneider and Bernd Weixelbaumer faced off on the mound for their respective teams, and the Cubs edged out to a 2-0 lead in the 5th. In the 8th, they added another couple runs before the visitors got the bats going to cut the lead to 4-3. That was as close as they could get it, as the Highlander staff was unable to keep it close, and the Cubs tallied 3 in the top half of the 9th. With a 4-run lead to protect, reliever Mark Brunnthaler put a few runners on base. With the home team in striking distance, Moritz Hackl came in and closed it out for the visitors while picking up his first save.
Game 2 started with neither team able to get baserunners around until the Cubs scored in the 3rd and added to it in the 6th when Scott Holstein knocked one over the fence. He also kept their opponents off the board for his part from the mound, retiring the Highlanders as they came. In the 9th the hosts managed to get on the board, but the Cubs clinched the sweep and came away with a 4-1 win.
Sunday:
Vienna Wanderers @ Schwaz Tigers
The Wanderers travelled up into the mountains to take on last years runners up Schwaz, hoping to get revenge for being knocked out of the playoffs last post season. In the 1st they made their intentions known, putting up two early runs. Johannes Godler protected the early lead and then some, going 6 strong innings without giving up a run. Back on offense, the Wanderers smacked back-to-back jacks off the bats of Jan Machian and Clemens Cichocki, who celebrated his return to Austria in blast-tastic fashion. Cichocki then took the mound to close out the 9-1 victory.
Just as in the first game, Coach Sakanashi’s men took a 2-0 lead in the first, to give starting pitcher Chris Magarian some room in his work against Jason Fronczak. Magarian continued his string of good starts, and for the hostsFronczak was replaced by Franz Haisjackl, who was unable to change the outcome as the Wanderers did their damage against him as well. With Magarian shutting down the Tiger offense until they managed a run in the 8th, he earned a much-deserved complete game win, getting the last batter to ground out with runners on 2nd and 3rd.
Tigers Head Coach Andy Fleischacker handed in his resignation before the weekend, leaving the team for personal reasons. He will continue to coach the Swiss National Team, but has left Austria.
Schwechat Blue Bats @ Vienna Metrostars
After last weeks tough result, the Metrostars looked forward to making a statement against the Blue Bats at home. BenniChristoph had the task of finding a way to counter that. Even though he allowed just 3 runs going into the 8th, he had to come out after allowing 2 more in the 8th inning. He made way for Fabian Hirnschal, who likewise was unable to stop the Metrostars from their rally. Lutz Rauch completed the game and picked up his first save of the season.
ZsoltZalabai, who has been intimidating to the opposition this year, had to watch four Vienna runners cross the plate by the second inning. JT Hilliard gave up a home run to Victor Torres, allowing the Bats to cut the lead to 4-2 and stay within striking distance. Vienna showed off their bats some more, however, going up 8-2 and chasing Zalabai from the mound in favor of Hirnschal again. The bats couldn’t get closer than 9-4 the rest of the way, and the home team took an important sweep..
Results:
Attnang Puchheim Athletics @ Kufstein Vikings
Game 1: 9:1 – WP: T. Schrittwieser; LP: T. Krimbacher;
Game 2: 15:2 – WP: J. Castanza; LP: T. Graf;
Soroptimist Stockerau Cubs @ Rico Highlander
Game 1: 7:6 – WP: M. Schneider; LP: B. Weixelbaumer; S: M. Hackl;
Game 2: 4:1 – WP: S. Holstein (CG); LP: J. Stewart (CG);
HR: S. Holstein
Schwechat Blue Bats @ Vienna Metrostars
Game 1: 5:8 – WP: J. Simonsen; LP: F. Hirnschal; S: L. Rauch
Game 2: 4:9 – WP: JT Hillard; LP: Z. Zalabai;
HR: V. Torres, J. Diaz;
Vienna Wanderers @ Schwaz Tigers
Game 1: 9:1 – WP: J. Godler; LP: P. Astl;
Game 2: 5:1 – WP: C. Magarian (CG); LP: J. Fronzak;
HR: J. Machian, C. Cichocki;
{mrb-standing:austria-2011}