The BUCHBINDER LEGIONAERE and the TORNADOS travel to Solingen and Heidenheim on Saturday to defend 2-0 leads in the best-of-five semi-final series of the German Baseball-Bundesliga. The northern and southern conference leaders after the regular season are on the verge to be eliminated, but will have home field advantage in the remaining three games.
(0-2) Solingen Alligators – Buchbinder Legionaere Regensburg
The ALLIGATORS hope for the comeback, which could be possible with national team pitchers Enorbel Marquez-Ramirez and Andre Hughes on the mound in games three and four. However if REGENSBURG’s Philipp Hoffschild can repeat his brilliant performance from the first match, everything could be over after the game three. His three-hit complete game shutout set the tone last Saturday. With Martin Almstetter, Craig Crow and Benedikt Antwi the 2007 vice champion also might have the depth for a potential fifth game on Sunday.
Saturday, August 23:
13:00 Solingen – Regensburg
15:30 Solingen – Regensburg*
Sunday, August 24:
13:00 Solingen – Regensburg*
(0-2) Heidenheim Heidekoepfe – Mannheim Tornados
The pitching dominated the first two games of the series between HEIDENHEIM and MANNHEIM with the TORNADOS winning 1-0 and 2-1. Especially in the first match the strong HEIDEKOEPFE offense failed to convert their scoring opportunities and now they are with their back to the wall. They need to get the bats from Ryan Lilly, Simon Guehring and Keith Maxwell to get going or they will miss the finals again. MANNHEIM need to decide the series on Saturday, as one of their best pitchers (Martin Dewald) left for the start of the college year in the United States. The pressure is on Paul Waterman, Craig Pycock and Eddie Aucoin to deliver in game three and four. If a fifth match is necessary they might not have the depth in the pitching staff like HEIDENHEIM.
Saturday, August 23:
13:00 Heidenheim – Mannheim
15:30 Heidenheim – Mannheim*
Sunday, August 24:
13:00 Heidenheim – Mannheim*
*if necessary
Playdowns:
Saturday, August 23:
13:00 Hanover – Bonn
13:00 HSV – Neunkirchen
13:00 Gauting – Saarlouis
Standings:
North:
- Bonn 20-14
- HSV 12-22
- Hanover 8-26
- Neunkirchen 4-30
South:
- Saarlouis 15-19
- Haar 13-21
- Gauting 12-22
- Neuenburg 5-29