by John Baum
(2-3) Therwil Flyers – Bern Cardinals 3-7
In what has to go down as one of the best finals series in Swiss baseball history, the Bern Cardinals overcame a 2-0 deficit after the first inning to capture the club’s sixth championship, and fifth in the past six years Tobias Imboden went the distance, recording the biggest win in his brief pitching career. After a shaky first inning, Imboden allowed only one more run the rest of the way, working in and out of trouble along the way.
With the score at 2-0, the Cards cut into the deficit with a bases loaded walk with one out. The Flyers starting pitcher Hide Oshima prevented further damage though as he induced an inning ending 1-2-3 double play from Bern slugger Johnny Perigos. The Cards managed to tie the game at 2-2 with another manufactured run in the fourth inning.
The fifth saw the Cardinals take their first lead of the game thanks to Seth Suplin’s fifth finals homerun. In the seventh inning, the Cards caught a break on a misplayed fielder’s choice, giving the visitors an extra out that they would use effectively. The next hitter, John Baum hit the first pitch he saw for an RBI ground rule double, giving his team a 4-2 lead. The next batter, Perigos followed with a double of his own scoring two and extending the lead to 6-2.
Both teams would exchange runs leaving the score at 7-3 in the ninth. Imboden would give up a leadoff hit before retiring the next two batters putting Bern within one out of the title. A walk to the number two hitter would bring the power hitting J.B. Tucker to the plate with a chance to cut into the deficit. But as had been the story of the game, Imboden induced a 5-3 ground out to end the game and bring the title back to Bern.
Results Swiss Finals:
Saturday, October 2:
Therwil Flyers – Bern Cardinals 3-8
Sunday, October 3:
Therwil Flyers – Bern Cardinals 9-8
Recaps Games 1&2
Saturday, October 9:
Bern Cardinals – Therwil Flyers 9-10
Sunday, October 10:
Bern Cardinals – Therwil Flyers 7-6
Recaps Game 3&4
Saturday, October 16:
Therwil Flyers – Bern Cardinals 3-7 (Cardinals win Series 3-2)
Photo: Bern Cardinals