by Chris Byrnes
The Zurich Barracudas jumped on Lions starting pitcher Mario Dreiding and scored 8 runs in the first two innings to cruise to a 15-5 seven inning win last night at the Heerenschurli ball park.
The Barracudas received timely hitting going 8 for 18 with runs in scoring position. Chris Michaels had three hits and three rbi’s. Bert Marsnik delivered four rbi’s on the night while Andi Rüesch and Nelson Santana both contributed two run singles to lead the Barracudas offense.
Andi Rüesch pitched a complete game to earn his league leading sixth win. Rüesch limiting the Lions to only eight hits on the night and struck out 10 Lions.
The Barracudas will face archrival Zurich Challengers on Wednesday night. The Challengers who are red hot carry an eight game win streak into the game and will give the ball to veteran Tobi Siegrist. The Barracudas will give the ball to Roger Savoldelli who will be trying to get his 99th career NLA complete game. Good seats still available.
Swiss NLA Playoff Picture still wide open
With only one month remaining in the Swiss NLA season the playoff picture is still wide open. The Barracudas are on top of the standings and have perhaps the easier of the remaining schedules as they play the lions twice more and the Cardinals three more times.
Second place is wide open as the Challengers/Flyers/Eagles are all playing each other in the last weeks of the season. The resurging Eagles who are battling to return to the playoffs for the first time in the last ten years have to play the Therwil Flyers twice and the Zurich Challengers three more times and these games will determine the last three playoff spots and home field advantage.
The defending champions Bern Cardinals find themselves in an unfamiliar spot as they are battling for the last playoff spot. They are 2 games behind the Eagles but face the Barracudas three more times and the Therwil Flyers twice.
