by Chris Byrnes
The Swiss NLA finals started this weekend with the first place Zurich Barracudas taking on the second place Therwil Flyers in the best of five series. The Barracudas won game 1 by score of 5-4 winning in the bottom of the ninth with a walkoff single by Nderim Coma. The Flyers answer right back on Sunday as Gavin Guarrera shut down the Barracudas offense with an impressive two hit shutout to even the series at one game apiece.
Game 1 – Barracudas 5 – Flyers 4
The Barracudas and Flyers battled in game one as there were four different lead changes in the game making it a very exciting game for the over 300 fans who attended . The Barracudas set the tone early by scoring two runs in the Bottom of the 1st inning off Flyer pitcher Lukas Croton. The Barracudas earned two infield singles and Nderim Coma drove a line drive into right center to score the first run. The second run scored on an infield pop fly that was lost in the sun by the Flyers.
Andi Rüesch took the mound for the Barracudas and kept the Flyers off the board for the first four frames. In the 5th inning the Flyers Emanuel Raouzeos led off with a walk and advanced to second base with an infield out. With two outs and 1st base open the Barracudas decided to walk hot hitting Ianis Bouteloup to pitch to Adrian Kaufamnn with two down. Kaufmann managed an infield single to load the bases and then Taka Oshima ripped a single down the left field line to tie the score at 2-2.
The Barracudas came fighting right back in the bottom of the 5th scoring the go ahead run when Croton walked Chris Michals who stole second base and scored on a Nelson Santana single.
The Flyers answered right back by scoring two runs in the top of the 6th to go ahead 4-3. The Flyers took advantage of some sloppy play by the Barracudas as a passed ball on a strike out allowed the Flyers to keep the inning alive. Ruesch then hit the next batter to put runners at 1 and 2nd base. Another error on the shortstop allowed a run to score. Rüesch then hit the next batter to load the bases. Roger Savoldelli entered the game in relief and faced the leagues leading hitter Taka Oshima. Savoldelli looked to get out of the inning as he got Oshima to hit the ball off the end of the bat down the 1st base line but the ball hit the bag and and Oshima was safe at 1st base and another run scored. Savoldelli then got the next batter Hide Oshima to ground out to end the inning. Flyers took a 4-3 lead.
The Barracudas faught back again to tie the score in the 7th inning when Marcel Ochsner walked and then Harry Wischnewski hit into a force play. Wischnewski promptly stole second base and scored on an infield error to tie the game at 4-4.
Savoldelli kept the Flyers off the board the rest of the way and in the bottom of the 9th Chris Michals reached 1st on and infield error and moved to second on a single by Josh Crouse and then Nderim Coma laced the first pitch from Hide Oshima for a single to win the game for the Barracudas.
Roger Savoldelli gained his third win of the playoffs and Hide Oshima took the loss in relif.
Game 2 – Flyers 4 – Barracudas 0
In game two the Barracudas traveled to Therwil looking to take the second game of the series with Chris Michals on the mound. Michals had not lost a game all year. He would be facing the very tough lefty in Gavin Guarrera.
This game was all Flyers as Guarrera dominated the Barracudas by pitching a two hit complete game shutout to even the series at 1 game apiece. The Flyers scored one run in the second inning on back to back doubles by Ianis Bouteloup and Adrian Kaufmann.
The Flyers broke the game open in the 7th inning scoring three runs on a bases clearing double by Stefan Koller.
Game three will be in Zurich on Saturday and game four will be in Therwil on Sunday.