by Chris Byrnes
The Therwil Flyers travelled to Zurich to face the Zurich Barracudas in what was the showdown for 1st place in the Swiss NLA. The Flyers held off the Barracudas to win the game by a score of 6-5 and that puts the Flyers in the drivers spot for home field advantage during the playoffs.
The Flyers took advantage of five unearned runs in the top of the 3rd inning off Barracudas pitcher Chris Michals. With two outs, Michals walked Adi Kaufmann and then got Michael Stowers to ground to 3rd base but the Barracudas booted the ball and that placed runners on 1st and 2nd base. After an errant pickoff throw by Michals at 2nd base allowed the runners to move up to 2nd and 3rd base, the Flyers main man Taka Oshima delivered a key two out single to score both runners. Sven Leemann stepped up to the plate and delivered a single to right field and he moved up to 2nd base on the throw to 3rd base. David Castillo then hit a ground ball to 1st base that was not handled by the Barracudas and another two runs scored on the play to make it a 4-0 ball game. Michals then allowed consecutive singles by Stefan Koller and Javier Rodriquez to make it a 5-0 ball game.
The Barracudas battled back in the bottom of the 3rd inning to score three runs off Therwil Pitcher Devon Barker. Stephan Pribizer led off with a walk and Harry Wischnewski got on board on an error. Josh Crouse was hit by a pitch to load the bases and then Tyler Wagner plated a run with a sacrifice fly to centerfield. Both runners advanced to 2nd and 3rd on the play and scored on an infield single by Chris Michals to make it a 5-3 ball game.
The Flyers put another run across in the top of the 5th inning when David Castillo hit a line drive that went off the glove of Andi Rüesch in left field. Javier Rodriquez then singled to place runners at the corner with one out. Michals got Hide Oshima to ground to 1st base but the ball was bobbled and Castillo was able to score on the force out at 1st base making it a 6-3 ball game.
The Barracudas came right back to score two runs to make it a 6-5 ball game when Harry Wischnewski doubled and Josh Crouse singled. Tyler Wagner grounded out moving the runners into scoring position and Chris Michals singled to bring both runners home.
In the bottom of the 6th the Barracudas had a great opportunity to tie the game when Stephan Pribitzer reached 1st base on a beautiful bunt and then Harry Wischnewski doubled down the left field line and Pribitzer was thrown out at the plate trying to score from 1st base.
Devon Barker picked up his fifth win without a loss giving up 10 hits and four earned runs. Chris Michals took the loss pitching five innings allowing nine hits and one earned run. Roger Savoldelli pitched four perfect innings in relief. Offensively the Flyers were led by Taka Oshima with three hits and two RBIs and David Castillo with two hits and two RBIs. The Barracudas were led offensively by Chris Michals with three hits and two RBIs and Harry Wischnewski who had perhaps the best all-around game with two doubles and two runs scored and created havoc on the bases and ran down everything in the outfield.