The Challengers dropped Game 1 of their best-of-five semi-final series to the Bern Cardinals, as the Cards posted a 6-1 win. The game took place at the Heerenschürli ballpark on Sunday, September 29 after the game on Saturday at Bern has been rained out. After the defending Swiss champion Bern Cardinals opened the score in the first inning, the Challengers tied the game in the bottom of the fourth inning, as Tobias Siegrist crossed the plate with the help of the Cardinals defense. The C’s loaded the bases in the bottom of the fifth but weren’t able to cash in. Better did it the Cardinals in the top of the sixth frame, as they scored five runs on four hits, two sacrifice flies, two walks, one error and a wild pitch to make it 6-1. And the Cards didn’t look back, as Ryan Byrne retired 11 of the last 13 batters he faced.

Byrne went the distance, as he allowed one unearned run and four hits with no walks and eight strikeouts, while Andrea Girasole tossed 5.1 innings allowing five runs – three earned – and six hits with two walks and one strikeout. Jesus Martinez was the only Challenger with two hits, while Säntis Zeller and Thomas Blank had one hit apiece.

Game 2 of the best-of-five series will take place on Saturday, September 29 at 2pm at Bern Allmend.