Challengers 19, Frogs 11

The Challengers wasted no time to revenge the bitter loss in Game 1 of Sunday's doubleheader against the Frogs by beating them 19-11 in the second contest.

Thomas Landis>

Thomas Landis connects on a pitch by Steve Klee for an RBI-single.

The Frogs scored twice in the first inning on a run-scoring groundout by Peter Rüfenacht and an RBI-single by Steve Lüthi.

But the Challengers came right back and put together nine hits and profited from two errors to score ten times in the first frame. Jose Valdez' RBI-single capped the inning after 14 batters walked to the plate before reliever Steve Klee finally managed to get the third out.

The Frogs managed to score in each of the first four innings and were able to come within one run in the top of the fourth.

The Challengers defense again didn't look very well and committed six errors in those first four innings that led to seven unearned runs for the Challengers pitchers.

The Frogs were limited to seven hits but still managed to score 11 runs.

Starter Jose Valdez was given two innings before being relieved by Benny Räber (1-0). He pitched the next 2 2-3 innings, giving up five runs - none of them earned - on just two hits and two walks. He struck out five and showed that his 31 K's in 19 NLB-innings this season are no fluke.

But the Challengers were not finished yet and racked together six runs on four hits in the bottom of the fifth to blow open a close game. Jose Valdez connected on a three-run homer with two outs and pinch-hitter Bryan Shemley followed with an RBI-double two batters later. Andreas Mathis, playing in his first game for the Challengers, sent home Shemley with a blazing single up the middle.

Benny Räber allowed no earned runs in 2 2-3 innings of relief and struck out five.

Valdez smashed his second homer of the game in the sixth inning, a two-run shot for a 19-9 Challengers lead.

Valdez finished the day with five hits in eight at-bats and collecting seven RBI's, all in the second game.

The Frogs managed to score two more in the seventh inning for the final score of 19-11 in the Challengers' favor.

Challengers manager Marvin Moore used a record 18 players in the second game and the five substitutes who had an at-bat went a combined 1-for-6, Shemley's RBI-double being the only hit.

Rookie Tobias Siegrist appeared in his first game in the NLA and catched one inning, letting two balls get passed by him.