Challengers 12, Cardinals 9

In Game 2 of Saturday's doubleheader against the Bern Cardinals, the Challengers again fell behind quickly, before they regrouped and came away with a 12-9 win.

Roger Brunner>

Roger Brunner pops up in the sixth inning, but reaches first base on shortstop Killias' fielding error.

The Cards jumped on no. 2 starter Patrick Bosshard in the first inning by sending 10 batters to the plate. Five of them scored as Bosshard gave up four singles, a double and a base-on-balls. But none of the runs were earned as Haas reached on first baseman Valdez' fielding error with already two outs.

But the Challengers came right back in the bottom of the first and went ahead 6-5 on Bosshard's two-run double with two outs.

By that time, Game 1 starter Severin Fries already relieved Zimmermann who just pitched to eight batters in the first inning, giving up six runs - all earned - on two hits and four walks.

Nevertheless, the Cardinals continued to swing at Bosshard's pitches and led off the second inning with three consecutive singles.

They had a big chance to blow the game wide open when they loaded the bases with just one out, and the game tied 6-6.

Joe Cox>

Challengers' batters were outhit 13-11, but still managed to pull out a 12-9 victory.

But Fries grounded into an inning-ending douple play to shortstop Saentis Zeller.

The Challengers hoped to continue where they left off in the first inning, but they were able to score just once on Anubis Benitez' groundout that scored Landis from third base.

But amazingly, the Cards were able to tie it up at 7-7 on Negro's RBI-single in the top of the third.

But that was all they were able to score and Nick Lehmann relieved Bosshard at the start of the fourth inning.

But before that, the Challengers' offense made sure that youngster Lehmann was given a comfortable lead. They sent nine batters to the plate and scored four times, three of them on Thomas Landis' three-run homer, his first of the season.

Severin Fries had to relieve in Game 2 after already having pitched 4+ innings in Game 1.

Neither team was able to score in the fourth and fifth innings before the Challengers scored an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth on an error by shortstop Killias for a 12-7 lead.

That was all the Challengers needed as they entered the seventh and final inning with Benny Räber on the mound.

He gave up a leadoff single to Negro, but retired the next two batters on strikes. He walked Ron Zimmermann and Hänzi followed with an RBI-single and Zimmermann also scored on shortstop Saentis Zeller's throwing error to home plate.

Räber also gave up a single to Haas to put runners on first and third with two outs.

Manager Marvin Moore then sent Jose Valdez to take over from Räber and he promptly struck out Fries to end the game and earn his first save of the season.

Zeller has now taken over the lead in all three triple-crown categories, leading all Challengers with a .520 batting average, 2 homers and 13 RBI's.