Devils upset Challengers in final at-bat 10-9

The Challengers again blew the final game of their season series against the Wil Devils with a 10-9 defeat.

	Nick Lehmann raised his batting average to .478 by going 3-for-4. He also collected a game-high three RBI's.

The Challengers lost their fourth game against the Devils 4-3 last year, and they were determied not to let this happen again this time.

But starter Oli Christen was roughed up for four runs and managed to get just two outs before being lifted for Thomas Landis in the bottom of the first inning.

The Devils extended their lead in the second inning to 5-0 on Sopa's RBI-single, but after that, Landis retained full control over the next four innings, allowing no more runs to score.

His offense provided him with a couple of runs in the meantime, but they didn't come in bunches as in Game 1.

Devil starter Musmacker allowed only Chris Palatinus' two-run double for two runs, and he had to leave the game after that because foreigners aren't allowed to pitch more than three innnings.

	Thomas Landis didn't fare very well at the plate going 0-for3, but was the much better on the mound.

Southpaw Isenring took over and quickly surrendered two more runs on an error by center fielder Rüegg and a sac fly by Nick Lehmann that closed the gap to 5-4.

The Challengers then tied the score in the next inning on Benny Räber's RBI-double with two outs. It was Räber's first start in the outfield this season.

The Challengers took the lead in the sixth inning on Lehmann's RBI-single, but the Devils managed to cut off the scoring by nailing Lehmann at the plate on Jose Valdez' single for the second out.

The Challengers then added three more runs in the top of the seventh inning to give Landis a lead to work with in the final inning.

Joe Cox scored on a wild pitch by Isenring, and Anubis Benitez and Lehmann hit back-to-back RBI-doubles for a 9-5 lead.

	Joe Cox went 1-for-2 with two walks, but still has the Challengers' lowest batting average at .303.

Musmacker and Sopa led off the final inning with consecutive singles for the Devils. Sudan struck out for the apparent first out, but catcher Lehmann dropped the ball and couldn't make the throw to first base, loading the bases with no outs and the tying run at the plate.

Landis then somehow lost his control and gave up two bases-loaded walks in a row, cutting the Challengers' lead to 9-7, and still no outs.

He finally got the first out by striking out Hadler, but then hit no. 9 batter Ruckstuhl with a pitch that scored yet another run.

That made the day for Landis and Valdez took over.

He managed to retire the first batter he faced on a fly out, but the hit was deep enough to enable Isenring to score from third and tie up the game at 9-9.

The Devils now had the winning run at third base with two outs, and Berger managed to put the ball down to third baseman Benitez.

Benitez handled the ball, but couldn't come up with the throw that pulled first baseman Landis inches off the bag and enabled the winning run to score.

The Challengers have still an excellent record of 17-3, but had to give up first place to the Therwil Flyers who won three out of four games against the Bern Cardinals, who now have a record of 18-3.

Game notes: Benitez scored his 150th career run for the Challengers in the top of the seventh inning. ...Landis stole his 100th base of his NLA-career in the top of the sixth inning. ...Lehmann tied his career-high with his 10th double of the season in the seventh inning. It also broke his career-high with 65 total bases.