Challengers win 3rd straight 22-4

The Challengers outhit the Zurich Barracudas 21-6 as four Challengers had at least three hits to win 22-4 in Game 1 of Saturday's doubleheader.

Benny Räber secured an easy victory for the Challengers as he pitched five innings, giving up five runs - all of them unearned - on three hits and three walks, striking out two.

The Challengers led off the game by scoring five times off starter Ueli Von Burg.

They also profited from three early errors by the still inexperienced Barracuda defense.

The Challengers added three runs in the third inning on Anubis Benitez' RBI-single and two more defensive blunders.

The Barracudas managed to score two unearned runs off Räber in the bottom of the inning as left fielder Nick Lehmann bobbled Holger Schmidt's line drive to lead off the inning, and three errors by the Challenger infield allowed two runners to cross the plate.

But the Challengers got those runs back and more in the next inning. They sent 14 batters to the plate in the top of the fourth to score nine times off Von Burg.

Only one of those runs though was earned as center fielder Schmidt and shortstop Sandro Giambonini booted two balls with one out and enabled the Challengers to pound Von Burg.

Von Burg was chased after Tobias Siegrist hit an RBI-double off him for a 16-2 Challenger lead.

Player-coach Tom Huston faced the next two batters to end the barrage.

The Challengers added five more runs in the final two innings off Bosshard, while the Barracudas managed to score two runs off reliever Harry Bregy in the final inning.

Game Notes: After hitting 14 homers in their first doubleheader against the Bern Cardinals, the Challengers had none against the Barracudas, but nevertheless hit seven doubles. ...Center fielder Thomas Landis had two outfield assists.