Challengers rally three times for convincing 16-12 victory

The Challengers had to fight back all day before finally sealing their 16-12 victory over the Bern Cardinals in Game 2 of Sunday's doubleheader.

	Manny Marchant went 3-for-5 with three RBI's and two runs scored.

Another late-inning rally preserved the Challengers' 10-game winning streak.

They scored six runs off reliever Severin Fries to take over the lead for good.

It was the 10th time in 10 games this season that the Challengers scored in double figures.

The Challengers found no recipe against youngster Beyeler of the Cards in the early innings, and eventually trailed 6-2 after just two innings.

The Cards took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning off starter Benny Räber.

But the Challengers tied it on Manny Marchant's RBI-single and Armin Blickenstorfer">Armin Blickenstorfer's RBI-double.

The Cards were able to profit from some sloppy defense and Räber's wildness to pull ahead 6-2 in the bottom half of the inning.

Beyeler allowed just two runs in the next inning on a wild pitch and a sac fly by Tobias Siegrist while his defense scored three in the bottom half of the innings for a 9-4 lead.

All three runs were unearned as second baseman Chris Palatinus threw away Javier's ground ball to lead off the inning.

Two of the next three batters grounded out and would have ended the inning, but Lehmann followed with an RBI-double, and Angelo Rodriguez' RBI-single finally chased Räber.

Roger Brunner took over and ended the inning by getting Rafael Hänzi to hit into a 4-6 fielder's choice.

	Tobias Siegrist went 2-for-3 to push his batting average to .478.

The Challengers then finally got to Beyeler and roughed him up for four earned runs before being relieved by Severin Fries.

Fries already took the loss in Game 1, and he quickly gave it up as he started with a bases-loaded walk to Thomas Landis.

Jose Valdez followed with an RBI-single, and Siegrist's run-scoring ground out knotted the score at 9-9.

The Cards weren't impressed and retook an 11-9 lead on Negro's RBI-single, and a failed double steal that nevertheless scored Javier from third.

The Cards extended their lead to 12-9 on Rodriguez' RBI-single off Brunner (1-0) in the next inning.

But the Challengers exploded for six runs in the sixth inning as they laid down six hits off Fries to take a 15-12 lead.

Closer Marchant came on and allowed just one baserunner to reach on an error by shortstop Anubis Benitez over the final two innings for his first save of the season.

Game notes
Landis kept his 10-game hitting streak alive as he singled in the sixth inning. ...The Challengers lead the league with 165 runs scored. The Therwil Flyers are second with 109 runs.