Challengers despose of Barracudas 22-8 for 8th consecutive win

After a disastrous showing in Game 1, the Zurich Barracudas were determined to take the second game of Sunday's doubleheader.

	Thomas Landis led the attack with a game-high four hits and three RBI's. He also scored five runs.

But the Challengers had other plans and quickly took charge as they took a convincing 9-1 lead after just 2 innings off starter Nderim Coma and reliever Ueli Von Burg.

This time, the errors in the game were no factor as both teams committed five each, but the pitching of the Barracuda staff was anything but solid.

Coma walked seven of the 17 batters he faced in just 1 2/3 innings of work, and Von Burg added six more walks in the next 3 2/3 innings.

Coma escaped a bases-loaded jam in the first inning as Patrick Zöllig popped out for the third out, but fared much worse as he gave up three singles and two doubles to open the second inning.

Reliever Von Burg managed to record the final out and went on to send the next seven batters back to the bench in order.

	Roger Brunner lasted four innings in his first start of the season, giving up only three earned runs on four hits.

Meanwhile, starter Roger Brunner did a fine job on the hill, giving up only a single run through the first three innings.

In the fourth inning, the Barracudas threatened as Coma hit a two-run homer, and a shaky Challenger defense allowed two more unearned runs to bring their opponents within 9-5.

But the Challengers' offense came up big in the final three innings as they continued to pound Von Burg and the following relievers.

RBI-singles by Thomas Landis and Armin Blickenstorfer">Armin Blickenstorfer, and another error in the infield put three more runs on the board in the fifth inning for the Challengers.

But the Barracudas got all three runs back as the Challengers' defense started to lose its focus.

	Patrick Zöllig had two hits in four at-bats to push his batting average to .407.

Errors by shortstop Zöllig, second baseman Chris Palatinus and catcher Anubis Benitez allowed the Barracudas to score two unearned runs off reliever Manny Marchant, and bring them within 12-8.

But the Challengers' offensive machinery was still running full speed as they scored three more runs in the next inning on doubles by Jose Valdez and Marchant and three more walks given up by Von Burg.

And the Challengers put on the finishing touches in the seventh inning as they exploded for seven runs for the final score of 22-8.

Marchant ended up with the victory to push his record to 3-0. He gave up only three runs - two of them unearned - on four hits and no walks while also striking out two in three innings.

Game notes
Valdez scored his 200th run for the Challengers as he crossed the plate in the fifth inning. ...Palatinus tied Ivao Yamaguchi for third place on the Challengers' alltime list with his 103rd career walk in the first inning. ...The Challengers' record against the Barracudas over the last six seasons is 18-7. ...Next Sunday, the Challengers will travel to Bern to take on the Cardinals who are tied for the lead with a 6-0 record. The Cards are looking to avenge their 8-7 loss in the second round of the Swiss Cup on May 26.