Challengers hold on to 10-9 win in Game 2

The difference between the Challengers and Flyers again was just one run, but this time the Challengers came up as winners, first blowing a 7-2 lead, then rallying for a 10-9 victory.

	Thomas Landis improved to 3-0, allowing just one earned run in five innings.

The Challengers weren't impressed by Reto Siegel's pitching and put together four first-inning runs, mainly thanks to Tobias Siegrist's three-run shot over the fences to opposite field.

Siegrist completed the cycle in his first five trips of the day to the plate, singling, doubling and tripling in Game 1.

The two unearned runs starter Thomas Landis gave up in the bottom half of the inning were erased in the next inning as Landis himself drilled a two-run double off Siegel for a 6-2 lead.

A run-scoring ground out by Harry Bregy pushed the lead to 7-2, but the Flyers weren't about to give up.

A costly fielding error by second baseman Chris Palatinus prolonged the bottom of the fourth inning, enabling the Flyers to score six unearned runs for a temporary 9-7 lead.

Seppi Zwyer hit a bases-loaded triple to right field, and came around to score as third baseman Kurt Kovac couldn't handle the relay throw and let the ball go out of bounds.

After a scoreless fifth inning, the Challengers managed to string together three more hits off Siegel, and a fielding error by third baseman Djibril Traore capped the inning with the Challengers having retaken the lead at 10-9.

Closer Manny Marchant was called on to pitch the final two innings and preserve the Challengers' one-run lead.

He did just that, facing only one batter over the minimum of six to earn his first save of the season.

It also ensured Landis of his third win of the season, keeping his ERA to a miniscule 1.42 in the process.

The Flyers had Seppi Zwyer as the tying run on second base with one out in the seventh inning, but both Traore and Siegel failed to drive him in.

Siegrist went 1-for-3, still enough to keep the team's best batting average.

	Harry Bregy knocked in two runs and scored a game-high two runs himself.

The two teams are now tied atop the standings with an identical 6-2 record. They are also matched by the Bern Cardinals who twice beat the Embrach Rainbows to keep pace with the best teams in Switzerland.

Game notes
Manny Marchant flied out in the fifth inning in his 400th NLA at-bat. ...Both games took a combined 5 1/2 hours. ...In the last nine seasons, the Challengers always lost at least once in Therwil. They are 11-9 in Therwil over the last six seasons, with five of these wins being achieved in the Playoff Finals.