Schaub pitches no-hitter against Flyers

Willy Schaub became just the second pitcher in Challengers history to throw a no-hitter.

	Rookie Willy Schaub did the improbable by no-hitting the Flyers.

He did it in Game 1 of Sunday's doubleheader against the Therwil Flyers in a 5-2 win.

What makes the whole affair even more amazing is that it happened in Schaub's first start in the NLA. Before that, he only threw 3 2-3 innings in relief in 2003 in the NLA, allowing seven earned runs on seven hits in two games.

He completed five games in the NLB, but never allowed less than five hits in those games.

And it also came against one of the country's best-hitting team with a lineup featuring National Team players Reto Siegel, Daniel Eichenberger, Stefan Koller and Seppi Zwyer.

All in all, he allowed just six baserunners on five walks and one hit-by-pitch.

Both runs were scored by Koller on sac flies by Zwyer and player-coach Anthony Bennett.

Schaub's offense made sure that his performance would be honored with a win by taking a commanding 5-run lead after four innings.

Three of those runs were driven in by Roger Brunner on two RBI-singles and an RBI-double off starter Koller.

In the fourth inning, Anubis Benitez and Chris Hardy hit back-to-back doubles.

Hardy's double was overshadowed by a crash between center fielder Karim Traore and left fielder Tobias Buser.

Both players raced for Hardy's fly ball and collided as Traore reached out for the ball.

The result: Traore broke his wrist and Buser cut his lower lip and bruised his nose.

The Flyers couldn't regroup after that but weren't discouraged.

They scored once in the bottom half of the inning on Seppi Zwyer's sac fly to right field to cut the deficit to 5-1.

But Schaub picked his great day and went on to complete his masterpiece.

Game notes
Gustavo Salami was the last and only Challenger so far to hurl a no-hitter. The year was 1990, and the Challengers faced the now defunct Neuchatel Artfullboys in the Relegation Round. The Challengers won 20-2, and Salami's line that day was: 7 IP, 0 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 7 BB, 6 SO, 1 HBP.