Flyers hold on to 5-3 victory

Although the Therwil Flyers are struggling to earn a berth in the Playoffs, they're still capable of delivering a good matchup.

They beat the Challengers 5-3 in Game 1 of Saturday's doubleheader, evening their record at 6-6, still giving them a chance to catch the team in fourth place.

Stefan Koller dominated the Challengers, giving up three runs - one of them unearned - on eight hits and four walks in a complete game effort.

The Challengers outhit their opponents 8-6, but six walks given up by starter Harry Bregy and reliever Thomas Burger, combined with the inability to score runners in scoring position diminished their chances to win the game.

The Flyers built up a 4-0 lead by the third inning off Bregy (3-2). They scored three times in the third inning as Buser, Siegel and LaTorre led off the inning with two singles and a double. A fielding error by second baseman Patrick Zöllig on catcher Tobias Siegrist's throw to second base enabled LaTorre to cross the plate three batters later.

The Challengers got three runs back in the bottom of the fourth, profiting from two fielding errors, and also getting RBI-singles from Nick Lehmann and Vedran Blazevic.

But the Flyers again extended their lead to 5-3 in the next inning as Bregy's botched pickoff throw to third base went out of play.

After another walk to Lukas Zwyer, Burger took over and promptly retired the next two batters on a strikeout and a ground out, respectively.

In the sixth inning, both defenses helped their pitchers by turning two double plays. The Challengers rolled a 6-3 DP on Daniel Eichenberger's grounder with the bases loaded, and in the bottom half of the inning, Eichenberger himself turned an unassisted DP as he snared Ramon Perez' liner down the first base line, and stepping on the bag to double off Burger who already took off for second.

In the top of the seventh, reliever Anthony Bennett disposed of the Flyers 1-2-3.

And in the bottom half of the inning, the Challengers managed to put two runners on as Patrick Zöllig singled, and Bregy was issued a base-on-balls with two outs.

With Bennett and Chris Palatinus coming up, the Flyers decided to give Bennett an intentional pass, loading the bases for Palatinus.

But he popped up to the catcher on the first pitch, ending the game.