Challengers score four in eighth for 6-2 win

The Therwil Flyers and the Challengers went into extra-innings to determine the winner of Game 1 of Saturday's doubleheader.

Not before eight innings were completed was there a winner in a rematch of last year's Finals.

Stefan Koller's sudden loss of control in the top of the eighth inning led to a 6-2 Challenger victory.

The two teams played to a 2-2 tie after seven innings.

The two starters, Harry Bregy and Koller, outdueled each other in a fine matchup.

The Flyers wasted no time to get on board as LaTorre's RBI-single plated Seppi Zwyer with the first run of the game.

In the same play, Koller tried to score, as well, but was thrown out at the plate by left fielder Anubis Benitez.

The Challengers struggled against Koller and had just one baserunner over the first three innings (Siegrist's single in the first inning).

But the Flyers didn't produce much, either, as Bregy retired five Flyers in a row in the second and the top of the third inning - four of them on three strikes.

But Koller reached with a base-on-balls with two outs, and Jose Castillo plated him with an RBI-double, the only extra-base hit of the game.

But after that, Bregy (2-0) was in command again and allowed only four more baserunners over the last five innings.

After the Challengers managed to knot the score at 2-2 in the top of the fourth on an error by shortstop Reto Siegel and a sac fly by Chris Palatinus, the Flyers threatened again in the bottom of the fifth.

Siegel and Zwyer both reached on singles, and with two outs and first base open, the Challengers decided to intentionally walk Castillo on four balls.

The move paid off as Karim Traore followed with an inning-ending 6-4 fielder's choice.

After that, no Flyer reached beyond first base, and Traore was the only batter to reach first with a two-out single in the bottom of the eighth inning.

Bregy finished with two runs given up on six hits and three walks - one of them intentional - while also striking out eight.

He was given the win as Saentis Zeller and Tobias Siegrist led off the top of the eighth with two walks, followed by Benitez' RBI-single.

An error by Koller himself made his day, and Castillo took over on the mound.

He retired both Palatinus and Vedran Blazevic on ground outs to the shortstop, but both runners scored on those plays for the final score of 6-2.

Game notes
Bregy has tied Enrico Zingg for 6th place on the alltime list for wins with 14 by picking up the victory. It was the first time ever in his career that he pitched eight innings. ...Thomas Blank popped out to the pitcher in the fifth inning in his 100th NLA at-bat.