Challengers blow lead five times, lose in 12

The longest game ever in Challengers history was one to forget.

The Challengers outhit their opponents 21-15, but 11 walks by Challenger pitchers, compared to just four by the Flyers, were too much.

The Challengers also stranded 15 baserunners, tying the team record.

Although the Challengers held the lead five times, the Flyers came back every time to tie the game and take the lead.

The Flyers led 5-3 after just two innings, thanks to Brito's two-run double in the first and a run-scoring ground out in the second, and Daniel Eichenberger's two-run single in the second.

After that, coach Anthony Bennett decided not to pitch to Eichenberger anymore, giving him five intentional walks for the rest of the game.

The Challengers claimed the lead in the top of the fourth, scoring four times off starter Reto Siegel.

But the Flyers answered right back with four runs of their own off starter Thomas Burger.

The Flyers put reliever Lukas Zwyer on the mound to start the fifth frame, but he quickly surrendered three runs on Tobias Siegrist's RBI-single and Bennett's two-run double.

With a 10-9 lead going into the final inning, reliever Geovanni Ureña was tagged for one run on Nelson Vilomar's RBI-single to send the game into extra inning.

In the first two extra innings, Chris Palatinus was the only batter to reach safely with a single.

In the 10th inning, the Challengers threatened with two runners, but Bryan Shemley grounded out on a comebacker to end the threat.

In the top of the 11th, the Challengers managed to push a run across the plate on Palatinus' RBI-double with one out down the right foul line.

But Siegrist and Thomas Landis weren't able to score an insurance run by grounding and flying out.

The Flyers managed to come back in their half of the inning on Stefan Koller's RBI-double with two outs.

In the top of the 12th, the Challengers wasted yet another golden opportunity to put the game away.

With runners on third and second and no outs, coach Bennett signaled for a suicide squeeze. But batter Harry Bregy couldn't lay down the bunt, trapping Bennett between home and third.

During the rundown, Patrick Zöllig decided to advance to third base, but he was late, enabling catcher Eichenberger to throw him out after tagging out Bennett.

So the Challengers were left with two outs and no baserunners instead of no outs and two runners in scoring position.

And to make things worse, Bregy lined a double into right field which would have scored both runners.

Shemley's ground out again ended the inning.

Eichenberger again led off the next inning with an intentional pass. Vilomar's single advanced him to second base, and Ureña, working his sixth inning, balked to advance Eichenberger to third base.

Rookie Adrian Kaufmann followed with an RBI-double to give his team a big win.

With Saturday's two losses, the Challengers dropped to .500, making things interesting for the pennant race.

Game notes
Saturday's game marked the first time that the Challengers played into the 12th inning. The 11 1-3 innings pitched also marked a new high in Challenger history. ...Siegrist has six career homers against the Therwil Flyers, the most against any team. ...In the second inning, Patrick Zöllig singled in his 400th at-bat in the NLA. ...Palatinus tied his career highs with four hits, two doubles and seven at-bats. ...The 54 at-bats were the most the Challengers ever had in one game. ...The four hit-by-pitches received tied a game-high.