Challengers open Series with 8-5 win

After five straight Playoff losses, the Challengers finally found their winning ways in the postseason, taking the Semifinals opener 8-5 against the Reussbuhl Eagles.

Thomas Burger followed up on his fine performance in the Swiss Cup Finals by tossing another complete game gem, allowing five runs on ten hits and seven walks, while also striking out three. In no inning were the Eagles able to score more than once, leaving them at five scoring innings with a total of five runs.

Big sluggers Whitney Pierce and Tom Huston went 2-for-8 with a solo homer and a single by Pierce.

Pitchingwise, the Eagles depleted their bullpen by starting Pierce for two innings, followed by Mano Steiner for 2 1-3, then Pete Soskin for one out, Dario D'Angelo for two innings, and Soskin again for the final three outs.

But nothing worked as Steiner's five runs given up were too much to overcome.

Four different Challengers had two hits each in a 12-hit attack, and the defense committed only one error, a meaningless fielding error by pitcher Burger in the fourth inning.

The Challengers were also effective with two outs, getting four of their eight RBI's in those situations.

Game notes
Burger set new career highs with 10 starts and six wins. He also tied his career-high of six complete games. ...Harry Bregy received three walks, giving him 30 on the season. The franchise record of 34 free passes in a season was set by Ivao Yamaguchi in 1989. ...Chris Palatinus snapped his team-high 17-game hitting streak by going 0-for-5, also dropping his batting average to .452.