Cards sweep Challengers, capture third consecutive title

The Challengers couldn't prevent the sweep, although limiting the Cardinals to a Series-low four runs.

The key factor again was Severin Fries' outstanding pitching performance, throwing a shutout in a 4-0 victory.

Fries outdueled starter Harry Bregy and reliever Thomas Landis. Bregy lasted 5 1-3 innings, giving up three runs on seven hits, while Landis gave up just one more unearned run the rest of the game.

The first two Cardinals runs scored in the third inning on a misplay in the Challengers defense. With runners at first and second, Manuel Schretzmann misplayed right fielder Nick Lehmann's cutoff throw on Raphael Hänzi's single, trying to nail Tobias Imboden who was caught up between second and third. Schretzmann's throw to third base wasn't caught, enabling both baserunners to score.

In the top of the fourth, things got out of hands for the Challengers: Tobias Siegrist was thrown out of the game by head umpire Jose Beier for arguing balls and strikes. In the ensuing argument, Roger Burger was also ejected.

Thomas Burger had to pinch-hit with two strikes on him, getting whiffed on the first pitch.

Lehmann took over behind the plate with Thomas Burger in right.

In the fifth inning, the Cardinals tacked on another run on Johnny Perigos' RBI-single for a 3-0 lead.

Another controversial call happened in the top of the sixth: With Patrick Zöllig at first base, Fries made a pickoff move and got Zöllig in a rundown. Coach Chris Palatinus, who was also picked off earlier in the game, argued that Fries lifted his front leg first, thus preventing him to make a pickoff at first, but neither Beier nor base umpire Francisco Pablos saw an infraction. Both said though, that they didn't watch the pitcher's move, instead concentrating on the plate.

After three batters reached in the bottom half of the sixth, Landis relieved Bregy and got out of the jam by ringing up Vitus Huber on three strikes and getting Hänzi to fly out to center.

The Challengers managed to put runners on base in the seventh and eighth innings, but neither of them managed to come around.

Instead, the Cards scored another insurance run in the eighth inning as Christoph Beyeler stole home.

Fries and the Cardinals wrapped up their great season with a perfect 1-2-3 ninth inning, having them celebrate for the third consecutive time, last achieved by the Challengers from 1998 through 2000.

The Challengers have the consolation of being able to participate in next year's European Cup by winning the Swiss Cup against the very same Bern Cardinals on August 19.

Game and season notes

Lehmann grounded out to first to end the season. It was his 600th career NLA at-bat. ...Bregy received 30 free passes this season, marking the second-highest total in franchise history, only trailing Ivao Yamaguchi's total of 34 back in 1989. His season ERA of 3.12 is the fourth-best in Challengers history. And his Game Score of 87 in July 1's game against the Sissach Frogs is the second-highest mark in franchise history. ...Siegrist set career highs in every offensive category except doubles, walks and averages. He led the team in 2007 with 4 homers, 41 RBI's, 37 runs and an on-base-percentage of .496. ...Landis finished the season with a team-high 22-game hitting streak. He had a hit in every game he played this season, except the first one against the Cardinals on April 21. He also led all Challengers with a .448 batting average, 47 hits, 4 homers, 19 doubles, 78 total bases and a .743 slugging percentage. ...Saentis Zeller set a new career season-high with 16 doubles, 5 of them alone on July 28 against the Embrach Rainbows. ...Zöllig's 93 at-bats mark a new career-high. ...Palatinus led all Challengers with 16 stolen bases, just one shy of his best season mark of 17 a decade ago. ...Shemley set a new career season-high with 8 hit-by-pitches. He is fifth on the all-time list with 21. ...Thomas Burger set new career highs in every pitching category, but also posted a career-low ERA of 7.01. His six complete games, 13 games started and 88 IP in a season tie him each for fourth place on the all-time lists. ...Although missing the entire Finals Series, Thomas Blank had his best season by far, setting new career highs in every offensive category. ...Adrian Kämpfer">Adrian Kämpfer missed his season-high for hits just by one, but set new records in many other categories, inlcuding at-bats (38), runs (9), doubles (3) and total bases (16). ...The team total of 36 hit-by-pitches set a new Challengers season record. ...For the third time in a row, the Challengers didn't hit any triples.