Challengers outlast Barracudas 8-7

The Challengers got their first win against the Zurich Barracudas in almost two years thanks to Tobias Siegrist's dominating performance on the hill.

Siegrist got the win and the save in a hard-fought battle, throwing a total of 8 1-3 innings. In his first stint, he went 7 1-3 innings, allowing only five runs - two of them unearned - on three hits and two walks, while also striking out a season-high eight batters.

Offensively, Thomas Landis shined with a 2-for-3 performance, hitting his second homer of the season, and also collecting a season-high four RBI's.

Jesus Martinez added his first homer of the season as he deposited a three-run shot off Nderim Coma over the left field fences in the third inning.

After the Challengers opened the score in the first inning on Siegrist's RBI-double, the Barracudas took the lead in the third inning on back-to-back doubles by Chico Colindres and Brent Nichols, and a fielding error by second baseman Carlos Peña.

The Challengers answered in big fashion as they sent eight batters to the plate, scoring a total of five runs on Landis' two-run double and Martinez' homer.

In the fifth inning, Coma helped his own cause by belting a solo shot to straightaway center field, cutting the Challengers' lead to 6-4.

The Challengers responded again on Landis' two-run shot, prompting coach JP Mottl to remove his ace in favor of Benni Montag.

He didn't allow a run for the final 3 2-3 innings.

On the other hand, Siegrist continued to mow through the Barracudas' lineup, setting down eight of the nine batters he faced following Coma's homer.

After two fielding errors by the Challengers in the top of the eighth, Ueli von Burg relieved Siegrist with one out, but he walked the first batter, and had to concede a run on pinch-hitter Strahil Georgiev's run-scoring ground out.

Colindres led off the top of the ninth with a base-on-balls, and the next three batters reached on three consecutive singles through the infield.

That made the day for von Burg, making way for Siegrist to protect the 8-7 lead.

Andres Monteyo successfully laid down a bunt to move both runners into scoring position with one out.

Manuel Hirtz was also given the bunt sign, and he executed perfectly, except the runner from third didn't break for home in time. Instead, he waited until first baseman Chris Palatinus threw to first base to get Hirtz, then was easily tagged out on Peña's throw back to catcher James Sanders for the final out.

Game notes
The Challengers grounded into three double plays, the most since also grounding into three DP's on June 25, 2000.