Challengers drop Frogs in 7, 12-2

Ueli von Burg went 4-for-4 at the plate in a Challengers 19-hit barrage against the Sissach Frogs in Game 1 of Sunday's doubleheader in Hünenberg.

All of the Challengers' starters had at least one hit with von Burg as the lead off batter and Chris Palatinus in the no. 9 spot going a combined 7-for-7, including a sac fly, a base-on-balls and four RBI's, all by Palatinus.

The Challengers started slow against Christian Klarer, holding on to a slim 2-1 lead after two innings. But in the bottom of the third, they broke loose for four runs on Thomas Landis' two-run single, a wild pitch that scored Landis and a sacrifice fly by Palatinus.

They added three more in the fourth inning to extend their lead to 9-2. Jesus Martinez had a two-run single, and Palatinus an RBI-single in that inning.

Palatinus also picked up the win on the hill as he limited the Frogs to two runs on four hits and two walks in five innings.

von Burg also pitched two scoreless innings, allowing just a total of two baserunners on a hit-by-pitch and a base-on-balls, and also striking out three.

The Challengers won the game 12-2 on the 10-run mercy-rule as Landis and Jesus Martinez hit back-to-back doubles to lead off the bottom of the seventh, pushing across the final run needed.

Game notes
Landis' double in the seventh inning was his 200th in the NLA. ...Thomas Blank's ground out in the third inning was his 350th at-bat in the NLA. ...The 19 hits were the most by a Challengers team against the Frogs since getting 20 hits on Sep. 27, 1997.