Challengers, Siegrist dominate Eagles in 13-2 win

The Challengers stormed to a 13-2 win in eight innings over the Luzern Eagles in Game 1 of Sunday's doubleheader.

Tobias Siegrist again delivered a fine performance, and Thomas Landis picked up his 99th career victory by throwing four innings in relief.

Siegrist also helped his own cause by hitting four singles in six trips to the plate, and Carlos Peña also contributed with two singles and three walks and a game-high three runs scored.

Siegrist pitched four shutout innings, scattering three singles and no walks, while also striking out four.

During his tenure on the hill, the Challengers' offense tagged Stefan Haltmeier for eight runs in the first two innings. Siegrist and Jesus Martinez both had two hits apiece in those opening innings, while Peña and Brian Hipps each drew two walks.

Landis relieved Siegrist to start the fifth inning and allowed leadoff batter Reinaldo Reyes to reach on a base-on-balls. Oli Holenstein reached on a fielding error by shortstop Yanik Probst, and Marc Hurschler plated Reyes with a sac fly to center for the Eagles' first run.

The Challengers extended their lead in the seventh inning on an error by center fielder Rudi Vargas and a wild pitch by Haltmeier, and added three more in the eighth inning for a 13-1 lead.

Landis tried to keep the Eagles from scoring more than two runs to end the game on the 10-run mercy rule, and just did that by allowing only an RBI-single to Marco Limacher.

Game notes
Landis has more than twice as many career wins (99) as the second placed pitcher Benny Räber (46). ...Landis' two caught steals tied the franchise record, which was achieved six times before.