Flyers take 2-1 Series lead with 16-3 rout

After getting dominated in the second contest, the Challengers tried to get back in Game 3 for a chance for their first Finals appearance since 2007.

But the Therwil Flyers came out hacking and showed why they finished the regular season in first place.

They jumped on starter Chris Palatinus early, hacking away for 11 runs in the first five innings en route to an easy 16-3 win.

In the same span, the Challengers managed to put only one runner as far as third base as Blank singled, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Ueli Von Burg and advanced on Bryan Shemley's 4-3 ground out.

Lukas Croton retired Tobias Siegrist on a fly to right to keep the shutout intact.

Two innings later, the Challengers finally broke through, getting an RBI-single by Brian Hipps that plated Von Burg.

But that merely cut the Flyers' lead to 11-1. They came storming back in the next inning, getting five more runs off Palatinus on home runs by Reto Siegel and Stefan Koller, and an RBI-double by JB Tucker.

After a hit-by-pitch and a base-on-balls, coach Hipps finally relieved Palatinus and summoned rookie Yanik Probst to the mound.

Probst pitched the final 2 1-3 innings, allowing only Emanuel Raouzeos' double and a walk to Koller in the eighth inning.

Siegel, Koller and Eichenberger went a combined 9-for-16 at the plate with three homers, eight RBI's and eight runs scored.

Two of the Challengers' seven hits came off the bat of player coach Hipps.

Game notes
The 18 hits given up by Palatinus ties Thomas Burger's mark in April 19, 2008's game against the Lausanne Indians for most hits given up by a single pitcher.