Hightower untouchable as Barracudas eliminate Challengers

The Zurich Barracudas got some redemption for getting beat by the Zurich Challengers in the battle for the final Playoff spot last season.

Cody Hightower surrendered four singles in a 7-0 shutout that secured the Barracudas their first Playoff berth since 2008.

On the other hand, the Challengers will miss the Playoffs for just the second time in the last 15 seasons.

The Barracudas also won the season series 3-1.

The Challengers' bats were no match for Hightower's clutch perfomance, getting struck out 13 times and reaching base safely only eight times.

But Hightower also delivered at the plate, homering, doubling twice and singling in a 4-for-4 showing, going along with four RBIs and three runs scored.

Nderim Coma also homered, his league-leading ninth time this season.

His two-run homer were the only runs reliever Fabio Aimi gave up in three innings of work.

Patrick Maier started the game for the Challengers, but quickly gave up three runs in the first on a single by Ueli Von Burg and a base-on-balls to Hanson Rogers that set up Hightower's three-run inside-the-park homer.

An RBI-double by Hightower in the third and an RBI-single by Coma extended the Cudas' lead to 5-0, ending Maier's day on the mound.

After Coma's homer in the fifth inning, Aimi and Tobias Siegrist shut down the Barracudas' offense over the final four innings, with Siegrist striking out eight batters in three innings of work.

The Challengers will play the Luzern Eagles on Sunday for their final doubleheader of the season, seeking to finish the season in at last fifth place. They haven't finished worse than fifth over the last 15 seasons.

Game notes
Pitchers Maier, Aimi and Siegrist combined for 14 strikeouts, the highest game total since 14 strikeouts by Thomas Burger on June 7, 2008, also against the Barracudas. ...The last time the Challengers won their season series against the Barracudas was in 2004 when they won five out of nine season games against them. Since then, the Barracudas hold a 17-9 edge over the Challengers.