Challengers put away Lions with 10-run 8th

Tobias Siegrist broke a 7-7 tie in the seventh inning of Saturday's doubleheader against the Zürich Lions, and the Challengers continued to roll to an 18-7 win.

The newly promoted Lions were tougher than the Challengers wished them to be, showing a lot of resistence through six innings.

Starter Siegrist lasted only four innings, giving up six runs - one of them unearned - on nine hits and two walks, while also striking out seven.

Reliever Thomas Burger picked up his first win of the season by pitching the final four innings, giving up only a single unearned run on two singles and two walks, while also striking out a season-high six batters.

Kurt Kovac highlighted the Challengers' offense with a 3-for-6 performance, including five RBI's and a bases-clearing double in the eighth inning with two outs.

Carlos Peña added four hits and scored three runs in a career-high seven at-bats.

Bryan Shemley and Patrick Maier had two hits apiece in a 14-hit attack.

Game notes
Shemley went 2-for-4 for his second multi-hit game of 2011. He had just three multi-hit games last season. ...Burger last recorded six strikeouts in a game on April 18, 2009 against the Luzern Eagles. ...Kovac set new career highs with five RBI's, four 2-out RBI's, three hits and six at-bats. ...Thomas Blank collected his 150th total base in the NLA with a single to lead off the fifth inning. He also set a new career high with four runs scored. ...James Sanders was the last Challenger to get seven at-bats in a game on June 21, 2009 against the Sissach Frogs. ...The 13 strikeouts by Siegrist and Burger are just three shy of the franchise record 16, set on August 6, 1995 against the Bern Cardinals.