Challengers overcome Eagles 13-9 in extras

The Challengers led twice, lost that lead twice before finally putting away the Lucerne Eagles 13-9 in a must-win game.

Trailing 8-6 going into the bottom half of the eighth inning, the Eagles profited from a throwing error by third baseman Craig Pycock to score three unearned runs, taking a 9-8 lead into the final inning.

Robert Sedin led off the ninth with a bunt single, moved up on Pycock's single, and eventually came around on shortstop Raphael Strub's throwing error to tie the game.

Tobias Siegrist pitched a perfect bottom half to send the game into extra innings.

In the top of 10th, the first four Challengers reached on a single, a double, another single, and a homer, to score four times for a 13-9 lead.

Siegrist also retired all three batters he faced in order in the bottom half of the 10th to seal the important victory, keeping the Challengers' Playoff hopes alive.

Saentis Zeller had three hits in five at-bats, Siegrist went 2-for-5 including his second homer of the season and a game-high three RBIs, and Andrea Girasole pitched 6 2/3 innings in which he struck out 10 batters.

Siegrist pitched the final 2 1/3 innings for his second win of the season.

Game notes
Zeller had his fifth consecutive game with three hits, going 15-for-21 in that span. ...The win was the franchise's 400th since 1984. ...The 16 strikeouts by Girasole, Thomas Burger and Siegrist tied the franchise record for most strikeouts in a single game, last achieved on August 6, 1995 against the Bern Cardinals.