Cardinals rally for 5-4 win

The Challengers, desperately needing a win against the Cardinals, were close getting the job done, but eventually lost 5-4.

The Challengers had leads of 3-2 after four and 4-3 after 7 1/2 innings, but two runs in the bottom of the eighth put the Cardinals up for good.

John Baum went 3-for-4 with a game-high two RBIs, Ryan Byrne also added three hits, and Samy Paulino's two hits rounded out an 8-for-12 performance by the Cardinals' first three hitters.

Suth Seplin added a solo homer in the eighth inning to tie the game. It was the first homer the Challengers' pitching staff allowed all season.

Tobias Siegrist led all Challengers with three hits in five at-bats and two two-out RBIs.

Andrea Girasole lasted 7+ innings, leaving after Suplin's homer and a hit-by-pitch to Raphael Hänzi. He gave up five runs on 12 hits and no walks, while also striking out five.

Thomas Burger came on and allowed Rick Schaller's RBI-single that scored Hänzi from second base with the go-ahead run.

The Challengers couldn't respond in the top of the ninth as lefty Byrne struck out Luigi Cinardi and Patrick Maier and got Bryan Shemley to ground out to third for the final out.

Game notes
Jesus Martinez hit his first homer this season with the Challengers, and his second overall this season. ...Shemley hit his first double of the season in the sixth inning. It was only his second double in his last 74 at-bats, dating back to last season's final game against the Lucerne Eagles.