Barracudas outlast Challengers 5-4

Although the Challengers outhit the Zurich Barracudas 13-9, they couldn't break their losing streak that now reaches six games by losing the second contest of Saturday's doubleheader 5-4.

Alex Tufts allowed just three runs - one of them unearned - in seven strong innings to get the win, and Jack Thompson picked up his second save of the season by throwing two shutout innings.

Not even Eydris Reyes, who collected three hits to boost his team-leading batting average to .489, could help his team overcome yet another poor offensive showing.

Even reliever Andrea Girasole tried to help his own cause by hitting two singles in two at-bats, but in the end, a 5-for-16 output with runners in scoring position and 12 runners left on base was too big of a burden to overcome.

Robert Sedin was charged with the loss - his fourth of the season - although pitching well enough over six innings, giving up only five runs on seven hits and four walks, while also striking out four.

Girasole pitched the final three innings, allowing no more runs and striking out two.

Every starter, except Tobias Siegrist and Sedin had at least one hit in a lineup that coach Chris Palatinus used for the first time this season.

But the Challengers left the bases loaded with less than two outs without scoring in the second and seventh innings, and also wasted chances with a runner at third and less than two outs in the first, fifth and eighth innings.

Game notes
Bryan Shemley's strikeout in the seventh inning was the 150th of his NLA career (4th all-time).