Barracudas edge Challengers 5-4, take 2-0 Series lead

Game 2 of this year’s Playoff Semifinals between the Challengers and the Zurich Barracudas was another nailbiter, won 5-4 by the Cudas who now have a 2-0 lead in the Best-of-5 Series.

The key to the Barracudas‘ success was getting to starter Rob Sedin early, and they did so by scoring five times in the first four innings for a commanding 5-0 lead.

The Challengers manufactured a rally and got within 5-4, but they were cut short of tying the game by relievers Roger Savoldelli and Josh Crouse.

Tobias Siegrist and Saentis Zeller led all hitters with three hits each as the Challengers outhit the Cudas 12-8. Nderim Coma was the only Barracuda with more than one hit as he contributed two singles.

Sedin, appearing in his last game this season for the Challengers as he moves back to Canada on Monday to finish his exams over the winter, lasted a career-low 4.0 innings in which he surrendered five runs – one of them unearned – on six hits and one walk, while also striking out five.

James Sanders was summoned from the bullpen and pitched the final five innings, allowing no runs and only two hits and no walks, while also striking out two.

But the Challengers couldn’t get to starter Chris Michals early enough as he allowed three runs in 4 2-3 innings of work.

Savoldelli was credited with his second win of the Series after pitching the final four outs in Game 1’s 11-inning contest. Crouse pitched the final two innings for the save, allowing only one run on Sanders’ RBI-single in the eighth.

Saentis Zeller was left stranded on second base with one out in the ninth as Sedin fouled out to catcher Shane Uhle and Clayton Carson grounded out to second for the final out.

Game notes
Zeller’s stolen base was his 151st of his NLA career, tying him with Kurt Vogt for 4th place on the Challengers‘ all-time list.