Challengers lose 8-7 in final innings

The Sissach Frogs scored early and hung on to win Game 2 of Saturday's doubleheader 8-7 against the Challengers' NLB-team.

	Bryan Shemley

The Frogs' three runs in the first inning set the pace of the game as all three runs off starter Bryan Shemley were unearned because of three defensive misplays in the field.

The Challengers also profited from a nervous start by the Frogs, scoring three unearned runs off Claudio Heim, as well.

And the Frogs continued the scoring in the next inning, sending nine batters to the plate who scored three times for a 6-3 lead after two innings.

The Challengers closed the gap in the bottom of the third on two errors by the Frogs, and even took the lead in the bottom of the fifth on Tobias Siegrist's solo homer and Thomas Blank's RBI-single with two outs.

Siegrist then relieved starter Shemley in the top of the sixth, looking to get the save with a 7-6 lead.

But the Frogs managed to score an unearned run to tie the game. And Ivano Piaia led off the seventh and final inning with a solo homer that put the Frogs up 8-7.

The Challengers failed to score a single run off starter Claudio Heim, and Siegrist had to take the second loss of the season.

After hearing that the Richterswil Athletics have pulled back their team from the season, any stats from last weekend's doubleheader are erased, and the Challengers find themselves in last place with a dismal 1-5 record.