Challengers 10, Barracudas 9

After winning the first contest against the Barracudas in Saturday's doubleheader, the Challengers were more relaxed and therefore quickly fell back and trailed the Barracudas 7-2 after just two innings of play.

Starter Benny Räber was lifted after facing just nine batters and in came rookie Patrick Bosshard who pitched the next 4.1 innings, giving up just three earned runs on two hits and three walks.

By the time Bosshard was relieved by Thomas Landis, the Challengers gain back the lead by scoring two runs in each the third, fourth and fifth inning. They jumped on Barracudas starter Ueli von Burg who just lasted four innings, giving up six earned runs on six hits and four walks. Saentis Zeller had two and Nicki Lehmann one RBI-singles, cutting the Barracudas' lead to 7-6.

Thomas Landis went 3-for-3 with three RBI and his seventh homer in as many games.

Sandro Giambonini then relieved von Burg starting the fifth inning. He quickly gave up a leadoff homer to Iqbal Khan, his first of the season, and then, with one out, Makoto Fukamachi homered, giving the Challengers an 8-7 lead.

But the Barracudas came back in the bottom of the sixth, scoring twice and giving themselves a 9-8 lead. Landis (9-5) kept the Barracudas in check over the last 2.2 innings, giving up just a double and a base-on-balls.

Bosshard led off the seventh with a solo homer to tie the score at 9-9 and in came Francisco Robles to put out the fire the Challengers have started. He dazzled the Challengers with his blazing fastballs and his sharp curveballs and was able to send the game into extra innings.

Landis led off the eighth with a single and advanced to second on Armin Blickenstorfer">Armin Blickenstorfer's groundout. After Lehmann popped out to catcher François Riva, Landis tried to steal third base before Robles even started to pitch to Khan. He threw to rookie third baseman Coma who eventually couldn't hold on to the throw and let the ball roll into left field, enabling Landis to score all the way from third for a 10-9 lead.

The Barracudas had a chance to tie the game in the bottom of the eighth after François Riva reached on a base-on-balls with one out. But Michel Herzig grounded into a fielder's choice to second baseman Chris Palatinus and Farid Bekkali ended the game by grounding into another fielder's choice, this time to shortstop Zeller, who flipped the ball to Palatinus for the third and final out.

With the win, the Challengers gained sole possession of third place and ensured themselves a playoff berth for the first time in three years. Landis got the win in this second game as well, giving him a career-high nine wins for the season.