Flyers 13, Challengers 1

The Flyers jumped on the Challengers by scoring eight runs in the second inning and finished their best-of-three semifinals by beating the Challengers 13-1 in seven innings.

The only run starter Alain Kurz (6-2) allowed came in the first inning as Gary Kochlefl tried to steal home and catcher Chris Guex couldn't hold on to the pitch and let the ball drop for an unearned run on a passed ball.

Gary Kochlefl scored the only run off Flyers ace Alain Kurz in the first inning.

Challengers starter Benny Räber left the game in the second inning after hitting Fernando Abril with a pitch. Before that, he allowed Mathis' second homer of the season that put the Flyers ahead 2-1. Roger Hunziker followed with an RBI-triple and Mark Decker collected his 20th RBI by lining a single to left field.

Brunner relieved Räber but quickly gave up an RBI-single to Kurz and a base-on-balls to Daniel Eichenberger.

Manager Marvin Moore went back to his ace Thomas Landis who finished the inning by striking out Roy Allenspach and retiring Hunziker on a groundout, but not before Andreas Mathis hit a two-run single off him that capped an eight-run second inning for the Flyers.

After that, the Flyers scored one run apiece in the third, fourth and fifth innings to go ahead 11-1 and setting sight for their 7th consecutive appearance in the Swiss Finals. They scored two more in the bottom of the sixth on an error by shortstop Saentis Zeller and an RBI-double by Mark Decker.

Alain Kurz cruised to an easy victory as his defense committed just one error and his offense ripped Challengers pitching for 15 hits.

The Challengers had just six baserunners in scoring position after the first inning and just one of them even reached third base as Makoto Fukamachi stole third in the fourth inning.