Challengers 18, Flyers 8

The Challengers used a big 10-run first inning to trash the Therwil Flyers 18-8 in Game 1 of Saturday's doubleheader.

Thomas Landis>

Thomas Landis earned his league-leading sixth win of the season.

Flyers starter Reto Siegel (0-1) allowed the first four batters to reach first base before striking out former Flyers Andreas Mathis for the first out.

But the next seven Challengers also got on base and after Thomas Landis was caught stealing second base, Siegel struck out Anubis Benitez for the final out of the first inning.

But the Challengers already built up a 10-0 lead by that time.

The Flyers managed just two runs in the second inning on Bryan Shemley's passed ball and Siegel's RBI-single.

Flyers starter Reto Siegel allowed eight earned runs in the first inning.

In the bottom of the third, Shemley hit his first of two homers in the game, a solo shot with one out, and the Challengers added two more runs on Landis' run-scoring groundout and an error by right fielder Roger Hunziker.

The Flyers were able to score just one run apiece in the fourth, fifth and six innings off Landis (6-1), who worked six innings, giving up five earned runs on nine hits and five walks and striking out three to earn his league-leading sixth win of the season. He also was 2-for-5 at the plate and collected three RBI's.

The Flyers outhit the Challengers 12-11 but wasted several opportunities to score. Koller and Durand were both thrown out at the plate trying to score from thrid base on singles.

The Challengers also committed five errors, compared to two by the Flyers, but none of them led to any runs for the Flyers.

Roger Brunner>

Roger Brunner connects for his third homer of the year.

Gary Kochlefl relieved Landis in the top of the seventh and gave up Fernando Abril's two-run homer and Siegel's RBI-double, but that was all the Flyers could do against the rarely-used reliever. He ended the game by striking out batting leader Roy Allenspach.

Shortstop Saentis Zeller was walked in each of his five plate appearances and scored a game-high three runs.

Catcher Bryan Shemley hit two homers, his first two of the season, doubling his career total of two homers in two NLA-seasons. He also collected a game-high five RBI's.