Flyers survive Challengers rally, win 11-8

The Therwil Flyers took a commanding lead early in the game and held on to sweep the Challengers 11-8 in Game 2 of Sunday's doubleheader in Therwil.

	Thomas Landis lasted just five inning and allowed a season-high six earned runs.

Player-coach Anthony Bennett threw the first three innings for the Flyers and managed to shut down the potent Challenger offense on just two hits.

His offense racked up four runs off starter Thomas Landis, profiting also from three errors by the shaky Challenger defense.

Reliever Stefan Koller, who already started and lasted four innings in Game 1, took over in the fourth inning and also blanked the Challengers in his first inning.

The Flyers meanwhile scored four more times in the bottom of the fourth on RBI-singles by Reto Siegel and Bennett, and three more errors by the Challenger defense for a commanding 8-0 lead after four frames.

	Harry Bregy came through in the final inning with an RBI-single.

The Challengers' bats finally awakened in the top of the fifth and broke up the Flyers' shutout bid. Anubis Benitez and Tobias Siegrist hit back-to-back RBI-singles, Landis' RBI-ground out, Manny Marchant's RBI-single and a throwing error by Roy Allenspach enabled five Challenger runners to cross the plate and cut the Flyers' lead to 8-5.

But the Flyers answered with three runs of their own in the bottom half of the inning, ending Landis' day on the mound.

Marchant took over in the bottom of the sixth and blanked the Flyers.

The Challenger again put together an astonishing rally, but again came up short.

With one out, Landis and Jose Valdez hit back-to-back singles, followed by Marchant's RBI-double.

	Reto Siegel had two hits for the Flyers.

Thor Thoresen struck out for the second out, but rookies Harry Bregy and Patrick Zöllig followed with consecutive RBI-singles to cut the lead to 11-8.

Chris Palatinus, who was injured in Game 1 and received three emergency stitches in his upper lip, represented the tying run. He hit a hard grounder to shortstop Reto Siegel who picked up the ball and made the final out at second base.

Game notes
By losing twice to the Flyers, the Challengers dropped from first to fourth place in the standings. ...Benitez struck out for the 50th time in 380 NLA at-bats with the Challengers in the top of the sixth inning. ...Marchant singled in the 5th inning for his career 100th hit and 200th total base in the NLA.