Challengers' late rally wins it 12-10

After giving away the lead in the top of the sixth inning in Game 2 of Saturday's doubleheader against the Sissach Frogs, the Challengers came right back and scored seven runs to sweep the doubleheader.

	Thomas Landis went five innings but ended up with a no-decision after getting thrown out in the sixth inning.

Tobias Siegrist, player-coach Andy Fleischacker, Armin Blickenstorfer">Armin Blickenstorfer and Manny Marchant led the offense with two hits apiece.

And those hits were bitterly necessary as they had to overcome a shaky defensive performance that featured eight errors.

Third baseman Jose Valdez had three throwing errors and three more infielders had one error each in a shaky performance.

The game nevertheless featured a lot of fine defensive plays. Both teams turned nice doubleplays after ground outs, outfielders collected assists by throwing out cocky baserunners and the Challengers almost paid the prize for trying to steal too many bases.

But the Challengers' main weapon again was the difference as they outhit their opponents 13-8.

The Frogs were first to score as they capitalized on two hit-by-pitches by starter Thomas Landis, and two errors by third baseman Valdez to take a 2-0 lead.

The Challengers got their first run in the bottom of the third inning on Blickenstofer's solo homer to lead off the inning.

	Patrick Zöllig's two-run-double in the sixth inning gave the Challengers the lead for good.

They then took a 4-2 lead in the next inning on RBI-singles by Fleischacker and Blickenstorfer, and a run-scoring ground out by Kurt Kovac.

The Frogs then started the top of the sixth inning with a single, a walk and a hit-by-pitch, and after a balk and the ensuing discussion, Landis was thrown out of the game by plate umpire Curtis Volk.

Reliever Marchant took over and started with a strikeout on Mike Klee.

But a walk, a fielder's choice and a double later, Marchant had blown the save and the Frogs continued to get runs off him.

	Harry Bregy lined a pitch over the left-field fences for a two-run ground-rule double.

Marchant's defense then committed three consecutive errors to give the Frogs an 8-5 lead.

But the Challengers didn't give up and got six hits off reliever Claudio Heim to score seven runs for a 12-8 lead.

The Frogs managed to score two more unearned runs off Marchant in the top of the seventh and final inning, but it wasn't enough.

The Challengers improved to 6-0 on the season, giving them a share of first place with the Bern Cardinals, whom they'll now fac in the second round of the Swiss Cup on May 26 in Bern.

Game notes
Siegrist scored his 100th run in the NLA as he crossed the plate in the sixth inning.