Challengers rip Lions 17-0

The Zurich Challengers brought their bats to the Heerenschürli for this year's first night game, and ammassed 13 hits in a 17-0 rout of the Zurich Lions.

Andrea Girasole (2-2) and Tobias Siegrist combined on the 2-hit shutout, walking four and striking out 11 batters.

Siegrist also went 2-for-2 at the plate, including his third double of the season, collected four RBIs and scored four times, Patrick Maier got three hits in his first full game since returning from the DL, and Robert Sedin lined two doubles, collected three RBI's and also stole three bases.

But the last steal came at a high price as he jammed his right ring finger while sliding, ripping off his entire fingernail.

He was lifted for Stephan Pribitzer and taken to a hospital for further examinations.

After building up a 6-0 lead after four innings, the Challengers exploded for 10 runs in the fifth inning as 15 batters went to the plate.

Game notes
The 17-0 is the Challengers' first shutout since June 26, 2010's 3-0 shutout of the Bern Cardinals, and the most lopsided since May 17, 2009's 20-0 rout of the Reussbuhl Eagles. ...Saentis Zeller extended his season-long hitting streak to seven games with a 2-for-3 showing, including two walks, upping his team-leading batting average to .400. Adrian Kämpfer">Adrian Kämpfer struck out swinging in the third inning in what was his 200th career plate appearance in the NLA. ...Werner Zingg got a pinch-hit appearance in the sixth inning and drew a walk. It was his first appearance in the NLA since being used as a defensive replacement in a 25-1 win against the Zurich Barracudas on July 3, 2004, and his first plate appearance since July 17, 1994.