Challengers walk off in 10 to sweep Flyers on Opening Day

A fine pitching duel evolved into a game of misplays and errors that was decided in the most unconventional way.

Chico Colindres delivered a walk-off single in the bottom of the 10th inning in what should had been an intentional walk, and the Challengers came out as winners of Game 2 in Sunday’s doubleheader at the Heerenschürli.

“As the second pitch of the at-bat was practically down the pipe, I said to myself: Be ready for another close one, you never know what you gonna get.” Colindres said after the game. And closer Adrian Kaufmann promptly threw another pitch close to homeplate which should had been an intentional pass, but Colindres jumped on a high offering and lined a game-winning single over a drawn-in outfield.

Josh Tamba of the Flyers threw 7 1-3 innings without giving up a hit, but left after Sedin ripped an RBI-single with one out in the bottom of the eighth.

Tamba walked four batters and also struck out nine, but his defense let him down in the final innings. In the eighth inning alone, the Flyers defense committed four costly errors that led to three unearned runs that tied the game at 3 apiece.

Before that, the Flyers were first to score on a muffed throw by first baseman Bryan Shemley that enabled Chris Blackbee to score from third base.

In the top of the eighth, Hide Oshima plated Seppi Zwyer with his second triple of the day, and later scored on Stefan Koller’s RBI-single for a 3-0 lead.

The Challengers got all three runs back off Tamba and reliever Blackbee, aided in a big way by errors by shortstop Taka Oshima and first baseman Daniel Eichenberger.

Chico Colindres capped the inning with a line drive to the left field, tying the score at 3-3.

The Challengers managed to put a runner at third base with just one out, but both Saentis Zeller and Eidrys Reyes failed to knock in the winning run.

In the top of the 10th, the Flyers quickly loaded the bases on a hit-by-pitch, an error and a walk with one out. Eichenberger delivered a sac fly to center field, and after another walks to reload the bases, Sedin struck out Taka Oshima to end the inning.

Kaufmann relieved Blackbee in the bottom of the 10th, looking to pick up his first save of the season.

But another misplay by Eichenberger, and consecutive singles by Tobias Siegrist and Jesus Martinez tied up the game again. With Siegrist at third and Martinez at second, coach Andy Fleischacker elected to walk Colindres to get to Patrick Maier’s bat.

Kaufmann obliged, but somehow failed to throw the ball wide enough off the plate, and Colindres thankfully accepted to being the hero.

Game notes
Siegrist’s steal in the 10th inning was the 90th steal of his NLA-career.