Can everyone beat the Challengers?4

So it seems to be!

After losing at least once to the Wil Devils, Uzwil Helvetics, Geneva Dragons and Zürich Barracudas, the Challengers also gave up a game against the last-placed Romanshorn Submarines.

And again, as already last weekend against the Zürich Barracudas, it seemed to be the moody attitude that broke the Challenger's neck.

In the first, four runners for the Challengers got on with each two walks and hit by pitches. But two of them got picked off at second and only Chris Hardy scored.

The same increased the score with a grand slam in the second to 5-0 and things already seemed to be clear.

Challengers starter Thomas Burger showed a flawless first inning. It was his first start since earning 5 runs on only 1 out in the 19-11 loss against the Zürich Lions on August 17. Burger followed up in the second with a strikeout, but then gave up two walks, who both scored. The Sub's started to hit singles through the infield and three more runs tied the game.

Burger recovered in the third and fanned two more batters. But all of a sudden the Challenger's offense had fallen silent. It was six up, six down for them in the third and fourth inning. Only Thomas Blank had a line-drive to left center, but was called out trying to advance to second.

Three back-to-back singles and another walk - all these runs scored - sealed Burgers fate on the mound. With no outs he was relieved by Manuel Schretzmann, who gave up a total of three singles and three runs, but only one of them earned. He got out of the inning and a bases-loaded jam with a groundout to third.

Oliver Labhart closed for the Challengers and stayed untouchable for the rest of the game. But although he and his teammates started to score again in the remaining three offenses, it wasn't enough. The Challengers scored four times on only three more hits, including a solo homer for Blank in hte seventh. On the other hand 6 more K's helped the Submarines to pick up the win with only two scoring innings.

Game notes
Hardy picked up 3 walks beside his grand slam, his first in his career as a Challenger, going 1-for-1. ...One of the four RBI's Hardy collected with his shot was Willy Schaub, who scored his 100th run in the NLB. He is only the fifth Challenger to reach that mark. ...Romanshorn pitcher Pascal Schiavo hit two batters in a row twice in the game, might also be a record.