Bild von Sergio Brunetti (stockpix.it)
Game recap from our Headcoach Chris Byrnes:
The Swiss National team under the leadership of its new coach Chris Byrnes took on the highly ranked American Baseball Wisconsin Whitewater University on a very warm Sunday evening in Zurich.
The two-time National Champion Wisconsin Whitewater War Hawks baseball team has become a powerhouse in Division III College baseball and arrived in Zurich coming off a very successful 2018 season going 33-8 and another trip to College baseballs World Series.
Jonah Schaller the young 18-year-old prospect took the mound for the Swiss and pitched a solid first inning. Michael Kaska the majoer league ready ace of the staff took the mound for the War Hawks and the Swiss team greeted him with four consecutive singles from Harry Wischnewski, Hide Oshima, Raphael Eigermann and Taka Oshima to take a 1-0 lead. The Swiss made it 2-0 when Saentis Zeller dropped down a perfect squeeze bunt to score Hide Oshima. The Swiss added another run when Diego Gladig followed with a broken bat infield single to make the score 3-0.
The War Hawks came right back in the top of the 2nd as Schaller allowed a leadoff single and then walked the next two batters and allowed a two run single by catcher Brent Feldner to make the score 3-2. Andi Rüess came into the game to relieve Schaller and the War Hawks Connor Schneider dropped down a nice safety squeeze to tie the score 3-3.
The War Hawks took the lead in the top of the 4th inning when Bent Feldner led off and his hot ground ball was not handled by Swiss 3rd baseman Diego Gladig. Connor Schneider then walked and Nick Sontoro laid down a perfect sac bunt to move the runners to 2nd and 3rd base. Next batter shortstop Nick Schrader dropped his second hit of the game just over the infield to put the War Hawks up 5-3.
In the 5th inning the War Hawks added an insurance run when 1st baseman Ben Wilkens hit a laser in the gap for a double and scored on a single by Lucas Price to make it a 6-3 game.
The Swiss battled back in the bottom of the 5th inning when Ben Wilkins could not handle the blazing sun and Harry Wischnewski ended up on first base. Hide Oshima then ripped a Matt O’Sullivan fastball into the gap to score Wischnewski to make it a 6-4 game. Raphael Eigermann reached first base on an infield hit to place runners on 1st and 3rd base. With two outs in the inning Oshima and Eigermann executed a nice double steal to make the score 6-5. O’Sullivan then struck out pinch hitter Gian Gladig to end the rally.
The War Hawks Sam Heilenhach came in the 7th to close out the Swiss rally in the 7th getting Regis Reinhard to ground out to short with the tying run Raphael Strub on second base.
Unfortunately, due to travel reasons the Wisconsin team had to leave by 21:00 so the game was shortened from 9 innings to 7 innings. Nevertheless, the fans were treated to a very competitive baseball game.
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