Laub Raiders are once again champions of the state class

For the third time in a row, the league championship of the regional league after 2021 and 2022 also belongs this year to the Upper Palatinate „with the small balls“ as the Lauber board affectionately calls them.

Important were in the championship game on Sunday 03.09.2023 against the Unterwurmbach Red Sox but especially the long, hard bats of the baseball players, as these at the latest in the 5th game run the offense really got going and the Middle Franconians from then on no chance left.

We would like to take this opportunity to thank our big neighbors from the cathedral city, the Guggenberg Legionnaires, for the opportunity to play this game on the beautiful field in the Armin Wolf Arena Regensburg. Outstanding construction and pitch maintenance measures (construction of dugouts, storm damage to fences and batting cages as well as necessary rebuilding of home plate and pitching mound due to intensive rainy season and high demand during the season) made a home game in Laub near Zeitlarn/Regenstauf currently not possible.

After the only defeat of the season in the first leg at the Red Sox, which they had to accept due to several illnesses and work appointments with a severely weakened team in mid-June, the Lauberers were trimmed for revenge and highly motivated.
It was to be an exciting game with high quality pitching on both sides.

Opposing pitcher Paul Wurm had the Raiders attackers well under control in the first innings with his mix of well-placed fastballs, offspeed throws, as well as the occasional sidearm and strong curveballs. The Lauber offense, which scored over 100 points in 7 games (an average of over 15 runs per game), making it the strongest offense in the league, was unable to adjust to the Unterwurmbach pitcher’s arsenal until late in the game.

But there was also an ace at work on the Lauber side, Jose Palacios started the game on the mound. The Raiders‘ best pitcher has remarkable statistics to show for it: 26 innings pitched, only 10 walks, 45 strikeouts, ERA 3.50, 3 wins, 3 saves, 0 losses.

Consequently, a fine pitcher’s duel resulted as true baseball fans love it.
Therefore, at the beginning of the 5th inning the score was only 2-1 for the hosts from Laub.

The Red Sox pitcher then tied the game himself at 2-2 with a single over the plate. An unfortunate fielding attempt with the bases loaded even brought in another run. For the first time in the game, Unterwurmbach led 3-2.

Reason enough for coach David Feddersen to give the offense another boost with the substitution of strong hitter Jefferson Burgos (batting average .552, slugging .800, 16 stolen bases) and himself. Five hits in a row followed, including a double by Jose Palacios, resulting in three runs, score 5-3.

Palacios, who pitched the entire game, made relatively short work of the opposing batters in the following 6th inning and you could tell that the Raiders offense wasn’t done yet, the dugout was on fire and the crowd of about 70 on court 1 in the Armin Wolf Arena Regensburg gave the boys from the Upper Palatinate another loud cheer.

Coach Dave Feddersen himself opened the final offense, getting on base with a 4 pitch walk and immediately providing the first two stolen bases of the game, reaching another milestone of 100 stolen bases in 102 games for the Laub Raiders. 
Hits by Miguel Palacios and Omar Burgos, an RBI fielder’s choice by Jefferson Burgos and a 3-RBI double by Niclas Stepniak brought home another 5 runs.

With 9 wins in 10 games, the team qualifies for the Bavarian championship in October as champions of the Landesklasse Mitte.

The semi-final will take place on 01.10.. Against whom and where is not quite sure yet, because there is another team in the Landesklasse Süd, which could also reach the same winning average with 2 games left. In this case, after their last game on Sept. 24, the draw will decide the placement and thus home field in the semifinals. The Laub Raiders hope for a home game (the opponent could be Unterwurmbach again), which would again take place in the Armin-Wolf-Arena thanks to the support of the Guggenberger Legionäre Regensburg.

Should they come through the semi-finals victoriously, the final for the Bavarian championship will be on October 15. The goal for the Upper Palatinate team can only be to defend their title.