This weekend the German playoffs started. Normally they start much later but since the season has to end early because of the upcoming European Championship and Olympic Qualifier, it needs to be finished before the end of August. In three out of four series, the teams split the weekend games but in one the home team took a 2-0 lead.
Solingen Alligators 1 – 1 Mannheim Tornados
Even though the Alligators took a 1-0 lead in the first inning yesterday, they didn’t stand a chance vs Mannheim. The Tornados tied the game on a solo home run by Mitch Nilsson. In the sixth Mannheim took the lead when Carlos Pedromo singled to left center field with runners on the corners. David Kandilas’ sac fly drove in Sascha Lutz to give the Tornados a 3-1 lead. In the eighth Mannheim scored three more runs to reach the final score of 6-1. Today Solingen turned the tables. Even though the score wasn’t as big as yesterdays, the Tornadoes never could claim today’s victory. This time the Tornados took a 1-0 lead in the first inning, but the Alligators erased that lead in the fifth when they scored on a three-run home run by Ben Andrews. Strong pitching prevented the 
Tornados to inch closer. Strong outings by Wayne Ough (seven innings, one run allowed, four walks and nine strikeouts), Mario Boltz (one inning,, two hits and a strikeout) and Jakob Syrén (one inning, one K and the save) kept Mannheim in check. Eventually, the Alligators won 4-1.
Bonn Capitals 1 – 1 Regensburg Legionäre
The reigning German champion made a misstep in Regensburg today. The Capitals couldn’t cling on a 5-0 and 6-1 lead and gave it away definitely in the eighth when the Regensburg Legionäre scored the go-ahead run and never looked back.
Yesterday, the Capitals almost blew a comfortable 5-0 lead as well when the Legionäre scored four runs in the seventh when a single, a double, a wild pitch and another single drove in four. But eventually, the Legionäre’s offensive outburst fell short. 
The Capitals on their turn scored an insurance run in the ninth on Christopher Goebel’s single to left field. Sascha Koch earned the win as he pitched six innings in which he gave up four runs on six hits and a walk and struck out ten. Bill Greenfield took the loss after 8.1 innings as he was tabbed for all the runs that Bonn scored.
Heidenheim Heideköpfe 1 – 1 Untouchables Paderborn
In yesterday’s game, the Untouchables Paderborn didn’t stand a chance vs the Heidenheim Heideköpfe even though the Untouchables played at home. After a two-run double hit by Gary Owens and an RBI single hit by Ludwig Glaser, Heidenheim took a 3-0 lead in the first inning already. A three-run homer in the sixth was an omen of what still was to come: four runs in the seventh, that ended the game prematurely due to the mercy rule. Today it was a completely different ball game. The score went back and forth as the Untouchables took a 5-0 lead but after scoring two runs in the third and five in the seventh, the Heideköpfe 
took a one-run lead, which didn’t last long as Paderborn scored three runs to make it 8-7. But one inning later, Heidenheim scored thrice to take the lead again. But eventually, in the bottom of the eighth, the U’s scored five more runs to take a decisive 13-10 lead.
Dohren Wild Farmers 0 – 2 Mainz Athletics
For four innings, the Dohren Wild Farmers could keep pace with the Mainz Athletics but five runs in the fifth inning laid the foundation for a 7-2 victory for Mainz. Dohren had taken a 1-0 lead in the third and scored another run in the sixth but it wasn’t enough to claim the victory. Mainz only got one hit more than Dohren but they were much more effective as they took advantage of two walks in the fifth and drove those runners in on two doubles. Also today, Dohren took a lead, and this one was even bigger. 
They took a 3-0 lead into the eighth inning but then pitcher JP Stevenson was pulled after 112 pitches. From there, things went terribly wrong for Dohren. Edvardas Matusevicius struggled with his control and was hit hard for seven runs. The Wild Farmers couldn’t overcome this blow and lost 7-4.
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