Legionnaires meet Bavarian rivals Haar Disciples in the Baseball Bundesliga

The first two games are in the box and the start of the season has been successful. With a double win against newly promoted Hünstetten Storm, the Guggenberger Legionnaires fulfilled their target at home in the 1st Baseball Bundesliga South on the Easter weekend.

With the Munich-Haar Disciples, the Bavarian local rivals are now waiting for the Regensburg team. So far, the start of the new season has been a mess for Upper Bavaria. In all four of his previous games, last year’s quarter-finalist left the place as a loser. At the beginning of the 3rd day of play, the Schwabelweiser welcome the “Jünger” to the evening game (7 p.m.) in the Armin-Wolf-Arena on Friday. The second encounter takes place on Sunday (1 p.m.) in the Ballpark Eglfing in Haar.

Excellent friendly relationship

The rivalry between the two best Bavarian baseball clubs goes back a long time. In the 1990s, the Legionnaires and the Disciples initially dueled mainly at junior level. A friendly relationship was maintained from an early age. Again and again, players were loaned out to give the talents playing time at a young age. After Regensburg’s promotion to the first division in 1995, they went their separate ways and the competition was initially put on hold. In 2007, the Haarers followed suit and followed the Regensburgers into the upper house. The Disciples gradually established themselves in the 1st Bundesliga and have been the second force in Bavaria for some time. In the meantime, the Munich suburbs are a serious playoff candidate every year.
What has remained over the years is the friendly relationship between the two clubs. Players from both clubs kept changing sides. What began about 25 years ago with Manuel Simon and Gregor Klinc continues to this day. Michael Stephan or Jose Palacios on the one hand, Cedric Bassel or Richard Klijn on the other. Or Jan Tomek. Most recently, Daniel Patrice and David Dinski made the journey from the Isar to the Danube. For Dinski it is even the second change between the two clubs. In 2015, the lively center fielder joined the legionnaires for the first time, only to move on to Munich in 2018. “It was a bit strange at first, because I didn’t really think I would find my way back to Regensburg. In the meantime, I’ve settled in well again and I’m happy to be back,” reveals Dinski. The fact that, contrary to his own expectations, he is now wearing the legionnaire’s jersey again, has one reason above all: “Definitely Martin Helmig,” says the outfielder.

First return after return

Now it’s the first time again as a Regensburger against his ex-team from Haar. Together with his teammate Daniel Patrice, the 23-year-old wants to put his former comrades in their place. “We are both looking forward to playing against our old club. Of course, our goal is two wins,” explains Dinski.

In contrast to the Haarers, who suffered two bitter bankruptcies against Hünstetten at the start of the season, the Oberpfälzer started against the league newcomer in a manner befitting their status – albeit not without difficulties. “The first game was relatively clear. After that, we probably took the Hünstetten team a little too lightly. We weren’t consistent enough in the second game, both on defense and offense. That’s how we let them come back into the game,” analyzes Dinski. If possible, this should not happen against the local rivals.