Bundesliga· Season 2026
Paderborn Untouchables shut out Heidenheim Heideköpfe 2-0 in Game 4 of the DBL quarterfinal, levelling the best-of-five series at 2-2 and setting up a decisive Game 5 at Ahorn-Ballpark.
Match Analysis
AI SummaryPaderborn force decisive Game 5 after shutting out Heidenheim 2-0 in DBL quarterfinal thriller
The Untouchables Paderborn kept their playoff hopes alive at Ahorn-Ballpark on Sunday, blanking the Heidenheim Heideköpfe 2-0 in Game 4 of their DBL Viertelfinale (quarterfinal) series. The win levelled the best-of-five series at 2-2 and forced a winner-takes-all Game 5 later in the afternoon.
With Bonn Capitals, Guggenberger Legionäre Regensburg and Hamburg Stealers already through to the semifinals after sweeps on Saturday, Paderborn-Heidenheim was the only quarterfinal still undecided — and it stayed that way through a taut pitching duel.
How it unfolded
After Heidenheim had taken a 2-0 series lead with commanding wins at home (6-1 and 8-2 on 15–16 August), Paderborn staved off elimination on Saturday with a 4-3 comeback victory in Game 3, sparked by an eighth-inning hit-by-pitch with the bases loaded followed by a go-ahead walk.
On Sunday, the Untouchables carried that momentum into Game 4. Precise pitching kept the Heideköpfe off the scoreboard entirely, while Paderborn scratched across two runs in a low-scoring contest at Ahorn-Ballpark. The official DBL scoreboard on baseball.de recorded the final as Paderborn 2, Heidenheim 0.
The turning point
Paderborn's pitching staff delivered the defining performance. After conceding 14 runs across the first two games in Heidenheim, the Untouchables' arms held the Heideköpfe to just three runs in Game 3 and shut them out entirely in Game 4. That 14-inning stretch flipped the series dynamic completely.
Key performers
- Paderborn pitching staff: Held a Heidenheim lineup that scored 8 and 6 runs in the opening two games to zero in Game 4.
- Luca Rammelmann (Paderborn): Hit Paderborn's only home run of Game 3 on Saturday, a solo shot in the sixth inning that kept his team within reach before the late comeback.
- Phildrick Llewellyn (Heidenheim): Drove in runs throughout the series, including an RBI single in Game 1 and key hits in Game 3, but could not spark the offence in Game 4.
What it means
Paderborn, who finished the regular season at 13-7 in the Interleague phase, have now won two straight elimination games to level the series. Heidenheim's 10-10 regular-season record belied their quality, but they now face a sudden-death Game 5 on the road at Ahorn-Ballpark, with first pitch scheduled for 15:20 local time.
The winner advances to the DBL semifinals. Bonn Capitals swept Stuttgart 3-0, Regensburg swept Cologne 3-0 and Hamburg swept Mainz 3-0 on Saturday, 22 August.
Verdict
Paderborn's pitching turnaround — from 14 runs allowed in two games in Heidenheim to a shutout in Game 4 — has been the story of this series. The Untouchables have earned the right to play for a semifinal spot on home soil. One more win and they complete a remarkable comeback from 2-0 down.
Rivalry since 2012
Paderborn vs Heidenheim Head to Head Results· 28
Paderborn and Heidenheim have met 28 times — Paderborn won 9, Heidenheim won 19, with 0 draws. Their rivalry dates back to 2012. Heidenheim leads the head-to-head with 19 victories from 28 meetings. A combined 370 goals have been scored across these fixtures, averaging 13.21 per match (144 for the home side, 226 for the visitors). Both teams scored in 26 matches (93%). Over 2.5 goals landed in 28 games (100%), making it a fixture that tends to produce goals. The highest-scoring encounter finished 12–14 in 2013.
Statistics are for informational purposes only. Past performance does not guarantee future results.
API data: 24 Aug 2026