Die Challengers machten die Überraschung im diesjährigen Swiss Cup perfekt indem sie die Favoriten Bern Cardinals mit 6-2 schlugen und damit ihren zweiten Cuptitel nach 2004 errangen. Das Finalspiel war der passende Höhepunkt eines von den Therwil Flyers perfekt organisierten Wochenendes. Thomas Burger lieferte eine herausstehende Leistung ab, indem er das gesamte Spiel durchpitchte. Seine Verteidigung half ihm dabei mit sehenswerten Spielzügen. Fünf Hits im vierten und ein Error in achten Inning trugen zu allen nötigen Punkte für die Challengers bei um den Titel zu holen. Im vorangegangenen Halbfinal besiegten die Challengers die Lausanne Indians mit 19-7, dies unter anderem durch die super Leistung von Starting Pitcher Harry Bregy und Reliever Geovanni Ureña. Die Meisterschaft nimmt ihren Betrieb wieder am 1.September mit den Playoff Halbfinals auf, wo die Challengers auf den Sieger des Doubleheaders zwischen den Zürich Barracudas und Reussbühl Eagles treffen werden.

Continue Reading » Challengers geiwnnen Swiss Cup

The Challengers split the doubleheader against their cross-town rivals Zurich Barracudas on Sunday. The Challengers used some big hits to win Game 1 14-11. Thomas Burger pitched six innings for the win, while Thomas Landis picked up a save in three innings of work. Game 2 was a back-and-fourth battle, with the Challengers taking a 3-0 lead that got erased by a big six-run sixth inning by the Barracudas. The Challengers regained the lead in the top of the ninth by scoring four times for an 8-6 lead. But the Cudas came back in bottom half, getting the winning run on a sac fly by Nderim Coma for a 9-8 win. The Challengers have locked up second place for the Playoffs, while the Barracudas still have to battle for third place against the Reussbuhl Eagles on August 25.

Continue Reading » Challengers split with Cudas

The Challengers made one more big step towards a second-place overall finish in the standings by beating the Embrach Rainbows twice in Saturday’s doubleheader. Game 1’s big hero was Saentis Zeller as he went 6-for-6 with five doubles, setting a new franchise record, in a 15-7 win. Thomas Burger pitched a complete game for his fourth win of the season. In Game 2, Harry Bregy dominated the Rainbows, while the offense continued to pound on Rainbow pitchers, winning 16-1 in six innings. Zeller added two more doubles in a 3-for-5 performance. The Challengers now stand at 12-6 before the final doubleheader against the Zurich Barracudas on August 5.

Continue Reading » Challengers roll over Bows

The Challengers will face the Embrach Rainbows on Saturday, July 28 at the Heerenschürli, in what will be a rematch of last Sunday’s Swiss Cup Quarterfinal. After the C’s reached the Cup’s Final Four Tournament with a 8-3 victory, they will try to add two more wins to consolidate their second place in the standings. The games start at 11am and 2pm.

Continue Reading » C’s vs. Rainbows again

After missing the final tournament of the 2006 Swiss Cup edition, the Challengers’ NLA-team got back on track this year by beating the Embrach Rainbows 8-3 in the Quarterfinals. Tobias Siegrist with a 2-run-homer and Bryan Shemley with a groundrule-double, that also scored two runs, led the offense, while starter Thomas Burger pitched 8 decent innings, allowing 2 earned runs on 7 hits and 5 walks, fanning 9 batters.

Continue Reading » Challengers reach Final Four

The Challengers’ NLA-team lost two crucial games against a strong Lausanne Indians team. The Indians’ batters were swinging pretty well all day, and the Challengers couldn’t withstand the scorching heat and the painstaking minute-long discussions with the Indian players, going down 11-4 and 13-10. At several points of the doubleheader, the Indians were on the verge of one of their players getting sent off the field. Discussions after each pitch that didn’t go the Indians’ way made the second contest of the day an extremely long and forgettable one. One positive of the weekend was the Barracudas’ surprising 11-3 loss to the Embrach Rainbows, enabling the Challengers to maintain a 1-game lead over their arch rivals for second place overall. In Sunday’s other doubleheader, the Bern Cardinals wrapped up their second consecutive pennant by beating the Sissach Frogs 13-2 and 17-4.

Continue Reading » Challengers get beat up

The Challengers became the second NLA-team this season with double figures in the Win column by beating the Sissach Frogs twice on Sunday. In Game 1, Thomas Burger pitched the entire nine innings in a 6-2 win. Both runs were unearned, making his performance even more remarkable. Game 2 was dominated by Harry Bregy, who tossed his first career shutout in the NLA in a 9-0 win. Only six Frogs reached base, but none of them was able to score. Bregy improved his record to 4-0 on the season. The Challengers now have a firm grip on second place in the standings with a 10-4 record, trailing only the Bern Cardinals’ 13-1 mark. In other games this weekend, the Reussbuhl Eagles roughed up the Therwil Flyers 7-2 and 16-5, and the Cardinals pounded the Embrach Rainbows 15-1 and 21-3.

Continue Reading » Challengers keep winning

The Challengers’ A-team needed seven innings to advance to the third round of the Swiss Cup by beating the club’s B-team 12-0 on Sunday. Tobias Siegrist hit a walk off 3-run homer that delivered the necessary 10-run margin for the mercy rule to take effect after seven innings. Next up for the Challengers are the Embrach Rainbows, against whom they lost 8-7 last year in Round 3.

Continue Reading » No surprise in Swiss Cup

The Challengers played the Embrach Rainbows on a rainy Saturday, and came home with two clear wins. In Game 1, Thomas Burger just missed pitching a shutout, as three runners scored in the final inning in a 16-3 win. Game 2 was dominated by Harry Bregy’s excellent performance on the mound, backed by another good showing by his offense in an 18-3 win. With the cancellation of the Barracudas-Eagles encounter, the Challengers have further solidified their hold on first place in Group 2, having taken a 1-game lead.

Continue Reading » Challengers rip Rainbows

With two wins against the Lausanne Indians on Saturday, coupled with the Barracudas’ two losses against the Bern Cardinals, the Challengers moved into a tie for first place in their group. Game 1 was dominated by the Challengers’ good offense, getting an easy 19-9 win against the Indians. Game 2 was much closer, as the Indians jumped to an early 6-0 lead against starter Roger Brunner. But the Challengers erased that deficit, while reliever Harry Bregy pitched seven shutout innings en route to an 8-6 victory.

Continue Reading » Challengers in 1st place