The Softball-Team opened its campaign with a split against their cross-town rivals Zurich Barracudas on Sunday, April 18 at Rümlang. In Game 1 the Challengers outslugged the Barracudas 12-9 and were leading for most of the game, but after Barracudas outfielder Stephanie Reid made a spectacular diving catch to end the fifth, the Barracudas scored nine unanswered runs in the fifth and sixth innings to eventually win 13-6. It was the first loss in a season opener for the C’s since rebuilding the team in 2004.
Simona Cellar led the Challengers offense with three hits including a double and Simone Zurschmitten delivered three hits, while Alexia Zingg went 2-for-3 with a double. Leandra Simitovic allowed 13 runs – only six of them earned – on nine hits and six base on balls, while also striking out three.
Karen Heimgartner tossed a complete game to earn her first win of the season, as the Challengers posted a 14-3 triumph over the Barracudas in Game 2. The C’s built a 3-run lead till the fourth inning, as Sandrine Montandon delivered a RBI-double in the fourth and was driven in by Flavia Von Meiss to make it 4-1, before the C’s put things out of reach for the Barracudas with a 10-run sixth inning. Von Meiss went 2-for-3 with a double, while Heimgartner allowe three runs – two earned – and four hits with one walk and fifteen strikeouts.

The Softball-Team will travel to Wil on Saturday, October 3. The ladies, who will line up as the Flashdancers, will play their last friendly game before the winter break against the Wil Devils. The games start at 11am at Wil Lindenhof.

The Softball-Team’s season came to an end on Sunday, September 13 at Therwil after losing Game 2 and also the decisive Game 3 of the best-of-three semifinal series against the defending champion Therwil Flyers. Jennifer Feret was one error shy of a perfect game and the Flyers used small ball to tie the series at 1-1 with a 6-0 victory in Game 2 against the Challengers. Both teams exchanged zeros on the scoreboard through the first four innings, before the Flyers opened the score in the fifth, as they executed a number of perfect bunts for a 2-0 lead. And they added four more runs in the sixth, as the C’s misplayed a grounder that should have been the third out of the frame. Feret struck out 14 for the win, while Karen Heimgartner allowed six runs – only one earned – and eight hits with two walks, while also striking out nine. The series have come down to a winner-takes-it-all Game 3. And the eight-time Swiss champion got on the board in the first inning, as Colleen Conway scored on a sacrifice bunt. The Challengers avoided further damage in the second inning, as Leandra Simitovic pitched in and out of trouble ending the inning with a strikeout with the bases loaded. But Jennifer Feret opened the third with a solo shot over the left field fence and the Flyers made it 3-0 on a sacrifice fly to center field by Marlene Wittwer. And that was all Sophie Zihlmann and the Flyers needed, as the Challengers’ bats remained silent for the entire day. The Flyers made it 4-0 in the fifth, as Feret scored on another sacrifice fly from Babsi Meierhans and they added two more runs on a costly error by the Challengers’ defense to eventually win 6-0 and taking the series by 2-1. Zihlmann tossed a one-hitter with two walks and six strikeouts for the win. Simitovic allowed six runs – four of them earned – and eight hits with three walks and one strikeout but had no support from her offense, as the Challengers weren’t able to repeat their outstanding performance from Game 1, as they edged the Flyers 6-5. The Flyers will face the Bern Cardinals in the finals, who swept the Wil Devils in the other semifinal, while the team of headcoach Armin Blickenstorfer finishs the season in fourth place.

The Softball-Team stopped the Therwil Flyers’ 19-game winning streak on Saturday, September 12 at the Klopstockwiese. Leandra Simitovic allowed five runs – four of them earned – on seven hits and two walks in seven strong innings, while also striking out two and Flavia Von Meiss’ RBI-single in the bottom of fifth inning broke a 5-5 tie, as the Challengers topped the Flyers 6-5 in Game 1 of the best-of-three semifinal series. The C’s opened the score in the first inning, as Simone Zurschmitten drove in Simitovic with a RBI-double and they added three more runs in the second frame, as Ziegylou Wehrli plated Alexia Zingg with a sacrifice bunt and Flavia Von Meiss and Vanessa Zulliger scored on an error and a passed ball to make it 4-0. But the Flyers fought back scoring three runs in the third and they even took the lead, as Melanie Wanner ripped a 2-Run double to deep center field in the top of the fifth. But the Challengers answered right away, as Karen Heimgartner tied the game with a RBI-double before Von Meiss drove in Heimgartner for the winnig run. Game 2 and if necessary Game 3 will take place on Sunday, September 13 at 11am and 1.30pm at Therwil Känelmatt II.

Am Samstag, 12. September beginnen die Schweizer Softball-Playoffs. Dabei treffen die viertplatzierten Challengers (10-10) auf den Titelhalter Therwil Flyers (19-1). Die beiden Teams standen sich schon in unzähligen dramatischen Playoff-Serien und Vorrundenspielen gegenüber und trafen seit 2005 in jedem Jahr in den Playoffs aufeinander, 2005, 2006 und 2007 jeweils gar im Final. Letzte Saison setzten sich die Flyers im Halbfinal mit 2-0 durch, als gleich beide Partien in den Extra-Innings entschieden wurden. In dieser Saison gewannen die Flyers die Direktbegegnungen am 10. Mai mit 11-4 und 2-0 und sind seit 19 Spielen ungeschlagen, während sich die Challengers am letzten Sonntag mit zwei Siegen gegen die Zürich Barracudas die Playoffqualifikation sicherten. Spiel 1 der best-of-three Halbfinalserie findet am Samstag um 13.30 Uhr auf der Klopstockwiese statt, Spiel 2 und falls nötig 3 stehen am Sonntag, 13. September um 11.00 und 13.30 Uhr in Therwil Känelmatt II auf dem Programm.

The Softball-Team clinched the playoff berth with two wins against the cross-town rivals Zurich Barracudas on Sunday, September 6 at the Klopstockwiese. Leandra Simitovic cleared the way to the semifinals for the Challengers tossing five magnificient innings en route to a 10-0 shutout victory in Game 1. Simitovic allowed three hits, with no walks while also striking out seven and Alexia Zingg led the offense going 3-for-3 with two RBI’s and two runs, while Sandrine Montandon and Simone Zurschmitten drove in two runs apiece. Game 2 saw several lead changes but the same winner again, as the Challengers posted a 12-6 victory over the Barracudas. The C’s were down 3-5, as they exploded for six runs in the fifth inning to take the lead for good. Nadja Critelli started the scoring, as Alexia Zingg drove her in with a RBI-double, followed by a RBI-single from Simona Cellar and a RBI-double from Simone Zurschmitten, before Andrea Wirth ended it by ripping a 2-run single to make it 9-5. Simone Zurschmitten lasted three innings in her first career start allowing four runs and one hit with two strikeouts, while Simona Cellar picked up the win pitching three innings of relief, as she allowed two runs – none of them earned – and one hit with one walk and one strikeout. The Challengers (10-10) will face the reigning champions Therwil Flyers (19-1) in the semifinals. Game 1 of the best-of-three series will be played on Saturday, September 12 at 1.30pm at the Klopstockwiese, Game 2 and if necessary 3 will take place on Sunday, September 13 at Therwil.

The Softball-Team stayed in fourth place after a split with the fifth placed Reussbühl Eagles on Saturday, August 29 at Reussbühl. Claudia Stierli pitched a three-hitter, as the Eagles posted a 11-3 victory in Game 1. The Challengers’ offense was almost inexistent, as Karen Heimgartner, Elisabete Vieira and Simona Cellar had the only hits for the C’s, while the defense committed five errors that led to a total of nine unearned runs. Leandra Simitovic allowed 11 runs – only two of them earned – and eight hits with one walk and six strikeouts. Game 2 saw a different Challengers team, as Simone Zurschmitten opened the score with a 2-run triple in the first inning. And the C’s added some more runs for a 5-1 lead after two frames, before they delivered four hits and scored six runs in the sixth inning to make it 11-1. Karen Heimgartner tossed six strong innings with ten strikeouts and two walks, while Simona Cellar, Leandra Simitovic and Ziegylou Wehrli had two hits apiece. The Challengers are now one victory away from clinching the playoff berth. They will face their cross-town rivals Zurich Barracudas on Sunday, September 6 at the Klopstockwiese.