The best-of-five semi-final series between the Zurich Challengers and the reigning champion Bern Cardinals begins on the upcoming weekend with Game 1 at Bern on Saturday, September 22 and Game 2 at the Heerenschürli ballpark on Sunday, September 23.
It will be the eighth Postseason meeting between the two teams, the sixth in a Semi-Final series. The last time the Challengers and the Cardinals faced each other in the Playoffs was in the 2007 Finals Series, with the Cardinals sweeping the Challengers 3-0. The two Challengers’ Series wins date back to 1999 and 2000. Since 1995, the two teams met 94 times with the Challengers leading 55-39.
This year, the seven-time Swiss Champions Bern Cardinals finished the Qualification Round in first place with a 23-5 record, while the eight-time Swiss Champions Zürich Challengers were in fourth place with an 18-10 record.
In the 2012 Qualification Round, the Challengers won the Season Series against the Cardinals 3-1. After the Cards edged the C’s 5-4 in Game 1 on September 2, the C’s answered with an 8-0 win in the second game. On September 9, the Challengers swept the Cards at the Heerenschürli ballpark, as they posted an 11-8 win in Game 1 before adding a 5-3 victory in Game 2.
Game 1 of the Best-of-Five Series starts at Bern Allmend on Sunday, September 22 at 2pm, Game 2 will take place at the Heerenschürli ballpark on Sunday, September 23 at 5pm.
The Therwil Flyers will face the Embrach Mustangs in the other Semi-Final Series.
History:
First meeting: 1988
Last meeting: September 9, 2012
Number of meetings (since 1995): 94
Regular season series: 48-25 Zurich Challengers (.657)
Current streak: Challengers (3)
Post season history:
Post season meetings: 7-14 Bern Cardinals (.667)
Post season series: 2-5 Bern Cardinals
1999 semi-finals: Challengers defeat Cardinals, 2-1
2000 semi-finals: Challengers defeat Cardinals, 2-0
2001 semi-finals: Cardinals defeat Challengers, 2-1
2003 semi-finals: Cardinals defeat Challengers, 3-2
2005 finals: Cardinals defeat Challengers, 3-0
2006 semi-finals: Cardinals defeat Challengers, 2-0
2007 finals: Cardinals defeat Challengers, 3-0
