The U15-Cadets played another local derby at the end of the preliminary round in Rümlang. The Challengers were unable to win either game against the Rümlang Kobras.
The first game was already fairly one-sided. The Challengers repeatedly failed to get out of the innings on defense, but were unable to generate enough offensive pressure, producing only four hits. The final result was a decisive 8-19 defeat. The lone highlight was Fabrizio Bucher’s grand slam in the fourth inning. The second game of the day was a similar story. The Kobras again cruised to an easy 13-2 victory.
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Cadets swept by Kobras
Softball-Team hosts Leader
The Challengers and the Wittenbach Panthers will face off in a softball duel on Saturday at the Klopstockwiese in Zurich-Enge. The first placed Panthers have only lost one game to date, defeating the Challengers twice in the first doubleheader of the season in mid-May. However, the Zurich team kept the first game open for a long time, losing only narrowly 7-9. The games will take place at 11:00 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.
The U15 Cadets will also be in action on Saturday. The Challengers will face the Rümlang Kobras in a local derby. The games will take place at 11:00 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. in Rümlang Rümelbach.
In the Baseball NLA the Challengers will travel to the leader on Sunday. The Zurich team will face the reigning champions, the Therwil Flyers, in Therwil. The Challengers have already secured their place in the intermediate round. For them, it’s all about keeping pace with the two top teams, Therwil and Zurich Barracudas. After the intermediate round, only the top two teams advance directly to the playoff final. The games are at 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. in Therwil Känelmatt.
Cadets with two Losses
The U15 Cadets faced the SG Pirates on Saturday in Hünenberg. The Challengers had nothing to gain against the Eastern Swiss team, losing both games decisively.
The first runs of the day went to the Zurich team. Fabrizio Bucher and Len Blickenstorfer delibvered RBI singles to make it 2-0. But after just two innings, the Blues were already trailing 2-7. The final score was 6-14. Although the Zurich team managed eight hits on offense, they had nothing to gain. On the one hand, they struggled with the Pirates’ aggressive baserunning, but on the other, the Pirates didn’t leave a single run on the bases, thus making the most of their opportunities. Fabrizio Bucher and Olin Davison each had two hits for the Challengers.
Game 2 also got off to a good start for the Challengers. Although the SG Pirates initially took a 3-0 lead, the Challengers responded with five runs. Fabrizio Bucher cut the score to 2-3 with a home run, Len Blickenstorfer and Moor Müller followed with RBI singles, and after an error, the score was 5-3 for the Zurich team. The Eastern Swiss team, however, was undeterred. They kept up the pace while the Challengers had largely used up their energy. Thus, the second game was also a decisive affair, with a 20-7 victory for the Pirates. Fabrizio Bucher went 3-for-3 with two RBI and two runs, while Moor Müller had two hits and two RBI.
NLB Showdown on Sunday
On Sunday, the decisive clash for a spot in the NLB playoffs will take place at the Heerenschürli ballpark between the Zurich Challengers and the Zurich Barracudas Academy. The two teams are currently tied for fourth place with five wins and five losses each. After the preliminary round the standings will be split based on fourth place. The top four teams will then compete in the intermediate round and then, with the NLA teams ranked fifth through seventh, the playoffs for the NLB championship title. The NLB teams ranked fifth through seventh will continue to play placement games. The games begin at 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m.
The same battle will take place on Saturday in softball between the Zurich Barracudas and the Zurich Challengers. The two cantonal rivals will meet in Rümlang for a doubleheader. Games begin at 10:00 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. in Rümlang Rümelbach.
The U15 Cadets will also be in action on Saturday. Following their first two wins of the season last weekend, the Challengers will face the SG Pirates. The games will take place at 11:00 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. at Hünenberg Rony.
Cadets arrive in Win column
The U15-Cadets secured their first two wins of the season after eight consecutive losses. They defeated the Geneva Dragons 2 in two nerve-wracking games in Bulle, 19-17 and 10-9.
The first game was characterized by numerous walks. Accordingly, the game lacked momentum. However, the game began with a bang. As the second batter in the lineup, Ian Zürcher immediately sent the ball over the right-field fence to make it 1-0. Although the Challengers set the tone, leading 15-9 after three innings, Geneva fought back to within one run. The visitors gained some breathing room in the fifth with four much needed insurance runs, but ultimately needed a double play to secure their first victory.
Fabrice Cadalbert and Fabrizio Bucher each had two hits, Bucher scored four runs, while Ian Zürcher and Elias Lüthi each drove in three runs.
In the second game of the day, the Challengers also had the upper hand throughout the entire encounter. However, things turned dramatic again at the end. The Zurich team led 5-1 and later 10-3 before the Dragons, with their backs against the wall, mounted a comeback in the final inning. Closer Len Blickenstorfer secured a 10-9 victory for his team with a strikeout with the bases loaded.
On offense, Elias Lüthi made a statement with three hits, three RBI, and three runs scored, while Ian Zürcher, Fabrizio Bucher, Alexander Maron, and Len Blickenstorfer had two hits apiece.
Big Weekend Action
All Challengers teams, with the exception of the Slowpitch Softball-Team, will be in action this coming weekend. While the NLA-Team will play two night games against the Barracudas at the Heerenschürli ballpark on Friday and Saturday evenings, the following games are also scheduled:
On Saturday, the Softball-Team will face the SG Sissach Frogs/Therwil Flyers for the second time this season. The Challengers won twice against the young team from Basel-Landschaft at the Klopstockwiese earlier in the season. Now the return games in Therwil are scheduled. The games will be played at 11:00 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. at Känelmatt II.
The U15-Cadets have an even longer journey ahead. The Challengers will face the Geneva Dragons 2 in Bulle, canton of Fribourg, and will attempt to secure their first win of the season. The games start at 11:00 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. at the Stade de Bouleyres in Bulle.
On Sunday, the NLB-Team will also be able to play for the first time in the renovated Heerenschürli ballpark. The Challengers will host the Zurich Lions in a small city derby. The Lions, second in the league, await coach Tate Stone-Frisina’s team. First pitch is at 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m.
The youngest Challengers will also play two more games on Sunday. They welcome the Lucerne Eagles and the Bern Cardinals to their home field, Klopstockwiese. Game times are 10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m.
Challengers in Action
Next Saturday three teams from the Challengers organization will be in action. A Cadets doubleheader follows on Sunday.
The first Zurich derby of the season will take place on Saturday at 11:00 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. at the Klopstockwiese, when the Challengers Softball-Team will face the defending champions, the Zurich Barracudas. After the losses in Wittenbach, it will be interesting to see how the Challengers fare against the reigning champions.
The NLB-Team will play its home game on Saturday in Embrach. It’s one last time this season that they’ll be “off the grid”; the home field Heerenschürli should be ready to play again in June after the new back stop is completed. The C’s will face the Embrach Mustangs, who are looking for their first win of the season. Games begin at 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. at Embrach PZ Hard.
The U12-Juveniles will also be in action on Saturday. The youngest Challengers travel to Wil, where they will meet the Wil Devils and the Therwil Flyers. Games will be played at 10:00 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. at the Lindenhof.
The U15-Cadets round out the busy schedule on Sunday in Embrach with a doubleheader against the Wil Pirates. Games will be start at 11:00 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.
Cadets come close to first Win
The U15-Cadets faced the two best teams from the West Group on Saturday. While they were unable to beat the Therwil Flyers, losing the game 15-4, the Challengers were able to hold their own against the Geneva Dragons. However it was just not enough. With a 5-6 loss, the Zurich team narrowly missed their first win of the season.
Continue Reading » Cadets come close to first WinChallengers in Eastern Switzerland
The Challengers are heading east next weekend. The NLA-Team will play in Wil on Saturday, and the women’s softball team will play in Wittenbach on Sunday.
The NLA-Team will be making only its second appearance of the season on Saturday. The Challengers will also have to move their second home game due to construction works at their home ballpark, Heerenschürli. The home games against the Wil Pirates will therefore be played at the Lindenhof in Wil. The games start at 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m.
The Softball-Team will also travel to the canton of St. Gallen on Sunday. The Challengers will face the Panthers in Wittenbach, which has also been the championship final three times in the last four years. First pitch will be at 11:00 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. in Wittenbach Sonnenrain.
The U15-Cadets will host the Therwil Flyers and the Geneva Dragons in Hünenberg on Saturday. This means that the Challengers, who are placed in the East Group, will face the two strongest teams from the West Group. The games will take place at 10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. in Hünenberg Rony.
The U12-Juveniles team will also be in action on Sunday. The Challengers will face the Rümlang Kobras in a derby in Rümlang. The games will take place at 11:00 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. in Rümlang Rümelbach.
Cadets offense powerless
It almost seemed as if the U15-Cadets had left their bats at home on Saturday. In their losses in Wil against the Rümlang Kobras and the SG Pirates, they ended the day with just four hits and a total of 23 strikeouts.
In the opening game against their cantonal rivals, the Rümlang Kobras, the Challengers’ offense was not at its level. The C’s recorded a total of just three baserunners. That wasn’t something that would give them a chance of winning. At least they were able to keep the score open at the beginning. After a run for the Kobras in the first inning and two more following a costly error by the C’s in the second, the Zurich Unterland team created the decisive difference with five runs in the third inning, making the score 8-0. In the end, the Kobras won decisively 12-0.
In the second game against the hosts, the defense didn’t hold up at the beginning. The SG Pirates opened the game with four runs. The Challengers did manage to score their first run of the day thanks to doubles from Tyler Smith and Fabrizio Bucher. After three innings, however, the Eastern Swiss team already held a decisive 11-2 lead. Fabrice Cadalbert scored runs two and three in the third and fifth innings, but this did nothing to change the 3-13 defeat.