The U15 Cadets split with the Kobras in the reprise of last year’s U15 final in Rümlang. While game 1 was clearly in favor of the Challengers, game 2 just as clearly went to the Zurich Unterländer.
The mission of defending the title is a lot more difficult to achieve in the junior classes than with the adults. And there, too, this is quite difficult. What makes things even more difficult for the juniors is that some team members will no longer be available in the new season due to their age. However there are still a few champions in the Challengers’ lineup. For example Jasper Freigang and Ben Dickow, who pitched a two-hitter with seven strikeouts in the season opener and paved the way for the first win of the season. The offense contributed twelve hits and eight runs to the comfortable 8-0 start. Jasper Freigang and Fabrizio Bucher delivered three hits each, while Noam Müller, Ben Dickow and newcomer Tyler Smith each had two hits.
As in last year’s final, game 2 went in the opposite direction. The first three Challengers pitchers couldn’t find the strike zone at all, so the Kobras went out of the second inning with ten runs on the board. This proved to be a big enough lead because the Challengers didn’t do much on offense either, so game two went to the home team with a score of 10-2.

The U15 Cadets win on their last game day of the preliminary round against the SG Black Hawks and the Rümlang Kobras. They secured first place in the east group and will meet the runners-up in the west group in the semi-finals. Who this will be is still open.
The Challengers played the game against the SG Black Hawks confidently this time. This was different from previous encounters this season, but on Saturday the Challengers pulled away 15-0 in the fastest way possible and finally won 22-6. Noam Müller and Fabrizio Bucher each had three hits, Jasper Freigang collected four RBI with a 3-run home run and Ben Dickow with a 2-run home run, and Jimmy Siemers contributed three RBI each to the success.
1st place was decided in the last game between the defending champions Rümlang Kobras and last year’s finalists Challengers. It was already clear that the winner ends the preliminary round in first place. At first it looked like the home team was on the way to achieve the goal. Solana Lutz put her colors up 3-0 with a 2-run double in the third inning. But then the Challengers stamped in. RBI doubles from Noam Müller and Fabrizio Bucher closed the gap for the Challengers to 2-3, and after a wild pitch and an error by the Kobras, the visitors were suddenly 4-3 ahead after three innings. And the Challengers increased the pace again. With an RBI double from Jasper Freigang and an RBI single from Fabrizio Bucher, they pulled away to 6-3 and even went out of the fourth inning with a 9-3 lead. Jasper Freigang pitched a complete game and didn’t let anything burn in the fifth inning either.

The U15-Cadets have no trouble against the Black Hawks and win twice clearly. Three Challengers players hit a home run.
In the first game it quickly was clear which team would be the winner. The Challengers were already leading 8-0 after two innings and they even expanded this to a 13-2 lead by the end. Jasper Freigang with a 2-run home run in the second inning and Jordi Bucher with a 2-run home run in the third provided the offensive highlights, while Fabrizio Bucher delivered three hits.
The afternoon game was almost a copy of the opener. This time the Challengers were leading by a maximum of 10-0 after two innings. Again the Black Hawks only got a few runs at the very end, which didn’t change the Challengers’ easy 16-4 victory. Ilai Blickenstorfer belted a 2-run home run in the fourth inning. He finished the game with two hits and three RBIs, while Noam Müller had two hits and scored three runs. Müller also was credited with the win with three scoreless innings, giving up just one hit and two walks while striking out three.

The U15-Cadets left the field in Wil on Saturday with one win and one loss. While they were in front from the start in Game 1, the lead changed no less than six times in Game 2, with the better ending for the eastern Swiss.
The guests from Zurich got off to a good start, which was rewarded with a 3-0 lead. Things evened out a bit after that, after four innings the Challengers led by 7-3 before they decided the game with eight runs in the fifth inning and ultimately won 15-7. Jasper Freigang had three hits, including two doubles, five RBI and two runs, Noam Müller delivered three hits, three RBI and three runs, and Niilo Benz also had three RBI.
The second game of the day was a back and forth. The lead changed after almost every offense. The Challengers went out of the first inning with a 4-2 lead. They later led 9-7 and after four innings again 13-10. In the fifth frame Wil scored six runs, which the Challengers were no longer able to counter. Despite a hit from Aaron Schütz and a triple from Jordi Bucher, they only managed one run and lost 14-16. Noam Müller and Philip Louis each delivered two hits and scored three runs each for the Challengers.

The U15 Cadets won twice against the Hünenberg Unicorns in Embrach on Saturday. While the first game was a true thriller, game two had only one direction.
In the first game the guests from Central Switzerland got off to a better start. They took a 5-0 lead in the first two innings. The Challengers also clocked in with a little delay and subsequently ensured an exciting course of the game. Philip Louis brought home the first Challengers run in the bottom half of the second inning, scored the second run and turned the game around with a three-run in-the-park home run in the third inning to make it 6-5. Jordi Bucher answered the Unicorns’ equalization in the fourth inning with the go-ahead run and with an RBI double, Fabrizio Bucher brought Noam Müller home to make it 8-6. After that the Unicorns were only able to reduce the lead to 7-8, but couldn’t equalize anymore. Noam Müller got the win, Philip Louis the save.
In the second game the Challengers were in control from the start. After two innings, the scoreboard showed the maximum possible margin of 10-0 according to the rules. In the end the Challengers won 14-2. Philip Louis again led the way with three hits and three runs, while Jasper Freigang and Fabrice Cadalbert each contributed two hits and two RBIs to the win.

The U15-Cadets wanted to find their way back on the winning track after the two defeats on the last gameday. They managed to do so on Saturday in Embrach, even if the games went very differently than expected.
The Challengers had extreme difficulties against the SG Blackhawks, who have not yet won a game this season. But the Blackhawks played their best game of the season offensively, bringing the Challengers to the brink of a defeat. The C’s just got their heads out of the noose with a walk-off win in the bottom of the fifth inning and celebrated a nerve-wracking 14-13 victory.
In the second game of the day there was revenge against the Hünenberg Unicorns, against whom the Challengers pitched a no-hitter but still lost the game 1-2. However anyone who had expected another tough struggle was completely wrong. The Challengers dominated in all aspects of the game and won easily with 17-1.