Posts in the Juveniles category:

Exploit in the Little League

Serge KünzlerLeave a comment

This week the Swiss Little League team is taking part in the “Europe-Africa Region Tournament” in Kutno, Poland. Switzerland will play in Pool C against Spain, the Netherlands, Great Britain and Ukraine. The first two teams in each preliminary round group will reach the quarterfinals.
The Swiss started the tournament against Spain on Sunday. However the spaniards proved to be too strong, they won clearly 9-1. On Monday Switzerland played against the clearly favored Dutch. And the Swiss pulled off a real exploit. They sensationally defeated the Dutch 4-2. Pitcher Len Blickenstorfer, a Challengers junior, was at the forefront. He gave up just two runs and three hits in six innings and struck out seven, which earned him the win in this historic victory.
Lack of luck in the last two games against Great Britain and the Ukraine. The Swiss team was at the same level as their opponents, still they lost 3-4 to the British and were edged by the Ukraine 4-5.
Schedule LLB Europe-Africa Region Tournament in Kutno (POL):

Sunday, July 14: Spain vs. Switzerland 9-1
Monday, July 15: Switzerland vs. Netherlands 4-2
Tuesday, July 16: Switzerland vs. Great Britain 3-4
Thursday, July 18: Switzerland vs. Ukraine 4-5

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Juveniles finish in first place

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The U12-Juveniles played a doubleheader against the SG Eagles/Unicorns in Lucerne to end the preliminary round. After a clear 20-3 win in the first game of the day, the second game was much closer. Ultimately the Challengers narrowly won 10-7 and finished the preliminary round in first place.
The Final Four tournament will take place after the summer holidays on August 31st. The venue is not yet known, but the semi-final opponent is. It will once again be a traditional duel with the Therwil Flyers, who finished second in the very strong West group.

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1st League Nightgame on Saturday

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On Saturday night there will be a night game between the first league teams of the Zürich Challengers and the Zurich Eighters at the Heerenschürli ballpark. The two city rivals are facing each other for the second time this season. The game starts at 6 p.m.
The other Challengers teams that will be in action next weekend will have to play away games. The NLA-Team has to travel to Therwil on Sunday for the reprise of last year’s final. The doubleheader starts at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. on the Therwiler Känelmatt.
The Softball-Team has the shortest journey. The Challengers women meet the Zurich Barracudas in Rümlang. The games in Rümlang Rümelbach start on Sunday at 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. The two teams will meet again on Tuesday night at 7 p.m. at the Klopstockwiese in Zurich to complete the season series.
The U12 Juveniles will play against the SG Luzern Eagles/Hünenberg Unicorns on Sunday as well. The games take place at 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. on the Hinterruopigen in Reussbühl.

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Two wins at the Klopstockwiese for the Juveniles

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The U12-Juveniles can defend their lead in the standings. They win both of their home games on Sunday at the Klopstockwiese.
The first game against the SG Mustangs/Lions/Vikings the Challengers finished with an 8-4 win. However the game between the first-placed and the last-placed team in the East group was not as clear as could have been expected on paper, but the pitchers Alexander Maron and Roy Gonzalez secured the win for the home team. In the second game of the day the Challengers met the SG Eagles/Unicorns. The guests had previously lost their game against the SG Mustangs/Lions/Vikings 8-11, which meant the latter’s first win of the season. Accordingly the Central Swiss team had something to make up for. However, the home team prevailed with 7-4 and remains in first place with eight wins and just one loss.

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Swiss Cup Weekend and Juveniles home game

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Next weekend there will be another round of the newly designed Swiss Cup. The Challengers NLA-Team will meet the NLB-Team of the Lucerne Eagles on Saturday in Lucerne. The game starts at 10 a.m. on the Hinterruopigen in Reussbühl. Meanwhile, the Challengers NLB-Team will host the Wil Pirates NLA-Team at the Heerenschürli ballpark on Sunday at 2 p.m.
The Challengers’ 1st League-Team will travel to Wil on Sunday. In the Lindenhof Stadium, the C’s will first meet the Wittenbach Pirates at 12.30 p.m. before the game against the SG Wil Pirates/Zürich Lions at 3 p.m.
Both junior teams will also be in action at the weekend. The U15-Cadets will play a doubleheader against the SG Hünenberg Unicorns/Luzern Eagles at Hünenberg Rony on Saturday. First pitches are at 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.
The U12-Juveniles are having scheduled another home appearance. They play on Sunday on the Klopstockwiese at 10 a.m. against the SG Mustangs/Lions and at 3 p.m. also against the SG Unicorns/Eagles.

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Juveniles stay in first place

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The U12 juveniles were able to consolidate their lead in the standings with two wins on Sunday at the Klopstockwiese. In the first game of the day the Challengers, led by pitchers Alexander Maron, Xavier Mc Reynolds and Roy Gonzalez, beat the Rümlang Kobras 16-9.
In the second game, the Challengers met the SG Mustangs/Lions/Vikings. They had previously given the Rümlang Kobras a close fight, but were narrowly defeated by the Kobras 2-3. In the afternoon game, the SG was a little out of steam, so the Challengers won safely 13-3 with good pitching from Len Blickenstorfer and Florian Gränz. With six wins from seven games the Challengers remain at the top of the standings.

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Local derby on Saturday night

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On Saturday night the fifth and final local derby of the preliminary round between the Zurich Challengers and the Zurich Barracudas will take place at the Heerenschürli ballpark. The Challengers urgently need a win to reduce the gap to the first two places in the standings, which entitle them to advance to the final. First pitch will be thrown at 6 p.m.
The NLB-Team plays a doubleheader against the Lucerne Eagles on Sunday. A difficult task awaits the Challengers at the foot of Mount Pilatus, as the Central Swiss team is heavily staffed by several former NLA players. The game on the Hinterruopigen in Reussbühl starts at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m.
The U15-Cadets will face the prestigious duel with the Rümlang Kobras on Saturday. The reprise of the finals of the last two years in this age group will take place at 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. in Embrach PZ Hard. The first duel of the season on opening day ended in a split.
There is another home game for the U12-Juveniles on Sunday at Zurich’s Klopstockwiese. The Challengers will meet the Rümlang Kobras at 10 a.m. and the SG Mustangs/Lions at 3 p.m.

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Softball home game on Sunday

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The Softball-Team welcomes the Sissach Frogs on the Klopstockwiese on Sunday. The Baselbieters are in their third season since the team was founded and are noticeably improving from year to year. But the Challengers are trying to keep pace with the top duo Zurich Barracudas and Wittenbach Panthers with two wins. The game starts at 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.
For the 1st League-Team the journey goes east. The third team of the Challengers organization will meet the hosts Wittenbach Pirates at the Sonnenrain in Wittenbach at 10 a.m. before they will face the Zurich Eighters again at 12:30 p.m.
The U12-Juveniles also travel to the canton of St. Gallen. The youngest Challengers face the Wil Devils in the Wiler Lindenhof. The games start at 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.

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Juniors play in Embrach

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While the fanion team will be in action at the Federation Cup in Varazdin, Croatia next week, there are four games scheduled for the Challengers Juniors on home soil in Embrach this weekend.
On Saturday the U15 Cadets welcome the SG Pirates in PZ Hard. The games start at 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.. On Sunday the U12-Juveniles of the Challengers will play in Embrach as well, where they will meet the SG Mustangs/Lions. The games also start at 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m..

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