Challengers lose Opener

After a turbulent journey including a car breakdown, the Challengers faced the home team of Apollo Bratislava at the Federations Cup in Bratislava on Monday. The Zurich team fell behind in the first inning 0-3 and couldn’t catch up until the end. Hayden Jung-Goldberg brought the hope back for his colors in the sixth inning with a 2-run double, but they couldn’t get closer than two runs. Although the C’s had an advantage over the home team with 9-7 hits, in the end they lost 3-7. Strong performance by leadoff batter James Sanders, who delivered four hits. Leonel Sosa Marte had two hits and scored two runs. The next opponents on Tuesday at 1.30 p.m. are the Deurne Spartans from Belgium.
All the games from Bratislava will be streamed live on the WBSC Europe YouTube Channel.
Schedule:

 
Monday, June 19, 5 p.m.: Zurich Challengers va. Apollo Bratislava 3-7
 
Tuesday, June 20, 1.30 p.m.: Deurne Spartans vs. Zurich Challengers
 
Wednesday, June 21, 1.30 p.m.: CNTU-OSDYSSOR-Gorn vs. Zurich Challengers
 
Thursday, June 22, 10 a.m.: Zurich Challengers va. Dornbirn Indians
 
Friday, June 23, 10 a.m.: Rättvik BSK vs. Zurich Challengers
 
Saturday, June 24, 11 a.m.: Final

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Challengers at the Federation Cup in Bratislava

The Challengers are taking part in the Federations Cup in Bratislava this week. The tournament starts on Monday June 19th and ends on Saturday June 24th. Opponents of the Challengers are CNTU-OSDYSSOR-Gorn from Ukraine, Deurne Spartans from Belgium, Dornbirn Indians from Austria, Rättvik BSK from Sweden and host Apollo Bratislava from Slovakia.
The Challengers will play the evening game against the home team from Bratislava on Monday after the official opening ceremony. All the games will be streamed live on the WBSC Europe YouTube Channel.
Schedule:

Monday, June 19, 5 p.m.: Zurich Challengers va. Apollo Bratislava
Tuesday, June 20, 1.30 p.m.: Deurne Spartans vs. Zurich Challengers
Wednesday, June 21, 1.30 p.m.: CNTU-OSDYSSOR-Gorn vs. Zurich Challengers
Thursday, June 22, 10 a.m.: Zurich Challengers va. Dornbirn Indians
Friday, June 23, 10 a.m.: Rättvik BSK vs. Zurich Challengers
Saturday, June 24, 11 a.m.: Final

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Challengers win local derby

The Challengers turn Friday night’s local derby from out of nowhere and win 12-3 against the Zurich Barracudas. So the Challengers travel to the European Federations Cup in Slovakia with a good feeling.
In the first three innings, Livio Bundi’s first-inning solo home run was the only exclamation mark. While the Barracudas added two more runs for a 3-0 lead in the fourth inning, the Challengers managed just one hit in the first half of the game. Seen in this way, the turning point came almost out of nowhere. Patrick Maier opened the sixth inning with a single and launched the big turn. The Zurich team sent no fewer than 16 batters to the plate. Eleven of them scored a run, eight hits, including two doubles by Regis Reinhard and Nick Siemers, mainly made up for it.
With that the game was decided. Even more so while the Challengers pitchers Simon Steffen, who got his third win, and Stefan Haltmeier, who got his third save of the season, pitched very strong.
The Challengers are now packing their baseball bags. They will play from at the European Federation Cup in Bratislava (Slovakia), that will take place from Monday till Saturday next week. A derby victory in your luggage is the best motivation for this.

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Three wins on the same day

The Challengers have seen a lot in their more than 40-year history. But three victories for the NLA-Team in one day should also be a new experience for them.
Because before the scheduled double header against the Wil Pirates could take place, a game that had been interrupted in April due to rain in the bottom half of the last inning with one out had to be played to completion. The Challengers took a 14-10 lead into the short final sprint. Pitcher Marco Limacher made short work of it and made the two outs needed to secure the win as quickly as possible.
And the native of Lucerne stayed in the lead role. With an outstanding seven innings, in which he gave up just five hits and an unearned run with four walks and a strikeout, he made his mark on the first game of the doubleheader. The three runs that his offense had put forward in innings two to four were enough for the Challengers to win the game 4-1. Nationalteam player Hayden Jung-Goldberg scored two hits on his debut for the Challengers.
In the last game of the day, the Challengers picked up their third win with a result of 10-5. With six hits and the support of two errors by the Pirates, the Zurich team scored eight runs in the fourth inning, which ultimately decided the game. Säntis Zeller and again Hayden Jung-Goldberg led the offense with two hits each, while Stefan Haltmeier allowed five hits and two runs in four innings for his first win of the season.

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NLA faces Wil, U12 plays Wild Card Tournament

A curiosity awaits the NLA-Team next Sunday. The Challengers meet the Wil Pirates three times. Before the actually planned double header on the Heerenschürli takes place, the last inning of a game that has been suspended in April due to rain has to be completed. The game was stoped in the bottom of the seventh inning with one out and a 14-10 lead for the Challengers. There are still two outs to play. The trilogy begins at 10.45 a.m. at the Heerenschürli ballpark.
The NLB-Team travels to Lucerne on Saturday, where they will meet the Lucerne Eagles. In the first meeting of the season in Zurich, they suffered two painful defeats against the central Swiss. The games start at 11 am and 2 pm in Reussbühl Hinterruopigen.
The U15-Cadets are also in action on Saturday. After the two defeats last weekend, a reaction is to be expected. After the opening game against the SG Black Hawks, the C’s will play again against the Hünenberg Unicorns. The games will take place in Embrach PZ Hard and start at 10 am and 3 pm.
The Softball-Team also meets the Luzern Eagles on Sunday, June 11th. In the case of the women’s team, the first comparison this season went in favor of the Challengers. The games start at 11 am and 1.30 pm in Reussbühl Hinterruopigen.
The U12-Juveniles are in action on the Klopstockwiese on Sunday. As runners-up in the Central group, they are contesting the wild card tournament for fourth place at the Final Four tournament on June 18 in Hünenberg. The Challengers Juniors play at 10 am and 3 pm.

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Nick Siemers at the MLB European Development Tournament

Challengers homegrown Nick Siemers has been selected by MLB to compete in the prestigious MLB European Development Tournament as part of the 2023 MLB London Series. The 19-year-old Swiss national team player takes part from June 19 till 25 with the best European baseball talents at the London tournament.
Siemers plans to transfer to a US college in the fall to take the next step in his career.

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Another loss for the Challengers

As on Friday the Challengers lost to their cross-town rivals Zurich Barracudas on Saturday. The Challengers are still too patchy, especially on the offensive they are not yet running on all cylinders.
While Friday’s game was tight almost halfway, the Barracudas put up five runs in Saturday’s game in the second inning. It wasn’t until the fifth inning that the Challengers found their way onto the scoreboard. Simon Steffen brought home Nick Siemers with an RBI-single. Hope germinated in the sixth frame. After oldie Thomas Landis came on base with a single and Ryan Byrne with a bunt single, the pressure on the Barracudas defense increased. Indeed, Landis scored on a wild pitch and with the bases loaded, Nick Siemers managed a walk before Carlos Nepomuceno was hit by a pitch, allowing the Challengers to reduce the gap to 4-5.
But instead of the momentum tipping over to the side of the home team, the whole thing turned out to be a flash in the pan. The Barracudas responded immediately with two runs and added three more runs in the ninth inning to finally win again by a solid 10-4.

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Barracudas grab first derby of the season

In the first city derby of the season the Zurich Barracudas clearly prevailed 11-3 on Friday evening. They decide what has been a tight game over five frames with six runs in the sixth inning.
The game was dominated by the defense of both teams for a long time. The score was only 1-1 after five innings. An RBI-single from James Sanders that brought home Carlos Nepomuceno evened the visitors’ early lead in the second inning. But the Barracudas took fire in the sixth inning, which should be decisive. Challengers starter Simon Steffen showed another strong performance and allowed three hits only with one walk and three strikeouts. But in the sixth inning, after two walks and a hit-by-pitch, he was faced with loaded bases. And the Barracudas resolutely took advantage of the opportunity. With four hits and a sac bunt they managed to go ahead 7-1, a deficit the Challengers were unable to recover. Although they were also able to load the bases in the sixth frame, a walk by Säntis Zeller, which brought home Patrick Maier, was the only countable result.
In the end, the Barracudas clearly prevailed 11-3 in a good and exciting game. In contrast to the Challengers, they converted their scoring opportunities far better. The home team stranded no fewer than 15 baserunners while scoring just three runs. Challenger’s coach Thomas Burger made several changes at the end of the game, so that Noam Blickenstorfer and Jack Siemers made their NLA debut. The second game of the two-game series will take place on Saturday evening at 6 p.m. at the Heerenschürli ballpark.

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Nighgames on Friday and Saturday Night

If the sky doesn’t open its floodgates again, two NLA night games between the Zurich Barracudas and the Zurich Challengers will take place on Friday and Saturday evening in the Heerenschürli ballpark. The first two Zurich local derbies of the season take place as a two-game series. In the head-to-head since 1994 the two cross-town rivals are tied with 65-65 wins each. Last season, however, the Challengers won all seven games in the preliminary round and in the playoff semifinals. A series that the Barracudas would surely love to end. On Friday the game will be played at 6.30 p.m., on Saturday the first pitch is at 6 p.m.
On Sunday, May 21st, the Challengers Softball-Team will face the Lucerne Eagles at the Klopstockwiese in Zurich. After two victories in Bern against the Cardinals, the Challengers will try to set the course for the top 4 in a duel with a competitor for the playoff spots. Games begin at 11:00 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.
The 1st League-Team is also in action on Sunday. For the third team of the Challengers it will be a game day in Eastern Switzerland. In Wittenbach, St. Gallen, they first meet the SG Pirates/Lions before they face the SG Romanshorn-Wittenbach/Wil Devils. The Games start at 12:30 p.m. and 3:00 p.m.

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Challengers win twice with mercy-rule

The Challengers celebrate two victories against the Bern Cardinals on Saturday. From the fifth inning of game one the C’s are dominant and win twice with the Mercy Rule.
Leonel Sosa Marte opened the score with an RBI triple in the first inning. Patrick Maier found the right answer to the visitors’ equalizer with an RBI single, Ryan Byrne added a sac fly and James Sanders another RBI single to make it 4-1. Once again, the Cardinals came close with some help from the Challengers defense, but from Marco Limacher’s RBI single in the fifth inning the game went in one direction only. With eight runs in the seventh inning the Challengers selt the deal.
Pitcher Simon Steffen had a strong performance, delivering a complete game and giving up three hits and four runs only – two earned – without a walk, but with eight strikeouts. Ryan Byrne, Nick Siemers and Marco Limacher each had three hits of a total of 16 dekivered by the Challengers.
The Cardinals got two runs in the second game in the first inning, but the hope of taking home a W was over pretty quickly. The Challengers offense picked up where it left off in game one. With seven hits they produced six runs in the bottom of the first and from then on there was never any doubt about the outcome of the game. Again the Challengers won early with 13-3. Nick Siemers had two hits and three RBIs, and Leonel Sosa Marte and Patrik Maier also had two hits.

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