The Challengers and the Zurich Barracudas Academy faced off on Sunday in a decisive doubleheader for fourth place in the standings. After a blowout in Game 1, which the Barracudas won early 22-2, the Challengers rallied to win 12-11 with seven runs in the sixth inning in Game 2.
The Challengers’ opening game was not going well at all. They lacked many of the things they had done so well in recent games. In particular, the pitchers had immense trouble finding the strike zone, so the 18 walks issued largely explain the final score of 2-22. Jasper Freigang and Patrick Zöllig each had two hits for the Challengers.
Game 2 also looked like a loss for the Challengers for a long time. The Academy was already leading 11-5 in the sixth inning before the home team pulled off a miracle. With four hits, two walks with the bases loaded, and aggressive baserunning, the Challengers turned the game around and took a 12-11 lead. The Barracudas had one more inning to tie the game, but pitcher Jack Siemers threw two strikeouts before catcher Fabrizio Bucher caught stealing the opposing baserunner, ending the game.
With this last-minute win, the Challengers temporarily moved into the fourth place and overtook the Lausanne Indians, who lost both games against the Zurich Lions. However, the Lausanne team will face the last placed Therwil Flyers in a week and have a chance to knock the Challengers out of the top four.
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NLB-Team saves a Win
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.
Tough Losses for the NLB-Team
Poor payoff for the NLB-team on Sunday. In the small Zurich derby against the Zurich Lions the Challengers suffered two unnecessary losses. They could have won in both games.
The subjunctive is rarely a good advisor in sports. However, the Challengers lacked solid arguments on Sunday at the new Heerenschürli ballpark. They dominated Game 1 against the Zurich Lions with 12-7 hits, committed fewer errors, were more efficient with runners in scoring position, led 8-4 at one point, and lost the game 9-13.
So Jordi Bucher’s three hits remained a pattern of no value. Florin Kämpfer and Thomas Landis each had two hits, Jasper Freigang collected three RBI, and Noam Blickenstorfer added another two.
After Game 2 there were only long faces on the Challengers side. Again they controlled the game, leading 8-1 and still trailing 9-5 going into the final half inning, they were one strike away from victory at 9-7, and once again lost 9-10. Noam Blickenstorfer shone with three hits and three RBI, while Florin Kämpfer and Fabrizio Bucher had two hits apiece.
While the Lions took the lead with their two wins, the Challengers now are in a tie for fourth place with the Zurich Barracudas Academy. They will also be their next opponent next Sunday in a head-to-head matchup for a playoff spot.
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.
Split for the NLB-Team against the Unicorns
The NLB-Team faced the Hünenberg Unicorns, who are ahead of the Challengers in the standings, on Sunday. The Zurich team secured a split in the Zugerland after a coup in Game 1.
The Unicorns opened the scoring with an early run following an error by the Challengers, but the C’s struck back impressively in the second inning. Ben Dickow tied the game with an RBI single, and Mike Siemers scored on a wild pitch to give them a 2-1 lead. Pete Nelson extended the lead with a 2-run double, Jordi Bucher with an RBI double, Bastian Kämpfer with an RBI single and Noam Blickenstorfer with a 2-run single to make it 8-1. In the third inning, Jasper Freigang added runs with an RBI single and Fabrizio Bucher with a 2-run single, before Pete Nelson provided the highlight in the fourth inning with a 2-run home run. Although the Unicorns rallied a bit toward the end of the game, the Challengers still clinched the victory 14-10.
Pete Nelson led the way offensively with three hits, four RBI, and three runs scored, while Jordi Bucher, Bastian Kämpfer, and Ben Dickow each had two hits.
In the second game however, the young team lacked the energy to repeat their performance from Game 1. On the one hand they were unable to find the recipe against the strong pitcher Ari Lonstein, allowing only two hits, on the other hand, their defense collapsed with no fewer than ten errors, making a decisive 13-0 victory for the Unicorns the logical result. With the split however, the Challengers remain in fourth place in the standings with a 5-3 record, which would qualify them for the playoffs.
Home Opener on Sunday
For the first time this season the NLA-Team will be playing at their home field Heerenschürli on Sunday. After the completion of the impressive new back stop, play resumed at the end of May. For their home debut, the Challengers will host the Zurich Barracudas’ second team. Games will be held at 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m.
The NLB-Team will also be in action on Sunday. The Challengers will face the Unicorns in Hünenberg, Canton Zug. The two neighboring teams in the standings will play at 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. The Unicorns have won six of their eight games so far, while the Challengers have a 4-2 record.
The U12-Juveniles will be playing on Saturday. The Challengers will host the Lucerne Eagles in the top match of the Eastern Group. Both teams have only one loss to their name. Games start at 11:00 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.
NLB-Team sweeps Mustangs
For one last time before the completion of the new backstop at the Heerenschürli ballpark, the Challengers had to play a home game on the road on Saturday. This game against the Embrach Mustangs took place on the opponent’s field. With two wins the Zurich team improved to fourth place.
The Challengers got off to a strong start. RBI singles from Regis Reinhard and Noam Blickenstorfer, a wild pitch and an RBI single from Ben Dickow secured an early 4-0 lead. Starting pitcher Regis Reinhard strung together four shutout innings before the Mustangs scored three runs. But the Challengers’ response was impressive. After RBI singles from Fabrizio Bucher and Noam Blickenstorfer, the Zurich team increased their lead to 10-3 later in the inning and took the first game 11-4.
Fabrizio Bucher had three hits, Ben Dickow had two hits and three RBIs, Jordi Bucher, Regis Reinhard and Noam Blickenstorfer each had two hits, while Bastian Kämpfer contributed four walks.
The second game of the day was hard-fought. The lead changed hands several times. But the Challengers once again had the better of it. In the fifth inning, Adderly Sarmiento brought home Jack Siemers with an RBI single to make it 11-10, after which pitchers Tate Stone-Frisina and Dalton Griswold closed the doors and prevented the Mustangs from scoring any more runs. Stone-Frisina pitched a rare immaculate inning. He needed a minimum of nine pitches for three strikeouts in the sixth inning against three opposing batters. This has happened 118 times in Major League Baseball in 150 years.
Dalton Griswold and Ben Dickow each had two hits, while Adderly Sarmiento, Fabrizio Bucher, and Bastian Kämpfer each had two RBI. With the two wins, the Challengers climb to fourth place in the league standings with four wins and two losses.
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.
No Happy End for NLB-Team
The NLB-Team traveled to Lausanne on Sunday. For the first time with Tate Stone-Frisina as their new manager. However the Challengers came up empty in western Switzerland.
The Challengers got off to a perfect start under their new coach. All four of their first four batters scored. Dalton Griswold, with a two-run single, and Fabrizio Bucher, with an RBI single, contributed to the 4-0 lead. But the hosts also got off to a strong start offensively. After two innings the Indians were already ahead 5-4 before they went on a tear. In the fourth inning they pulled ahead 13-4. The final score was 16-5.
The second game of the day was much closer. But after a roller coaster end the Indians once again emerged victorious. Lausanne took a 3-0 lead in the third. In the fourth inning Kazuki Sato brought Jasper Freigang home with an RBI groundout and put the Challengers in the game. And the C’s even tied the game in the sixth inning. After an RBI single by Regis Reinhard, Samuel Rodriguez Bautista made it 3-3 with an RBI double. But the home team countered with two runs of their own. This left the Challengers with their backs against the wall going into the final inning. Noam Blickenstorfer, Jordi Bucher and Dalton Griswold immediately created a bases loaded situation with no outs. And the turned things around. After a wild pitch and a 2-run single by Regis Reinhard, the visitors were suddenly ahead 6-5. But the Indians had the final word. After a leadoff single and two stolen bases by Arnaud Droxler, Maxime Fayol tied the game before the latter scored on a bunt single by Yves Rhys to secure a walk-off win for the Indians.
NLB-Team travels to Lausanne
The NLB-Team will play its second gameday of the season next Sunday in Lausanne. After their two victories on Opening Day against the Therwil Flyers, the Challengers will look to carry the momentum. The Lausanne Indians celebrated a walk-off win against the Hünenberg Unicorns in their season opener, but lost the second game despite a 6-1 lead. The games begin at 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. at the Terrain de Chavannes.
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