On Sunday, the second teams of the Therwil Flyers and the Challengers faced off at Zurich’s Heerenschürli ballpark. While the home team won decisively in Game 1, they put their fans on the edge of their seats in the afternoon game, culminating in an extra-inning walk-off victory.
In the opening game, the Challengers secured the win with six runs in the fourth inning and, with a strong performance from starting pitcher Jasper Freigang, clinched a comfortable 9-1 victory. Freigang allowed only two hits and four walks in seven shutout innings, striking out seven. He also excelled offensively with three hits, two RBIs, and two runs, while Fabrizio Bucher and Mike Siemers each contributed two hits, and Shaen Bernhardt added two RBIs.
The afternoon game started in a completely different fashion. This time the Flyers came out strong, pulling ahead 8-0 in the first three innings. Although the Challengers managed to stop the bleeding, they were still down by five runs heading into the final inning. But with their backs against the wall, they found a way out. From three hits and three walks, the C’s scored five runs to force extra innings. There, it was the Basel team again who took the lead with a run, but the Challengers responded with a bunt single by Mike Siemers before capitalizing on an error by the visitors to tie the game. Noam Blickenstorfer then drew a walk with the bases loaded for the walk-off win.
A crucial factor in the victory was relief pitcher Ari Lonstein, who, in his return for the Challengers, allowed only one unearned run, four hits, and two walks in five innings, striking out 13. Meanwhile Fabrizio Bucher and Leonel Hernandez Reyes each recorded two hits, while Jasper Freigang and Noam Blickenstorfer each contributed two RBIs.
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Second Team wins Nailbiter for the Sweep
Challengers 2 vs Flyers 2 on Sunday
Ten days after the Challengers and Flyers’ first teams faced off, the second teams of these two long-established clubs will meet this coming Sunday at the Heerenschürli ballpark. The Challengers will be looking to continue their positive streak against the Flyers, who are still without a victory. First pitch is at 11:00 AM and 2:00 PM.
Continue Reading » Challengers 2 vs Flyers 2 on SundayPremiere for Prospect League
The Prospect League, newly founded by the Swiss Baseball and Softball Federation, celebrated its premiere on Saturday. The Challengers’ games were promising.
The Prospect League for players under 21 years of age was launched this season. Its aim is twofold. To give young players more playing time and to foster a love of the game through competition among their peers. The Challengers are participating in this Prospect League as part of a joint team with the Hünenberg Unicorns and the Lucerne Eagles. The joint team celebrated its premiere in Therwil with games against the Zurich Barracudas and the Therwil Flyers.
And it started with a high-caliber duel against the Barracudas. The Challengers opened the game with three consecutive hits by Jason Wüger, Bastian Kämpfer, and Fabrizio Bucher, resulting in the first run. From then on, it was a tight game. The Barracudas evened the score in the third inning and capitalized on two defensive errors by the SG in the fourth to take a 3-1 lead. However, this lead didn’t last long. A two-run double by Bastian Kämpfer tied the game in the fifth, and Fabrizio Bucher followed up with an RBI single to make it 4-3. That’s how it ended. Pitcher Jason Wüger allowed only six hits and three runs – one earned – and three walks in the six innings for the win, striking out eight.
The second game against the host team from Therwil started off differently. Drew Creeden put his team on the board with a three-run home run. He later added a two-run triple and a two-run double, racking up seven RBIs for a 9-0 lead. Then the offense of the Zurich-Central Swiss team finally came alive as well. Fabrizio Bucher and Bastian Kämpfer initially cut the deficit to 3-9, before Jonathan Rüggerberg, Jimmy Siemers, Jonathan Egger, and Jason Wüger narrowed the gap to 7-9 with their runs in the fourth inning. However, the Flyers had the final say, ultimately winning 12-7.
Breakthrough for the Second Team
The Challengers’ second team achieved a breakthrough playing its third game day of the 2026 season. The Zurich team swept the Sissach Frogs, securing its first victories of the season. Jasper Freigang threw a no-hitter in Game 1.
The Zurich team had a difficult start to the season. However, they delivered a fantastic performance against the Sissach Frogs. Jasper Freigang shone with a five-inning no-hitter, during which he recorded nine strikeouts with four walks. Meanwhile, the offense also delivered, consistently converting the home team’s numerous errors into runs, resulting in a clear 19-0 victory. Jason Wüger led the Challengers’ offense with three hits, five RBIs, and three runs. Jasper Freigang contributed two hits, four RBIs, and three runs, Fabrizio Bucher added two hits, three RBIs, and three runs, and Shaen Bernhardt scored two hits, two RBIs, and two runs.
In Game 2 the visitors quickly established a clear lead as well, going up 7-0 after just two innings. The Challengers maintained their advantage and secured the sweep with a 10-1 win. Jasper Freigang recorded two hits with three RBIs, Jordi Bucher had two hits and two RBIs, while Jason Wüger allowed only four hits and one run in seven innings, striking out ten and walking two.
Black Sunday for the Challengers
Both Challengers baseball teams were in action on Sunday. However, it turned out to be a Black Sunday. After a good start for both teams, they suffered four losses in four games.
The first team faced the Mustangs in Embrach. The Challengers got off to a scripted start. They scored four runs with four hits in the first inning and added three more in the second. In retrospect, this 7-1 lead was the last highlight for the visitors. From then on the game was one-sided, with the Mustangs in the driver’s seat. They turned the game around by the fifth inning, taking a 10-7 lead and held on for the win. The Challengers’ final push ended with a strikeout, with runners on third and second base with the score of 11-12. Carlos Nepomuceno led the offense with three hits and three RBIs, while Leonel Hernandez contributed two hits and three RBIs.
In the second game of the day, there was no doubt about the outcome from the very beginning. The home team scored five runs in the first inning, led 11-2 after three innings, and ultimately won 15-5. Leonel Hernandez was responsible for three of the Challengers’ only seven hits.
The second team had a similar experience, although they started the gameday as underdogs against the strong Lucerne Eagles. Things looked promising at the start in Zurich’s Heerenschürli ballpark. Thanks to a two-run double by Bastian Kämpfer and an RBI double by Patrick Zöllig, the Challengers led 5-3 after two innings. However, the game turned in favor of the Central Swiss team in the fourth and fifth innings, with the Eagles walking away with a 16-5 victory. In the second game, nothing went right for the Zurich team. In the second inning alone the visitors sent 24 batters to the plate. After four innings, the Challengers have been put out of their misery with the score of 6-33.
The Challengers’ start into the 2026 season has been a rather difficult one. With only one win in four games for their first team and four losses for their second team, the Challengers find themselves in a very difficult position early in the season.
Baseball Sunday
On Sunday, the two National League baseball teams will play their second game day of the season. The first team will play away against the Embrach Mustangs, while the NLB team will host the Lucerne Eagles at the Heerenschürli ballpark in Zurich-Schwamendingen.
After splitting their opening games against the Zurich Barracudas Academy, the NLA-Team will face the Embrach Mustangs on Sunday. The Mustangs suffered two losses against the Therwil Flyers on Opening Day last week. The games will take place at 11:00 AM and 2:00 PM at PZ Hard in Embrach.
Meanwhile, the Challengers’ second team will host the Lucerne Eagles at their home field, Heerenschürli. After two losses in Lausanne at the start of the season, the Zurich team will be looking to secure its first win. It will be the first game of 2026 for the Central Swiss team. The games begin at 11:00 AM and 2:00 PM.
Second Team topped by Indians
On Sunday the new season also started for the Challengers’ second team. In the National League Group A the Zurich team suffered two clear defeats on the road against the Lausanne Indians.
The Lausanne team was more dangerous offensively and consistently pressured the visitors with heavy base traffic. The Challengers managed only one clean inning, trailing 1-6 after two innings and ultimately losing the opening game 4-15. Jordi Bucher was the only Zurich player with two hits and scored three of the Challengers’ four runs.
In the second game, the Challengers again got off to a poor start. They were already down by seven runs after the first inning. The visitors recovered somewhat and were able to keep pace with the Indians for the remainder of the game. However, the damage was done and the Challengers had to concede defeat in game two as well, losing 7-17. Joseph Stotz shone with two doubles, while Patrick Zöllig and Tyler Smith each had two hits.
Opening Day
The 2026 baseball and softball season kicks off on the weekend of April 11th and 12th. The Challengers are playing in full strenght.
The first team will host the Zurich Barracudas Academy at the Heerenschürli ballpark on Saturday for the season opener of the newly formed National League. Games start at 11:00 AM and 2:00 PM.
Meanwhile, the second team travels to Lausanne on Sunday, where the Challengers will face the Lausanne Indians at 11:00 AM and 2:00 PM.
Also on Sunday, the women’s softball team begins its new season. The Challengers will play the SG Therwil Flyers/Wittenbach Panthers at 11:00 AM and 1:30 PM in Therwil Känelmatt.
Even the youngest players will be in action on Sunday. The U12 Juveniles will host the Therwil Flyers at 11:00 AM and 1:30 PM at Klopstockwiese.
NLB-Team eliminated
The Challengers also decisively lost Game 2 of the best-of-three playoff quarterfinal series against the Zurich Barracudas’ second team. This brought the Challengers’ season to an end.
After the Challengers’ second team won three of their four games in the second round, they were unable to wpost a win in the playoffs against their local rivals. Just as in the series opener a week ago, Game 2 was also decided early. Although the visitors scored the first run with an RBI single from Bastian Kämpfer, and the Barracudas were unable to add twelve runs again in the first inning, the Challengers’ defense committed three errors in the first frame, resulting in four unearned runs and an early 1-5 deficit. The home team clearly had no intention of playing a deciding game 3. The Barracudas kept their foot on the gas and sealed the Challengers’ season with another five runs in the third inning, making the score 14-2.
The Challengers did a bit of cosmetic work at the end. Jasper Freigang hit an RBI double and Florin Kämpfer a 2-run single, before Daniel Smith and Noam Blickenstorfer scored on an error by the Barracudas defense, and Jasper Freigang scored his team’s final run of the 2025 season on a wild pitch. The final score was 18-8.
NLB Playoff Quarterfinal, best-of-three: Zurich Challengers II vs. Zurich Barracudas II, 0-2
Game 1, Sunday, August 17: Zurich Barracudas II vs. Zurich Challengers II 21-5
Game 2, Sunday, August 24: Zurich Challengers II vs. Zurich Barracudas II 8-18
NLB-Team with their backs against the wall
After the NLB-Team decisively lost Game 1 of the best-of-three quarterfinal series against the Zurich Barracudas’ second team last weekend, they find themselves with their backs against the wall on Sunday at the Heerenschürli ballpark.
To turn the series around and extend their season, they need two wins against their local rivals. To achieve this, they need a significant improvement in performance and, above all, a better start into the game. From a mental perspective, the starting position is simple. The Challengers have nothing left to lose.
NLB Playoff Quarterfinal, best-of-three: Zurich Challengers II vs. Zurich Barracudas II, 0-1
Game 1, Sunday, August 17: Zurich Barracudas II vs. Zurich Challengers II 21-5
Game 2, Sunday, August 24, 11:00 AM, Heerenschürli: Zurich Challengers II vs. Zurich Barracudas II
Game 3, Sunday, August 24, 2:00 PM, Heerenschürli: Zurich Challengers II vs. Zurich Barracudas II (if necessary)