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.
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Breakthrough for the Second Team
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)
Challengers overrun in series opener
The NLB-Team got off to a lousy start in the playoff quarterfinal series against the Zurich Barracudas’ second team. The visitors clinched the game with twelve runs in the first inning. Ultimately, Game 1 of the best-of-three series went to the Barracudas 21-5.
Whatever coach Tate Stone-Frisina had taught his players, it was lost after the first half inning. The Barracudas hit virtually every pitch that came their way, placing the balls between the Challengers’ defensemen. They turned eight hits into twelve runs and decided the game before it had even really begun. The Challengers recovered from this shock and played well afterwards, but the spice of an exciting game was completely lacking. For the Challengers Florin Kämpfer had three hits and two RBIs, Fabrizio Bucher had two hits and one RBI and Bastian Kämpfer delivered two hits and scored two runs. The series continues next Sunday at the Heerenschürli ballpark.
NLB Playoff Quarterfinal, best-of-three: Zurich Challengers II vs. Zurich Barracudas II, score 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)
Playoffs kick off in the NLB
The NLB playoffs also begin next weekend with the first games of the quarterfinals. The Challengers’ second team will face the Zurich Barracudas’ second team in their best-of-three series. Game 1 will take place on Sunday, August 17th, at noon at the Heerenschürli ballpark.
The Barracudas competed in the expanded NLA this season, but failed to advance to the intermediate round. However, according to the new format used for the first time this season, they can now compete for the NLB championship title. It will be interesting to see what the Challengers have to offer.
NLB Playoff Quarterfinal, best-of-three: Zurich Challengers II vs. Zurich Barracudas II, score 0-0
Game 1, Sunday, August 17, 12:00 PM, Heerenschürli: Zurich Barracudas II vs. Zurich Challengers II
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)
The Softball-Team will play its final two preliminary round games of the softball championship on Sunday in Bern. It’s already certain that the Zurich team will finish the preliminary round in third place, which means they’ll once again face their local rivals, the Zurich Barracudas, in the semifinals. The Challengers will look to boost their confidence with a strong performance against the Bern Cardinals. Games begin at 11:00 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. at Bern Allmend.
A Derby Win for the Challengers, finally
In their second night game in two days against the Zurich Barracudas Academy, the Challengers retained the upper hand this time. After an early 11-2 lead, they struggled but eventually celebrated a 12-10 victory.
Tuesday’s night game didn’t quite match the quality of the game the night before. But at least, after an initially one-sided game, it was exciting again. The Challengers were determined to respond to the narrow loss from Monday night and were in excellent form from the start. Aided by two errors from the Barracudas defense, the Challengers hammered ten runs in the second inning on seven hits and three walks. Kazuki Sato’s RBI single, Pete Nelson’s base-clearing double and Ilai Blickenstorfer’s two-run single provided the comforting lead. After the first storm had passed over the Academy, the home team also clocked in. With four runs in the bottom half of the second inning and two runs in the fourth, making the score 8-11, they came within striking distance again. While the Challengers offense failed to capitalize on opportunities to increase their lead, the defense was virtually flawless, with pitchers Florin Kämpfer, Shaen Bernhardt, and closer Ilai Blickenstorfer giving up only four hits and recording twelve strikeouts, ultimately securing the win.
Bastian Kämpfer shone with three hits, including two doubles, Jordi Bucher delivered three hits, Ilai Blickenstorfer had two hits and two RBI, Pete Nelson collected three RBI and Mike Siemers added two RBI. Bernhardt took the win with 2.2 innings pitched, in which he gave up just one hit, two runs and three walks with two strikeouts, while Blickenstorfer, in his last game of the season before his exchange semester in the USA, put an exclamation mark behind the derby with three strikeouts in a row and his first save of the season.