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.
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NLB-Team sweeps Mustangs
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.
Continue Reading » NLB-Team travels to LausanneOffensive fireworks from the NLB-Team
On Sunday the first seniors team from the Challengers organization kicked off the new season. The NLB-Team unleashed an offensive fireworks display against the Therwil Flyers, starting the season with a sweep.
The Challengers won the opener 16-6 and followed up with a 19-6 victory in the second game of the day.
NLB-Team to open in Therwil
The NLB-Team will be the Challengers’ first senior team that will begin to play in 2025. The Challengers’ second team will play their Opening Day game on Sunday, April 13, in Therwil. They will face the Therwil Flyers’ second team at the Känelmatt. Games begin at 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m.
Continue Reading » NLB-Team to open in TherwilHoney Gigato Romero the NLB-Team’s MVP
In the NLB-Team the focus in the 2024 season was on promoting young players on their way to the NLA. But experienced players were also among the team’s pillars, which was also reflected in the individual awards. The title of the MVP went to Honey Gigato Romero. The new signing from the Zurich Eighters achieved a batting average of .458, 11 hits, 7 runs and 6 RBI. The eternal Juan Francisco Robles was named Best Pitcher. Tyson delivered an ERA of 3.68 with 12 strikeouts and a 1-1 record. Florin Kämpfer received the award for Best Batter. He totaled a batting average of .563, 9 hits, 8 runs and 5 RBI. The MIP award was given twice. Jordi Bucher and Jack Siemers share the award.
Continue Reading » Honey Gigato Romero the NLB-Team’s MVPSchedules for Baseball National Leagues published
The Swiss Baseball and Softball Federation has published the schedules for the Baseball NLA and NLB. For the 2025 season seven teams will play in the NLA and NLB each, after the NLA gradually shrank to just four teams in recent years. The mode has also been completely overhauled with this change.
In addition to the four existing teams Therwil Flyers, Wil Pirates, Zurich Barracudas and Zurich Challengers, the Lucerne Eagles, the Sissach Frogs and the second team of the Zurich Barracudas will also be playing in the NLA. In the preliminary round, all teams play a doubleheader against every other team. When each team has played twelve games, the standings will be split. The best four teams play another doubleheader against each other, and the two best teams then play in the playoff final for the Swiss championship title.
The seven teams in the NLB are the Embrach Mustangs, the Hünenberg Unicorns, the Lausanne Indians and the three Zurich city clubs, the Zurich Barracudas with their Academy Team, the Zurich Lions and the Zurich Challengers. The Zurich teams will not play their first home games this season until June. Due to a massive construction delay in the “New Backstop” project at the Heerenschürli ballpark in Zurich-Schwamendingen the facility is closed until the end of May.
The Challengers’ second team will open its season on Sunday, April 13th with a doubleheader against the Therwil Flyers’ second team. The NLA-Team will not play its opening day until after Easter. The Challengers will face the Sissach Frogs on Saturday, April 26 at Sissach Tannbrunn.
NLB-Team swept at the Lake Geneva
The NLB-Team travelled to Lake Geneva for the placement games for the places nine to twelve. However it was a trip under the motto: nothing but expenses. The Challengers had no chance in the two games against the Lausanne Indians. A 1-11 defeat in the first game of the day was followed by a 1-13 in the second game. So the C’s will have to play a doubleheader against the Wil Pirates for places eleven and twelve. However, the latter already forfeited the first placement game against the Therwil Flyers, which is why it is still uncertain whether the games will be played at all.
Continue Reading » NLB-Team swept at the Lake GenevaNLB-Team in Lausanne, 1st League-Team in Bern
The NLB-Team travels to Lausanne on Sunday for two placement games against the Lausanne Indians. The young Challengers team only managed to win two of twelve games in the qualifying round and thus missed the playoffs. The Indians’ record was only slightly better with three wins, meaning the two teams now face each other in the placement games for places nine to twelve. The games will take place at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. on the Terrain de Chavannes.
The 1st League-Team will also play two placement games on Sunday. The Challengers’ third team will first face the Geneva Tigers at 12:30 p.m. on the Bern Allmend, before taking on the hosts Bern Cardinals at 3 p.m.