Due to the Dulliken Ravens’ last-minute withdrawal from this year’s NLB Championship, the schedule is undergoing some changes. After the opening day of the second Challengers team on April 2nd was canceled due to rain, the second planned game day on April 16th in Dulliken is now canceled as well. So the season for the Challengers will now start on April 29th with a double header at the Heerenschürli ballpark against the Luzern Eagles. Since the home games against the Ravens on May 21st are also canceled, the Challengers will play in the Heerenschürli for the second time on Wednesday, May 31st. Opponent in a night game will be the Barracudas Academy.
Continue Reading » Changes for NLB schedulePosts in the NLB category:
Opening Day postponed
The opening day in Swiss baseball on Saturday, April 1st in the Heerenschürli ballpark has to be canceled because of an unplayable field. The reprise of last year’s final between the Zurich Challengers and the Therwil Flyers cannot take place. The field, which was soaked after the wet last week of March and the occasional heavy rain on Friday afternoon, is in no condition to play. No make-up date has been announced so far. The earliest possible date according to the league’s schedules would be July 22nd.
The season opening of the NLB-Team on Sunday, April 2 has also been canceled. The second team of the Challengers would have met the Barracudas Academy on their opening day. A rescheduling of the games is still pending. And also the first game day of the 2023 season for the U15-Cadets has been canceled. (photo Stadt Zürich)
Nightgames on Friday and Saturday at the Heerenschürli
The upcoming weekend offers everything for the fans of the Challengers. It starts on Friday, June 30 at 6.30 pm with a NLA nightgame at the Heerenschürli ballpark between the Challengers and their cross-town rivals Zürich Barracudas. The C’s won the first two games against the Barracudas, but both games were on the edge till the last play. Friday’s game will be under a special motto, as the C’s are collecting for the expansion of the vacation center Wannental of the Altried Foundation. More informations about the project can be found at Stiftung Altried and Ferienzentrum Wannental
On Saturday, July 1 the NLB-Team will host the Hünenberg Unicorns at 11.00 am and 2.00 pm at the Heerenschürli ballpark in a fight for 1st place between the best two NLB teams in 2017. Both teams lost only one game in 2017, as they split in their first double header in May.
And at 6.00 pm there will take place the second NLA nightgame between the Challengers and the Barracudas.
Opening Day on Saturday
The Challengers 2017 season will start with a Home Opener against the Luzern Eagles on Saturday, April 22 at the Heerenschürli ballpark. The team of head coach Robert Sedin added several players to their 2017 roster. The debut of pitcher Sandy Patrone in a Challengers uniform is particularly exciting. The Dominican played 13 years for Rimini Baseball in the Italian Baseball League and won the Italian Championship in 2006. The 33-year-old also pitched 25 times for the Italian Nationalteam and played 2003, 2007 and 2009 at the World Chmapionships. The games against the Eagles will also be very special for Andrea Girasole and Patrick Maier. Both played the last three seasons for the Eagles before returning to the Challengers in 2017. Patrick Zöllig will also give his comeback almost eight years after his last game for the C’s. The games start at 11 a.m. and 2.00 p.m. at the Heerenschürli.
The NLB-Team will open its 2017 campaign against the Thun Hunters. The two teams will meet on Sunday, April 23 at the Heerenschürli ballpark. The games will begin at 11 a.m. and 2.00 p.m.
Homegames canceled
Today’s home games from the NLA-Team against the Sissach Frogs and from the NLB-Team against the Zürich Lions had to be canceled due to rain. No make-up dates have been announced so far.
Continue Reading » Homegames canceledSedin joins the Challengers
Rob Sedin, the new Challengers head coach, arrived in Zurich and will begin to work with the teams today. It is already the fifth season for Sedin with the Challengers, but his first as their skipper. James Sanders, who is also the Swiss Nationalteam head coach, will be the Assistant Coach.
As a player Sedin was very successful with the C’s over the last four years. He recorded a .391 batting average with 37 doubles, 6 triples, 3 homeruns, 77 RBI’s and 127 runs scored in 101 games. He also started 31 games from the mound with a 18-14 record and a 2.65 ERA with 296 strikeouts in 257.2 innings.
Winter Practice
The winter practice for the Challengers Baseball & Softball Club starts on Monday, October 19 with a pitcher and catcher practice for the U20 and U15 players at the Schulhaus Schauenberg. The practice for the Softball-Team will take place every Tuesday at the Turnhalle Lavater, while the Baseball hitting and fielding practice will newly take place on Wednesdays at the Turnhalle Hirzenbach. For further details concerning the NLA, NLB and 1st League practices, the Softball practice and the practice for the Juniors please check the team’s pages on the Challengers website.
Continue Reading » Winter PracticeNLB-Team’s journey ends in Quarterfinals
The NLB-Team lost the playoff-quarterfinal series against their local rivals Zürich Barracudas, so that its season has ended prematurely. After losing 3-6 in Game 1 the Challengers lost also Game 2 by a score of 4-9 to lose the best-of-three series 0-2. The C’s offense couldn’t break through, a problem, that was acute over the whole 2015 season.
Continue Reading » NLB-Team’s journey ends in QuarterfinalsNLB-Team finishes in 2nd place
The NLB-Team moved into second place with a sweep against the Thun Hunters on Sunday, August 23, their best position during the 2015 season. The Challengers posted two victories against the Hunters, winning 15-2 and 9-4. As in the NLA the C’s will face now their local rivals Zürich Barracudas in the playoff quarterfinals. Game 1 and 2 in the best-of-3 series are scheduled for Saturday, August 29 at the Heerenschürli ballpark.
Continue Reading » NLB-Team finishes in 2nd place