As always, Mother’s Day is celebrated on the second Sunday in May in Switzerland. And the Challengers Softball women’s team hosts a home game against the Bern Cardinals. After a successful start to the season against the SG Frogs/Flyers, the C’s will look to carry the momentum into their duel with the team from the Swiss capital. Games will kick off at 11:00 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. at the Klopstockwiese in Zurich-Enge.
The U15 Cadets will be in action on Saturday, aiming for their first win of the season in Wil, St. Gallen. Their opponents will once again be the Rümlang Kobras and the SG Pirates. The games begin at 12:30 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. at the Wil Lindenhof.
The U12 Juveniles will also travel to Wil on Sunday. The Challengers, undefeated this season, will face the Wil Devils. The games will be played at 11:00 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. at the Lindenhof in Wil.
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Softball Homegame on Mother’s Day
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.
Juveniles narrowly defeat Kobras
Due to the poor weather forecast for Sunday, the Kobras and Challengers officials agreed to move the doubleheader to Saturday. This seemed to be the right strategy. Although it wasn’t completely dry on Saturday, both games could still be played.
While the Challengers clearly defeated the Kobras on Opening Day, the two games on Saturday were close affairs. But once again the Challengers prevailed. They beat the Kobras 8-6 and 7-5 in two close games and remain undefeated at the top of the standings.
Juveniles games moved to Saturday at Rümlang
Due to the poor weather forecast for Sunday, the U12-Juveniles games between the Rümlang Kobras and the Challengers have been moved to Saturday, May 3. The games will be played in Rümlang instead.
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The U12-Juveniles will play for the first time this season on Sunday, May 4, at their home field, Klopstockwiese, in Zurich-Enge. They will host their cantonal rivals, the Rümlang Kobras. The Challengers defeated the Zurich Unterländers 14-3 on the first gameday of the season at the beginning of April. The Kobras will be pushing hard to achieve a better result. The games begin at 11:00 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.
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 LausanneNepomuceno with two Grand Slams, Challengers with two Wins
The NLA-Team also began its championship campaign on Saturday. The Challengers’ home game had to be played at their opponents’ field in Sissach due to construction work at Zurich’s Heerenschürli ballpark. One returning player shone with two grand slams, and a rookie earned his first win.
One player apparently couldn’t wait for the season to start. Carlos Nepomuceno, who missed last season for professional and personal reasons, made his mark on the Challengers’ season opener. In his first at bat as a father, the number four in the lineup hammered the ball over the left-field fence with the bases loaded, giving his team a 4-2 lead that the Zurich team never relinquished. The Frogs, who are now back in the NLA due to the change in format with now seven teams in the NLA, kept the game open for a long time. In the fifth inning they were able to narrow the gap to 3-6 before Nepomuceno stepped up again with the bases loaded in the sixth. And he did it again. Once again, it was a grand slam and four runs for the Challengers. Ultimately the Zurich team won the game 15-3 after seven innings.
In addition to Nepomuceno with his two grand slams and eight RBI, 17-year-old rookie Florin Kämpfer also shone with three hits and three RBI, while Opening Day starter Simon Steffen achieved a complete game win. In seven innings he allowed only four hits, three runs – two earned – and four walks with eight strikeouts.
In the second game of the day the Sissach Frogs also opened the scoring with two runs in the first inning. However, the lead once again only lasted until Carlos Nepomuceno got to work. This time, he tied the game with a two-run double in his first at-bat, before Adderly Sarmiento delivered a two-run single to make it 4-2. In the second inning Ryan Byrne tripled and made it 5-2. One inning later Jack Siemers made it 6-2 before the man of the day added an RBI single to make it 7-3.
Florin Kämpfer earned the first win of his career, giving up just one hit and one run in four innings as a reliever, with three walks and five strikeouts. Nepomuceno again led the Challengers offense with two hits and three RBI, while Ryan Byrne and Samuel Rodriguez Bautista each had two hits.
Two wins for Softball-Team on Opening Day
The softball women’s team won twice on Opening Day against the SG Frogs/Flyers. The rejuvenated team delivered a refreshing performance, impressing both offensively and defensively.
After a four-year absence from the championship, the twelve-time Swiss champion Therwil Flyers will field a team again in 2025. This year the young to very young players will compete in a joint team with neighboring Sissach. The first trip took the SG Frogs/Flyers to Zurich’s Klopstockwiese. The Challengers’ equally rejuvenated team was able to count on several returning players, who were sorely missed, compared to last year’s playoffs. The Zurich team got off to a good start. After two innings they were already leading 10-5. And after just over an hour and a half the Challengers put the game away 17-7 in the fourth inning.
Marianne Allen had two hits, Mia Matas collected three RBI, Tylor McCants and Tamara Ammeter each had two RBI, and Anouchka Michel scored four runs. Michel had even more reason to celebrate. The 17-year-old pitched four innings for the first time and earned her first career win.
The visitors got off to a better start in the second game. The Baselbieter team took a 3-0 and then a 7-3 lead. But the Challengers didn’t let that bother them. They had no reason to. Their offense kept things moving, and their defense made several nice plays. And in the third inning they turned things around. The Zurich team scored seven hits and eleven runs for a seven run lead. They sealed the victory in the fourth inning scoring three more runs and finally winning Game 2 17-7.
Simona Cellar led the strong offense with three hits, two RBI and three runs. Anouchka Michel, Taylor McCants and Karen Hendren, who had a strong debut for the Challengers, each had two hits and three RBI, while Mia Matas and Lara Müller each contributed one hit and two RBI. Tamara Ammeter was credited with the win with a scoreless fourth inning after starter Simone Zurschmitten gave her the ball with a seven run lead.
Opening Day for Softball and NLA
The Softball and NLA teams will also begin their 2025 season on Saturday. While the women’s softball team hosts the SG Frogs/Flyers at home on the Klopstockwiese, the men’s championship begins in Sissach.
The Softball-Team will face the Sissach Frogs and Therwil Flyers in their home opener on the Klopstockwiese. The multiple champions Flyers are returning to the championship after several years of absence, at least as part of the Basel-based team. The Challengers are expecting a return of several players who were unable to participate last season. The games on the Klopstockwiese begin at 11:00 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.
Meanwhile, the NLA team will play its first home game against their opponents in Sissach. Due to construction work being carried out at the home field in Heerenschürli for the impressive new backstop, the field is not yet ready for play. The Frogs, who are back in the top division due to the format change and the expansion of the NLA to seven teams, will approach the NLA adventure with great motivation. The games in Sissach Tannbrunn start at 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m.
Serge Künzler an der Zündwürfel Pokalnacht 2025 geehrt
Serge würfelt
Am Freitagabend fand in der AXA Arena in Winterthur die Zündwürfel Pokalnacht 2025 statt – ein grosses Fest zu Ehren des Zürcher Vereins- und Breitensports. Hunderte Gäste feierten die nominierten Ehrenamtlichen und Vereine in einer stimmungsvollen Atmosphäre.
Wir freuen uns sehr, dass Serge Künzler für seine langjährige und unermüdliche Arbeit im Challengers Baseball und Softball Club Zürich in der Kategorie „Ehrenamt“ nominiert wurde. Serge engagiert sich seit über 25 Jahren für den Verein – als Spieler, Coach, Vorstandsmitglied und treibende Kraft hinter zahlreichen Nachwuchsprojekten. Mit seiner Leidenschaft und seinem Einsatz hat er massgeblich dazu beigetragen, den Baseball- und Softballsport in Zürich aufzubauen und weiterzuentwickeln.
Der Sieger der Kategorie wurde durch ein Würfelspiel bestimmt – dabei hatte Serge leider kein Würfelglück. Dennoch wurde er für seine herausragenden Verdienste mit einem Pokal und CHF 500 Preisgeld ausgezeichnet.
Wir danken Zündwürfel und Zürcher Kantonalverband für Sport herzlich für die Organisation dieses besonderen Abends und gratulieren Serge von ganzem Herzen. Wir sind stolz, ihn in unserem Verein zu haben!
Offensive 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.