The Challengers were defeated again in the second night game of the weekend by their cross-town rivals. The Barracudas celebrated their 40th anniversary in style with a 5-0 victory.
The game was characterized by numerous strikeouts. Barracudas starter Nicholas Miceli recorded ten strikeouts and gave up only four hits and no walks in seven innings. Tate Stone-Frisina’s twelve strikeouts were of no use. In eight innings, he gave up a total of three hits, three runs, two of which were unearned, and two walks. The Challengers made costly errors at the wrong time in this close game, but also failed to make headway with the opposing pitches on offense. No fewer than fourteen of their 29 batters were struck out. Thus, the Barracudas secured their second derby victory in 24 hours with relative ease.
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Barracudas too strong, again
Cadets arrive in Win column
The U15-Cadets secured their first two wins of the season after eight consecutive losses. They defeated the Geneva Dragons 2 in two nerve-wracking games in Bulle, 19-17 and 10-9.
The first game was characterized by numerous walks. Accordingly, the game lacked momentum. However, the game began with a bang. As the second batter in the lineup, Ian Zürcher immediately sent the ball over the right-field fence to make it 1-0. Although the Challengers set the tone, leading 15-9 after three innings, Geneva fought back to within one run. The visitors gained some breathing room in the fifth with four much needed insurance runs, but ultimately needed a double play to secure their first victory.
Fabrice Cadalbert and Fabrizio Bucher each had two hits, Bucher scored four runs, while Ian Zürcher and Elias Lüthi each drove in three runs.
In the second game of the day, the Challengers also had the upper hand throughout the entire encounter. However, things turned dramatic again at the end. The Zurich team led 5-1 and later 10-3 before the Dragons, with their backs against the wall, mounted a comeback in the final inning. Closer Len Blickenstorfer secured a 10-9 victory for his team with a strikeout with the bases loaded.
On offense, Elias Lüthi made a statement with three hits, three RBI, and three runs scored, while Ian Zürcher, Fabrizio Bucher, Alexander Maron, and Len Blickenstorfer had two hits apiece.
Two wins for the Softball-Team
The Softball-Team swept the SG Sissach Frogs/Therwil Flyers. The Challengers were challenged little on their way to their 16-0 and 19-9 victories.
The visitors got off to a very focused start in Therwil. A bases-loaded walk by Isabelle Tan made it 1-0, a two-run double by Alexia Zingg made it 3-0, and a wild pitch and another walk with the bases loaded by Vianne Benz made it 5-0. This was enough for the win, as 17-year-old guest pitcher Janina Liechti from the Panthers once again delivered a strong performance as a pitcher. She allowed only two hits in four innings, with zero walks, one hit-by-pitch, and eight strikeouts for a shutout win. Meanwhile, the offense kept its foot on the gas and the game ended 16-0 after four innings. Carmen Lutz-Demetz had two hits and three RBI, Simona Cellar had two hits and two RBI and Alexia Zingg had three RBI.
The second game initially continued in the same vein. The Challengers took a 14-0 lead before the home team managed to at least slightly narrow the gap. However, this did nothing to change the Zurich team’s 19-9 victory.
Simona Cellar had an in-the-park home run and two hits with two RBI, Carmen Lutz-Demetz and Alexia Zingg each delivered two hits and three RBI, Larissa D’Hondt belted two doubles, Simone Zusrschmitten had two hits and Mrinalika Singh Dev and Amanda Marxer contributed two RBI each.
Barracudas take first Nightgame
The first major Zurich baseball derby was also the first night game at the Heerenschürli ballpark, which had been upgraded with a new backstop. What initially seemed like a clear win for the Challengers ultimately became a clear victory for the Zurich Barracudas.
The Challengers got off to the better start. The visitors scored two runs in their first inning. Leonel Sosa Marte opened the scoring with an RBI single before Carlo Nepomuceno made it 2-0 on a wild pitch. In the third inning, the pendulum swung even more decisively in the Challengers’ favor. Nepomuceno increased the lead to 4-1 with a two-run single before Nick Siemers blasted the ball over the wall in left center field to make it 6-1.
Anyone who thought the game was over isn’t familiar with the Zurich baseball derby history. It has had some crazy twists and turns in store, and that was no different on this Friday night. While the Challengers offense shut down, the Barracudas clocked in. In the fourth frame the home team made up the deficit thanks to a 2-run double by Nick Fischer and an error by the Challengers, tying the score at 6-6. Then, in the sixth inning, all hell broke loose. Even with two pitching changes, the Challengers could not extinguish the wildfire ignited by no fewer than 16 batters from the Barracudas, who were wearing their City Connect uniforms tonight. The damage to the Challengers was severe. Eleven runs, making the score 17-6, brought the game to an early end. It’s a good thing the next opportunity awaits tomorrow, Saturday evening, also at 6:30 p.m. Their opponents are once again the Zurich Barracudas.
Night games on Friday and Saturday
The schedule includes two night games at the Heerenschürli ballpark right at the summer solstice. The games between the Zurich Barracudas and the Zurich Challengers will be the first night games at the Heerenschürli with its impressive new backstop. First pitch on both Friday and Saturday is at 6:30 p.m. in Zurich-Schwamendingen.
Continue Reading » Night games on Friday and SaturdayBig Weekend Action
All Challengers teams, with the exception of the Slowpitch Softball-Team, will be in action this coming weekend. While the NLA-Team will play two night games against the Barracudas at the Heerenschürli ballpark on Friday and Saturday evenings, the following games are also scheduled:
On Saturday, the Softball-Team will face the SG Sissach Frogs/Therwil Flyers for the second time this season. The Challengers won twice against the young team from Basel-Landschaft at the Klopstockwiese earlier in the season. Now the return games in Therwil are scheduled. The games will be played at 11:00 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. at Känelmatt II.
The U15-Cadets have an even longer journey ahead. The Challengers will face the Geneva Dragons 2 in Bulle, canton of Fribourg, and will attempt to secure their first win of the season. The games start at 11:00 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. at the Stade de Bouleyres in Bulle.
On Sunday, the NLB-Team will also be able to play for the first time in the renovated Heerenschürli ballpark. The Challengers will host the Zurich Lions in a small city derby. The Lions, second in the league, await coach Tate Stone-Frisina’s team. First pitch is at 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m.
The youngest Challengers will also play two more games on Sunday. They welcome the Lucerne Eagles and the Bern Cardinals to their home field, Klopstockwiese. Game times are 10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m.
Successful home debut with the new backstop
In their first home game of the season at the remodeled Heerenschürli ballpark, the Challengers secured two wins against the Zurich Barracudas’ second team. The home team was sweating, and not only due to the weather.
Although the Challengers prevailed in Game 1 with a clear 13-3 score, the game was far more competitive than the score suggests. The Barracudas had the advantage in hits, 14-11, but stranded no fewer than 15 baserunners in seven innings. The Challengers were much more efficient. They took a 2-0 lead in the first inning thanks to an RBI double by Säntis Zeller, which brought home Florin Kämpfer, and a sac fly by Nick Siemers. They extended their lead to 8-1 by the fifth inning before sealing the deal with five more runs in the sixth.
Nick Siemers had two hits and two RBI, driving in three runs, while Florin Kämpfer, Leonel Sosa Marte, Adderly Sarmiento, and Simon Steffen each contributed two hits. Steffen also earned the win. He gave up twelve hits in 6.1 innings but only two runs with two walks and six strikeouts.
The second game of the day was far more dramatic. The Barracudas led 8-1 by the fourth inning before the Challengers also entered the game. Five runs in the bottom half of the fourth inning to make it 6-8 brought them back into the game, with the Barracudas helping out with three errors. And they cut the distance to 7-8 thanks to a hit by pitch with the bases loaded, aided by the opposing team again. The C’s were still one run away from tying the game. But things got even better for the White-blue-reds. With runners on second and third base and one out, Carlos Nepomuceno delivered a two-run single for a much-celebrated walk-off win.
Regis Reinhard shone with three hits and three runs, he also was credited with the win thanks to a shutout inning in the top of the seventh inning, while Florin Kämpfer, Carlos Nepomuceno, Nick Siemers, and Leonel Sosa Marte each had two hits.
Split for the NLB-Team against the Unicorns
The NLB-Team faced the Hünenberg Unicorns, who are ahead of the Challengers in the standings, on Sunday. The Zurich team secured a split in the Zugerland after a coup in Game 1.
The Unicorns opened the scoring with an early run following an error by the Challengers, but the C’s struck back impressively in the second inning. Ben Dickow tied the game with an RBI single, and Mike Siemers scored on a wild pitch to give them a 2-1 lead. Pete Nelson extended the lead with a 2-run double, Jordi Bucher with an RBI double, Bastian Kämpfer with an RBI single and Noam Blickenstorfer with a 2-run single to make it 8-1. In the third inning, Jasper Freigang added runs with an RBI single and Fabrizio Bucher with a 2-run single, before Pete Nelson provided the highlight in the fourth inning with a 2-run home run. Although the Unicorns rallied a bit toward the end of the game, the Challengers still clinched the victory 14-10.
Pete Nelson led the way offensively with three hits, four RBI, and three runs scored, while Jordi Bucher, Bastian Kämpfer, and Ben Dickow each had two hits.
In the second game however, the young team lacked the energy to repeat their performance from Game 1. On the one hand they were unable to find the recipe against the strong pitcher Ari Lonstein, allowing only two hits, on the other hand, their defense collapsed with no fewer than ten errors, making a decisive 13-0 victory for the Unicorns the logical result. With the split however, the Challengers remain in fourth place in the standings with a 5-3 record, which would qualify them for the playoffs.
Juveniles top fight goes to the Challengers
On Saturday the U12-Juveniles hosted the Lucerne Eagles at the Klopstockwiese in Zurich-Enge for a top-of-the-table clash in the Eastern Group. The two rivals were in first and second place with only one loss each.
The Challengers now have a 3.5 games lead. They defeated the Central Swiss team 5-0 and 5-3 in two hard-fought games. In Game 1, starting pitcher Len Blickenstorfer, who was awarded with the win, and Henry Ruffieux pitched a shutout win. In the second game of the day Florian Gränz and Roy Gonzalez kept the Eagles batters in check.
Home Opener on Sunday
For the first time this season the NLA-Team will be playing at their home field Heerenschürli on Sunday. After the completion of the impressive new back stop, play resumed at the end of May. For their home debut, the Challengers will host the Zurich Barracudas’ second team. Games will be held at 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m.
The NLB-Team will also be in action on Sunday. The Challengers will face the Unicorns in Hünenberg, Canton Zug. The two neighboring teams in the standings will play at 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. The Unicorns have won six of their eight games so far, while the Challengers have a 4-2 record.
The U12-Juveniles will be playing on Saturday. The Challengers will host the Lucerne Eagles in the top match of the Eastern Group. Both teams have only one loss to their name. Games start at 11:00 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.