After only one win in their first four games, the Challengers put on a strong performance against Wil on Sunday. Florin Kämpfer and Säntis Zeller both hit home runs in both games.
While the Challengers had been a bit sluggish in their previous games, they delivered a powerful performance at Wil’s Lindenhof field. The Zurich team pulled away to a 10-0 lead in the second inning with seven hits and eight runs. The victory was never in doubt, quite the opposite. A two-run home run by Florin Kämpfer in the third inning and a three-run home run by Säntis Zeller in the fourth inning contributed to the visitors’ easy 19-2 victory.
Of the Challengers’ 20 hits, four came from Florin Kämpfer, who also recorded five RBIs. Fabrizio Bucher and Carsten Zuber each had three hits, while Jasper Freigang, Leonel Hernandez Reyes, and David Castillo had two hits apiece.
Kämpfer also dominated the second game of the day. He was credited with the win as pitcher, and his 3-run home run in the third inning, which put the Challengers up 5-1, proved decisive. Säntis Zeller immediately followed up with a solo home run, creating the rare situation of back-to-back home runs. The visitors maintained control and finished the day with a 15-3 victory.
Florin Kämpfer totaled two hits, four RBIs, and three runs, pitching the win in 4.2 innings, allowing only one hit and two runs, with six strikeouts and six walks. Jordi Bucher went 3-for-3 and scored three runs, Fabrizio Bucher had two hits and three runs, while rookies Shadir Mora Soler and Yoshihiro Miura each contributed three RBIs.
This leaves the Challengers tied for second place in their group with a balanced 3-3 record. Next Sunday, they will face the reigning champions, the Therwil Flyers, the undefeated league leaders, at the Heerenschürli ballpark.
Challengers gain Momentum
Breakthrough for the Second Team
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.
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.
Opening Day Win for Softball-Team
The Softball-Team traveled to Therwil for its opening day, where they faced the SG Flyers/Panthers. In cold and wet conditions the Challengers won decisively 22-7. The second game was canceled due to rain.
Continue Reading » Opening Day Win for Softball-TeamSecond 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.
Split on Opening Day after Walk-off Homerun
On Saturday, the Zurich Barracudas Academy and the Zurich Challengers opened the new baseball season at the Heerenschürli ballpark. Both games were back-and-forth affairs, with each team ultimately securing a victory. Game 2 went to extra innings, with the Challengers taking the win in a dramatic fashion.
In the opening game both teams initially showed signs of lacking game practice. Plagued by several errors the Challengers led 8-6 after three innings. However, in the fifth inning the Academy stepped up their game. A two-run triple by Yuki Nagae tied the game and after two more runs Tiago Lutz extended the lead to 12-8 with a two-run single. Despite an in-the-park home run by Fabrizio Bucher, the Challengers were unable to overcome this deficit and ultimately lost 11-14. Fabrizio Bucher recorded two hits for the Challengers, including a solo home run, while playing coach David Castillo and Simon Steffen had two hits apiece.
The second game was a back-and-forth affair. Both teams took the lead twice, but each managed to tie the game twice as well. Consequently, the game went into extra innings. The Academy as the visiting team struck first. After an error by the Challengers’ defense on a sacrifice bunt and a sacrifice fly by Kai Wilson, the Barracudas took an 8-6 lead. But the Challengers had the final words. First, Noam Blickenstorfe batted in the two ghost runners with a two-run double to tie the game again, before Florin Kämpfer ended the game with an exclamation mark belting a walk-off home run over the wall in right center field.
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.
Nico Bucher new President of the Zurich Federation
On Monday evening, the general assembly of the Baseball and Softball Federation of the Canton and City of Zurich took place in the Probstei shooting sports center in Zurich-Schwamendingen. Nico Bucher was elected as the new president of the federation.
Bucher succeeds Urs Köstinger, who stepped down after 17 years at the top of the federation. Bucher has been involved in youth development for many years, e.g. serving as team manager of the Challengers Cadets since 2022. He is currently team manager of the Challengers’ NLB team and the U18 Baseball Nationalteam. The existing board members Danica Mathis, Manuel Hirtz and Serge Kuenzler were confirmed in their positions for another year.
Mourning for Sandrine Montandon
The Challengers Baseball & Softball Club has the sad duty to inform you that our former softball player Sandrine Montandon passed away on Monday after a long illness. She was 45 years old.
She had cystic fibrosis and because of this illness, required a lung transplant 15 years ago. She had been a Challenger since the Softball-Team’s re-establishment in 2004 and she continued playing softball until 2019, even after her transplant surgery. She also initiated the Challengers’ Challenge on organ donation within our club. Sandrine was a great fighter and a role model for everyone with her resilience and courage. She was part of our club community and her loss will be felt by teammates, coaches and friends across the organization.
President Mindy Siemers: “On behalf of the club, we extend our sincere condolences to her family, loved ones and all those who had the privilege of knowing her. We ask you to keep her and her family in your thoughts during this difficult time.”
On her final journey, she wore her Challengers uniform. It was her wish.