The NLB- and the 1st League team of the Challengers will start their 2023 campaign on the upcoming weekend. Both start the season with a home opener.
On Saturday, April 29, the NLB team will face the Luzern Eagles at the Heerenschürli ballpark. This will be the first appearance for the second team of the Challengers since they lost in the playoff quarterfinals at the beginning of September. The games start at 11.00 am and 1.30 pm.
The 1st league team will be in action on Sunday, April 30. The Challengers will meet the Zurich Barracudas and the newly formed SG Pirates/Lions at the Heerenschürli ballpark in the first day tournament of the season. The games start at 10.00 am and 12.30 pm.
Season Opener for NLB- and 1st League-Team
Challengers in win column
The Challengers have been struggling against the Pirates for a long time, but in the end they clearly prevail. Game 2 had to be canceled due to rain.
The spectators saw a slugging festival at the Wiler Lindenhof. The teams combined for 28 hits, including 7 home runs, and a total of 31 runs. What initially looked like a tough ride eventually became a (too) obvious prey for the Challengers. Because the Challengers had a lot of trouble with the Pirates, who were also in a good mood offensively. In any case, the C’s trailed 6-7 after five innings. While the Pirates couldn’t keep up their level in the second half of the game, the Challengers improved significantly. So the narrow deficit turned into a 22-9 victory.
Statistically Ryan Byrne shone with four hits, including two home runs, eight RBI and four runs, Adam Greenberg and Leonel Sosa Marte scored three hits with a home run each and Säntis Zeller also sent the ball over the fence at the Wiler Lindenhof. Starter Simon Steffen got the win, while closer Stefan Haltmeier only needed 22 pitches for his four innings of work and gave up just one hit and one walk on four strikeouts, earning him the save.
Softball-Team with two wins in Bern
The Softball-Team has a strong performance in Bern. 27 hits and 38 runs as well as two wins are the result of a productive Sunday on the Allmend.
While the Challengers benefited from the Cardinals pitcher’s walks in the first inning, they took a 10-4 lead in the second frame with six hits. After two more runs on each side, the Challengers bats caught fire in the fifth inning. They scored 11 runs from seven hits, including no fewer than three triples from Tamara Ammeter, Taylor McCants and Isabelle Tan, to finally win 23-7.
Tamara Ammeter had three hits and five runs, Carmen Lutz-Demetz and Leandra Simitovic had two hits and four RBIs each and Molly Mullens had three RBI. Tamara Ammeter took the win, as she gave up only two hits and one run in three innings, while starter Solana Lutz also gave up only two earned runs in two innings of work.
The second game of the day was one-sided from the start. The Challengers took an early 14-0 lead and deservedly won 15-3. Simona Cellar shone with four hits and five RBI, Taylor McCants screwed her batting average to .714 with another three hits and Riona Lutz convinced with 2.1 innings pitched with three runs – only one of them earned – and five hits.
First W’s for the Challengers in 2023
After the seniors lost on opening day, the U15 cadets provide the first two wins of the 2023 season for the Challengers organization on Saturday. They win against the reigning U15 champion Rümlang Kobras with 15-3 and 14-5.
Compared to last year’s final, the Kobras were missing some of their top performers due to the age limit, including the entire pitching rotation. However, as usual in the junior age groups, the Challengers also were missing some of their corner stones from 2022. In contrast to the Kobras, however, the C’s seemed surprisingly stable.
The guests really got going right from the start. Jordi Bucher opened the season with a single and was at the start of the maximum of five runs allowed in the first innings. A walk, a hit-by-pitch, an RBI double from Fabrizio Bucher, an RBI groundout from Ben Dickow and a single from Yannik Hobi led to a 5-0. It continued in the same style. Niilo Benz scored on a sac fly from Jordi Bucher, Noam Müller brought home Ilai Blickenstorfer with an RBI single and a single from Ben Dickow made it 10-0. The Challengers carried this lead safely over the distance.
Jasper Freigang conceded two runs and two hits in four innings with seven strikeouts and five walks, Ben Dickow had two hits and three RBI in his debut in a Challengers uniform, and Noam Müller, Jasper Freigang and Fabrizio Bucher scored three runs apiece.
In the second game of the day title holder Rümlang was able to take the lead for the first time with 2-0. However, the Challengers responded promptly with three hits and five runs. And they even went up 9-2 in the second inning. Aaron Schuetz was responsible for the 6-2, followed by a bunt single from Jordi Bucher to enable Philip Louis to score. The Kobras then reduced the deficit to 4-9, but Fabrice Cadalbert answered with the 10-4 and started another five run inning for the Challengers, who eventually won safely 14-5.
Ben Dickow again had three RBI, while Jordi Bucher and Jasper Freigang each produced two hits and three runs. Fabrizio Bucher got the win, while Ilai Blickenstorfer pitched the last three innings for his first save of the season, giving up one run, no hits and five walks with four strikeouts.
Bitter sweep for the Challengers
Finally the 2023 season has started with the rematch of last year’s finals. And it was a nail biter – with the Challengers finding themselves at the wrong end. The reigning champion Therwil Flyers took the opener 8-7 in extra innings and rallied for a 7-3 win in Game 2.
Säntis Zeller had the honor of scoring the first run of the season, while Regis Reinhard had it’s first RBI in a Challengers uniform. After the Flyers scored three runs in the bottom half of the first, Simon Steffen and Adam Greenberg tied the game again thanks to a sac fly by Zeller and a RBI-triple by Leonel Sosa Marte. While the Challengers stranded two runners at least in the next few innings, the Flyers sneaked off to a 6-3 lead and still had a three run lead after eight innings. Last chance for the Challengers and indeed James Sanders with a RBI-double and Leonel Sosa Marte with a 2-run-double sent the game to extra innings. And with no outs the C’s had the bases loaded, but weren’t able to cash in. Completely different the Flyers. David Castillo launched the second pitch of the tenth frame to a walk off RBI-single.
It was a story of missed chances. The Challengers outhit their opponent 12-7 and drew 11-4 walks but stranded a total of 20 batters, but once more the Flyers walked away with the win. Leonel Sosa Marte started the season with a four-hit game and was a homer shy of the cycle, James Sanders had three hits, while Simon Steffen allowed three earned runs in seven innings pitched.
Zeller again scored the first run in Game 2. And it even got better for the Challengers. Marco Limacher belted a 2-run homer over the center field fence for a 3-1 lead in the fourth frame. But the Flyers answered immediately with a walk, two hit batters, two singles, an error and two walks with the bases loaded to score five runs. They added another run in the fifth to eventually win 7-3.
Softball-Team loses against reigning champions
At the start of the softball season was a re-match of the finals of the last two years between the Challengers and the reigning champions Wittenbach Panthers. Due to various departures, the Challengers’ burdens are spread over fewer shoulders this year. Nevertheless, they will be in the race for a spot in the finals again.
The Opening Day at the Klopstockwiese showed that there is quite a gap to the best team of the league. The home team was able to stay within striking distance for a long time in Game 1. After the Panthers led by five runs after the third, Amanda Marxer and Molly Mullens brought their colors back up to 6-9 in the fourth inning. In the end, however, the offensively very strong guests prevailed 15-6. Even if the result was a bit too clear, the offensive output with 13-5 hits and an impressive seven extra base hits by the Panthers was the difference. The Challengers couldn’t keep up here, but they also showed what they are capable of with several nice plays. Tamara Ammeter and Molly Mullens each had two hits for the Challengers, while Amanda Marxer and Mullens each scored two runs.
The second game instead was decided relatively quickly. After a costly error, the visitors pulled away to 10-3 after just two innings and brought the victory home with ease with a final result of 17-6. Isabelle Tan with two hits and Simona Cellar and Taylor McCants delivered the hits for the Challengers while Marina Vaccaro Brüderli scored two of the six runs. After the two defeats on opening day, the Challengers will be happy that the next opponents will not be of the caliber of the reigning champions Wittenbach.
Juveniles washed out in Therwil
The U12 Juveniles will remember the start of the 2023 season in Therwil for a while. But not for sporting reasons. The severely decimated Challengers team not only had to contend with a good opponent but also with the weather. Game 1 was played in partly torrential rain, which made things even more difficult for the pitchers Maor Müller and Roy Gonzalez. The Challengers not only got wet from above, but also had to bow to the Therwil Flyers clearly with 3-12. The second game could not be played because of an unplayable field.
The Challengers now have some time until the next game day to work on their technique in practice. On May 7th they will host the SG Eagles/Unicorns at the Klopstockwiese.
Changes for NLB schedule
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 scheduleHeerenschürli should get higher fence
The Heerenschürli ballpark is the only baseball facility in Switzerland that meets international standards. In addition to the practices and championship games of the four Zurich based clubs Barracudas, Challengers, Eighters and Lions, the Swiss national teams also practice in Zurich-Schwamendingen. In addition, the Heerenschürli ballpark was also the venue for the 2013 European B Championship and in 2017 for the U18 European Championship. Zurich was recently awarded the U18 European Championship qualifier tournament from 10.-15. July 2023.
However, the height of the fence, which is not able to intercept some of the foulballs, gives cause for concern. That’s why the foulballs become a danger for spectators or athletes on the neighboring fields. Based on a study and after examining various options, a new steel fence around 100 meters long and 27 meters high has now proven to be the most practical solution. The Zurich city council is now presenting the project to the municipal council for cost approval.
Further information is available in the media release from the City of Zurich of April 5, 2023.
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)