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.