The Softball-Team started its campaign with the home opener against the Hünenberg Unicorns on Sunday, April 26 at the Klopstockwiese.
Armin Blickenstorfer won his first game as the new head coach of the Challengers, as the C’s cruised to a 13-0 victory over the Unicorns in Game 1. Leandra Simitovic (1-0) won her sixth straight opening day start allowing four hits with no walks and two strikeouts. Simona Cellar led the offense with a RBI-triple, while Flavia Von Meiss and Simone Zurschmitten scored three runs apiece.
Game 2 was different, but ended up with the same winner, as the Challengers erased a seven run deficit to eventually win 9-8 after tie break. The Unicorns took an early 8-1 lead and pitcher Jamie Williams kept the Challengers’ bats silent. But the C’s erupted for five hits in the fifth inning, cutting the deficit to two runs, before Katrin Dresbach scored the tying run with two outs in the seventh inning and sent the game into tie break. A single by Karen Heimgartner and an intentional Walk to Flavia Von Meiss loaded the bases again and Simona Cellar batted in Rookie Celine Welti, who scored the game-winning run in her second game ever.
Andrea Wirth made her first career start allowing eight runs – none of them earned – and six hits with two strikeouts in 2+ innings, while Karen Heimgartner (1-0) registered the win, allowing two hits in six innings of relief with seven strikeouts. Celine Welti and Vanessa Zulliger made their debut for the Challengers.
The C’s will face next the Therwil Flyers on May 10 at Therwil.