Cadets are tied for first place

The Challengers U15-Cadets were victorious in both games this weekend taking the first game against the Blackhawks by a score of 8-0 and battling a very tough Unicorns team in the second game for a 9-7 victory. They now stand at 7-1 and combined with a Viking loss against Ruemlang this weekend they are tied for first place in the East Division.
In the opening game, Michael Iacono and Sebastian Bonger combined to pitch a no-hitter against the Blackhawks, facing just 18 batters in 5 innings. Iacono got the win and struck out 5 in the first three innings and Bonger closed out the last two making some great defensive plays himself.
Offensive firepower was provided by Cedric Thommen who hit two triples, scored two runs and had 2 RBI’s. Iacono also had a big day at the plate going 2 for 3 with 2 runs scored.  The game broke open in the second inning with 5 runs scored including Iacono, Seb Bonger, Tobias Bonger, Julius Blom and Thommen.
In the second game the Challengers jumped out to a quick 5-0 lead in the first. Thommen walked and worked quickly around the bases and scored on a passed ball. Jake Tuckner then walked and scored on an RBI single by Tobias Haynor. Haynor scored on a sacrifice fly to right field by Seb Bonger. Iacono and Alex Homburg also got in on the scoring act in the inning. The Challengers added a couple more runs in the second and third innings and seemed to have the game well in hand when the Unicorns exploded for 5 runs in the third making it a very exciting two run game.
Thommen scored again in the fourth to make it an 8-5 game and then Jake Tuckner came in to pitch and shut down the Unicorns 1-2-3 in the fourth.  Seb Bonger scored in the sixth to give Tuckner a 4 run cushion.  In the bottom of the final inning the heart of the Unicorns order scored two more runs but with the backing of a strong defense Tuckner shut them down.
On the mound Iacono got the win and struck out 6 batters in 3 innings.  Tuckner struck out 3 in two innings pitched and got the save.
After the game coach Todd Tuckner was asked about the keys to the game, “The team pitched very well, made some great defensive plays, and really closed out in a gutsy fashion in a tough game with the momentum turning against us.”
Congratulations to the Challengers Cadets and good luck in the final weekend of the season on 24 June at Wil.

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NLB-Team moves into 2nd place

The NLB-Team swept the Jona Bandits on Saturday, June 16 at Rapperswil-Jona to move into second place. The Challengers posted a 17-12 victory in Game 1 and kept the Bandits’ bats silent in Game 2, as the C’s added an 8-1 win to improve their record to 6-4. The C’s will face their local rivals Zürich Barracudas on Saturday, June 23 for the second derby day of the season at the Heerenschürli.

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SG Eagles/Challengers downed by Cardinals

The second Softball-Team, the SG Eagles/Challengers lost twice to the Bern Cardinals on Saturday, June 16. The blue, yellow and red scored three runs in Game 1, as the Cardinals posted a 15-3 win. Game 2 was all Cardinals, as they cruised to a 14-0 shutout victory. The SG Eagles/Challengers will play four games on June 30 and July 1, as they will face the Bern Cardinals again and the Zürich Barracudas.

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Challengers empfangen die Eagles

Das NLA-Team der Challengers empfängt die Luzern Eagles am Sonntag, 17. Juni im Baseballstadion Heerenschürli. Es wird das erste Aufeinandertreffen mit altbekannten Gesichtern. Seit dieser Saison trainiert der ehemalige Challengers Headcoach Andy Fleischacker die Innerschweizer, in deren Kader auch die ehemaligen Challengers Jesus Martinez, Carlos Pena und Yanik Probst. Im Vorjahr gewannen die Eagles drei von vier Partien. Die Spiele beginnen um 11.00 und 14.00 Uhr.
Das NLB-Team fährt am Samstag, 16. Juni an den Obersee, wo die Challengers auf das Schlusslicht Jona Bandits treffen werden. Die Spiele beginnen um 11.00 und 14.00 Uhr in Rapperswil-Jona Lido.
Das zweite Softball-Team, die SG Eagles/Challengers, reisen am Samstag, 16. Juni nach Bern. Das Team unter der Leitung von Jerome Müller und Leandra Simitovic spielt gegen die Bern Cardinals, Spielbeginn ist um 11.00 und 13.30 Uhr.
Die U15-Cadets spielen am Sonntag, 17. Juni in Embrach gegen die Black Hawks und die Hünenberg Unicorns. Die Partien sind auf 10.00 und 12.30 Uhr angesetzt.

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Ladies swept by strong Flyers

The Softball-Team lost twice against the first placed Therwil Flyers on Sunday, June 10. Nancy Plamondon opened the score with a two-run shot in the top of the first inning and the Flyers never looked back. Elise Beguelin also went deep in the bottom of the fifth frame to make it 2-4 and the Challengers came within one run, as Karen Heimgartner scored too, but the Flyers answered with two runs in the sixth and added two insurance runs in the seventh. The C’s were able to score three times in the seventh, but the Flyers eventually won 8-6, retireing the tying run, as Celine Welti lined out to the shortstop.
The Flyers took an early lead in Game 2 again, as they scored seven runs in the second inning on four hits, one walk and two hit batters, while Sophie Zihlmann kept the Challengers’ bats quiet, till the fourth frame, as Taylor Mc Cants delivered a triple and scored later. Alexia Zingg and Andrea Wirth scored two runs in the fifth to make it 3-8, but the Flyers added another two runs to win easily 10-3.
Because the Luzern Eagles swept the Zürich Barracudas on Sunday, the Challengers dropped into fifth place with a 5-7 record and already 1.5 games behind fourth place.

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Cadets win double header in Huenenberg

The Cadets made a strong showing this weekend winning their opening game 10-0 versus the Wil Devils and then winning the afternoon game 10-0 against the Huenenberg Unicorns.
In the first game the scoring started when Ryan Ciemny walked and then scored on an RBI single by Michael Iacono. In the second inning the Cadets bats exploded Alex Homburg singled and scored, Marcel Zuberbühler also singled and scored. Jake Namovich and Jake Tuckner both were walked and then got batted home on singles by Tobias Haynor, Ryan Ciemny, and Michael Iacono. In the third inning Tobias Bonger led off with a single followed by a double off the bat of Sebastian Bonger and both moved quickly around the bases to score. Haynor finished off the games scoring with an RBI double.
Namovich started and got the win with Seb Bonger closing out the game by striking out the side in the fourth inning.
In the second game against a strong Unicorns team the story line was the pitching as Ryan Ciemny and Iacono combined to strike out 11 of 16 batters that they faced.
The offensive punch was provided by Toby Haynor who went 3 for 3 with 2 RBIs and scoring two runs, Seb Bonger was 2 for 3 with a double and 3 RBI’s and also scored a run. Michael Iacono scored 3 runs.
Overall it was a great day with surprisingly nice weather. We were glad to see some real break out performances at the plate this weekend with Alex Homburg going 2 for 4, Seb Bonger was 3 for 5 with 2 doubles and 3 RBI’s, and Toby Haynor had the monster bat going 5 for 6 with a double and 4 RBI’s.

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