Tuesday night was a bad case of déjà vu for the Softball-Team, as the Challengers were edged by the Barracudas 6-7 at Rümlang. For the third time this season and for the second time against the Barracudas, the C’s lost a game with the bases loaded and the tying run on base in the seventh inning. With two outs Elise Beguelin lined a rope right into the glove of Barracudas shortstop Ines Dübendorfer to seal their 7-6 victory.
Despite the Challengers outhit the Barracudas 11-6 and the C’s defense committed less errors, the Challengers lost for the fourth time in a row. Melissa Everitt broke up a 2-2 tie with a two-run double in the second frame and a 5-5 tie with a two-run single in the fourth inning. The C’s tied the game in the top of the fourth, as Andrea Wirth, Celine Welti and Taylor Mc Cants scored three runs to make it 5-5, but they managed to score only one more run in the last three frames, while leaving six runners on base in this span.
Elise Beguelin delivered three hits including two doubles and Taylor Mc Cants went 3-for-4 and scored twice, while Leandra Simitovic gave up seven runs – six earned – on six hits and seven walks while striking out one.
The Challengers dropped to sixth place with a dismal 5-8 record and are already two games behind fourth place.
Ladies lose fourth in a row
Softball-Derby am Dienstag
Die Softballerinnen treffen am Dienstag Abend, 19. Juni in Rümlang auf den Lokalrivalen Zürich Barracudas. Die ersten beiden Begegnungen am 20. Mai konnten die Barracudas mit 6-3 und 13-7 nach Extra-Innings knapp für sich entscheiden. Spielbeginn ist um 19.00 Uhr in Rümlang Rümelbach.
Continue Reading » Softball-Derby am DienstagChallengers move over .500
The Challengers moved over .500 for the first time in 2012 after sweeping the Luzern Eagles on Sunday, June 17 at the Heerenschürli ballpark. Andrea Girasole tossed seven dominant innings, as he allowed one run, two hits and three walks while striking out eight and the offense scored five times in the sixth inning to make it 6-0, as the Challengers posted a 9-5 victory in Game 1 over the Eagles.
The C’s had also a good start in Game 2, as they opened the score in the first inning to make it 3-0. The Eagles answered with two runs in the second frame and four in the fourth to make it 6-3, but the C’s battled hard and turned the game around again en route to an 11-7 win. Fabio Aimi went 4-for-5 and Luigi Cinardi drove in three runs, while Tobias Siegrist and Chris Palatinus scored three runs apiece. The Challengers remain in fifth place, but improved their record to 6-5.
U15-Cadets mit zwei weiteren Erfolgen
Die U15-Cadets der Challengers zeigten erneut eine starke Leistung und konnten sich am Sonntag, 17. Juni zwei weitere Siege gutschreiben. Das erste Spiel gegen die Black Hawks ging mit 8-0 an die Challengers, im zweiten Spiel des Tages setzten sich die Challengers gegen die Hünenberg Unicorns knapp mit 9-7 durch.
Continue Reading » U15-Cadets mit zwei weiteren ErfolgenCadets 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.
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.
Continue Reading » NLB-Team moves into 2nd placeSG 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.
Continue Reading » SG Eagles/Challengers downed by CardinalsChallengers 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.
NLA games postponed
The NLA games between the Luzern Eagles and the Challengers have been canceled due to heavy rain and an unplayable field. No make-up date has been announced so far. The two teams will face each other on Sunday, June 17 at the Heerenschürli ballpark.
Continue Reading » NLA games postponedLadies 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.