The Softball-Team stays at .500 after splitting with the reigning Swiss champion Luzern Eagles on Saturday, June 2 at Reussbühl. The Challengers erased a four-run deficit in the fifth inning, as they batted around twice to score twelve unanswered runs for a 17-9 victory in Game 1. Leandra Simitovic delivered three hits and drove in four, while Nadja Critelli scored three times. Elise Beguelin went-1-for-3 with two RBI’s and scored twice in her first game for the Challengers.
In Game 2 the Eagles built an early 6-2 lead after scoring 5 times in the second inning, but the Challengers cut the deficit to one run in the fifth, as Simitovic delivered a RBI-double and Beguelin followed with a RBI-triple to make it 5-6. But the Eagles answered with two runs of their own in the fifth and added some more runs in the sixth to eventually walk away with a 12-5 win.
The Challengers remain in fourth place with a 5-5 record. They will face the first-placed Therwil Flyers on Sunday, June 10 at the Klopstockwiese.
Ladies remain at .500
Challengers win local derby
The Challengers improved their record to .500, as they posted a 9-5 come from behind victory over their cross-town rivals Barracudas on Saturday night at the Heerenschürli ballpark. The C’s opened the score in the bottom of the fourth frame, but the Barracudas answered right away with five runs of their own. But the C’s erased the four-run deficit in the fifth and sixth innings, before Thomas Blank broke a 5-5 tie with a two-run double, that drove in Tobias Siegrist and Robert Sedin to make it 7-5 in the bottom of the eight inning. Fabio Aimi with a RBI-single and Stephan Pribitzer with a sac fly added two insurance runs to make it 9-5.
Andrea Girasole tossed 8 2-3 strong innings allowing five runs, only two of them earned, and eight hits with seven strikeouts, while closer Thomas Burger recorded the last out with two runners on base for his first save of the sesaon. Säntis Zeller had a game-high three hits including a RBI-triple, while Tobias Siegrist and Bryan Shemley had two hits apiece.
The Challengers will host the Barracudas again for another night game on Wednesday, June 6 at the Heerenschürli ballpark.
NLB-Team swept by Barracudas
The NLB-Team lost twice to the Zurich Barracudas on the derby day at the Heerenschürli ballpark on Saturday, June 2. The C’s lost 6-12 to the Barracudas in Game 1, before the Barracudas cruised to an easy 23-2 win in Game 2.
Continue Reading » NLB-Team swept by BarracudasBeguelin arrived in Zurich
Newly acquired softball pitcher Elise Beguelin arrived in Zurich on Thursday to join the Challengers Softball-Team. The 20-year old right-handed pitcher, who was born in Hutchinson, Kansas, played with the Hutchinson Community College Softball Team in the NJCAA in 2010 and 2011. Beguelin, who graduated with an Associate of Arts degree, pitched in 85 games, had a 34-20 record and a 2.71 ERA in 327 innings pitched with 293 strikeouts in her two years with the Blue Dragons. She was also batting .347 with 119 hits, 57 RBI’s and scored 62 runs in 105 games.
Before playing with the Blue Dragons Beguelin played with the Nickerson Panthers Softball Team for the Nickerson High School.
Beguelin will make her debut for the Challengers on Saturday against the reigning Swiss champion Luzern Eagles at Reussbühl.
Derbytag am Samstag
Am Samstag, 2. Juni steigt im Baseballstadion Heerenschürli der erste Derbytag der laufenden Baseballmeisterschaft. Die Challengers und die Barracudas tragen gleich drei Partien gegeneinander aus. Zuerst spielen die beiden zweiten Mannschaften einen Doubleheader in der NLB-Meisterschaft. Die Spiele beginnen um 10.00 und 13.00 Uhr.
Um 18.00 Uhr laufen die beiden NLA-Teams im Heerenschürli auf. Das erste Derby der Saison ist gleichzeitig ein Kampf um den vierten Rang, wobei die Barracudas in der Tabelle eineinhalb Spiele in Vorsprung liegen. In der letzten Saison gewannen die Barracudas allerdings drei von vier Partien.
Das Softball-Team reist am Samstag, 2. Juni nach Luzern, wo es auf den amtierenden Meister Luzern Eagles trifft. Die Challengers gewannen zum Saisonauftakt gleich beide Partien, konnten seither aber nur zwei Siege hinzufügen. Die Spiele beginnen um 11.00 und 13.30 Uhr in Reussbühl Hinterruopigen.
Das zweite Softball-Team der Organisation, die SG Eagles/Challengers, empfangen am Sonntag, 3. Juni den Tabellenführer Therwil Flyers auf der Klopstockwiese. Die Spiele finden um 11.00 und 13.30 Uhr statt.
Die U12-Juveniles treffen am Samstag, 2. Juni auf die Hünenberg Unicorns, um die ausgefallenen Spiele vom 12. Mai nachzuholen. Spielbeginn ist um 11.00 und 13.30 Uhr in Dulliken Sportplatz Untere Ey.
Challengers best Lions
The Zurich Challengers extended their winning streak to three games, as they beat the Zurich Lions on Thursday, May 24 at the Heerenschürli ballpark. After an early rain delay the C’s worked the switches, as they scored three runs in the third and added another two runs in the fourth frame to make it 6-0. And the C’s selt the deal, scoring ten times in the fifth inning to eventually win 17-0.
Andrea Girasole (2-2) and Tobias Siegrist combined for a shutout victory, while Robert Sedin drove in three runs with two doubles and every Challengers starter scored a run. The Challengers are now in fifth place with a 3-4 record. They will face the Zurich Barracudas on June 2 and June 6 in night games at the Heerenschürli ballpark.
Drei Challengers im Nati-Kader
Die Challengers Spieler Andrea Girasole, Tobias Siegrist und Säntis Zeller wurden von Headcoach Andy Fleischacker ins 21-köpfige Kader des Schweizer Nationalteams für das Finkstonball Turnier im österreichischen Attnang-Puchheim berufen, welches vom 26. bis 28. Mai stattfindet.
Continue Reading » Drei Challengers im Nati-KaderLadies with two tough losses
The Softball-Team lost twice against their cross-town rivals Barracudas on Sunday, May 20 in two hard fought battles that lasted more than two hours each. In Game 1 the Challengers’ rally came too late, as the Barracudas recorded the last two outs with the bases loaded to hold on to a 9-7 victory. In Game 2 the Challengers were one strike away from the victory twice, but the Barracudas erased a 3-6 deficit in the seventh inning before erupting for seven runs in the extra inning for a dramatic 13-7 win. With this two tough losses the C’s drop to a 4-4 record.
Continue Reading » Ladies with two tough lossesU12-Juveniles open season with two wins
The U12-Juveniles finally opened their season as well, after their first gameday of the year has been rained out. The SG TruckStar/Challengers swept the Therwil Flyers on Sunday, May 20. The SG TruckStar/Challengers posted a 7-0 shutout victory in Game 1 and added a 9-7 win in Game 2.
Continue Reading » U12-Juveniles open season with two winsJuveniles sweep Therwil
In the first double header of the season, the Juveniles swept the Therwil Flyers with a 7-0 win in the first game and a 9-7 win in the nightcap.
In game 1, the Challengers/TruckStar started slow as they worked out the rust from a long winter. Only 1 run was scored in the first 3 innings as lead off hitter Jake Tuckner singled and worked quickly around the bases scoring on a passed ball. In the fourth inning the Challengers/TruckStar added 2 more as Will Ciemny and Marc Tsukroff both scored. The big inning was the final one as Tuckner singled, and Nolan Thommen walked to put two runners in place. Then Ciemny delivered an RBI singled followed by a 2 RBI triple from Tsukroff. Tsukroff then finished up the scoring on a fielder’s choice hit by Tobias Bonger.
Jayfry Meier had a big day in his Challenger debut going 2 for 3 with a double and a triple. Julian Thomet started at pitcher and got the win and Jake Tuckner finished it off with 3 strong innings in relief.
In the second game the Challengers bats exploded right from the start with 4 runs in the first inning, 3 in the second and one each in the third and fourth innings. Tuckner was 2 for 3 with a double that nearly cleared the fence and scored 3 runs. Ciemny also hit big going 2 for 3 with a double, an RBI and scored 2 runs. Tsukroff ripped 2 doubles which bounced over the fence and both knocked in runs, he also scored one run. Felix Paesler from the Truckstar also had a double and scored a run.
Julian Thomet and Manabu Rohr combined for 4 nearly flawless innings of pitching giving up only 1 hit and one walk.
The Flyers made a game of it in the final inning as they put together 7 runs but in the end the effort fell short as Ciemny caught a line drive at first to end the game.
Congratulations to the Challenger/Truckstar on their opening weekend win.