The NLB-Team improved its record to a perfect 3-0, as the Challengers posted a 16-6 victory over the Zurich Barracudas on Wednesday night at the Heerenschürli ballpark. The Barracudas built a 5-0 lead till the first half of the third inning, as a shower caused a 20 minutes rain delay. And the rain washed away all doubts, as the C’s started a 2-out rally in the bottom of the third frame, scoring 4 runs to make it 4-5. The Barracudas scored one more run in the fourth, but from there reliever Yanik Probst shut the door, while the Challengers scored twelve unanswered runs to eventually win 16-6. Daiki Sato went 3-for-4 and Gabe Staub had three hits with three RBI’s, while Probst tossed 4.1 shutout innings for his first win of the season.
Weiterlesen » NLB-Team remains unbeatenNLB-Team spielt Night Game am Mittwoch
Das NLB-Team bestreitet am Mittwoch Abend im Baseballstadion Heerenschürli ein Night Game gegen den Stadtrivalen Zürich Barracudas. Die Challengers werden versuchen ihre Ungeschlagenheit zu bewahren, nachdem sie am Eröffnungstag der Saison gegen die Thun Hunters zwei Siege feiern konnten. Spielbeginn ist um 19.00 Uhr im Heerenschürli.
Weiterlesen » NLB-Team spielt Night Game am MittwochLadies split with Cardinals – again
The Softball-Team split with the Bern Cardinals again on Sunday, May 8 at the Klopstockwiese. And the crowd witnessed a thriller, as the Challengers scored two runs with two outs in the bottom of the seventh inning to eventually win 13-12 in Game 1. The Cards led three times, but a decisive error on the last play enabled Simona Cellar and Ziegylou Wehrli to score the tying and winning runs. Cellar and Wehrli led the Challengers offense, as they delivered three hits and crossed the plate twice each, and Cellar and Nadja Critelli belted a triple each, while Taylor Mc Cants had a double, a single, one RBI and scored one run in her debut for the Challengers.
Leandra Simitovic went the distance, as she allowed twelve runs – five of them unearned – on twelve hits and three walks with two strikeouts for her first win of the season.
Game 2 lasted only four innings, as the Challengers committed six errors in the first two frames, that led to eleven unearned runs and a 14-3 lead for the Cardinals, who eventually posted a 15-3 victory over the C’s. Taylor Mc Cants had no support from the defense in her first career start for the C’s, as she gave up 15 runs – only four earned – and twelve hits with two walks and one strikeout.
The Challengers will host the Therwil Flyers on Saturday, May 14 at the Klopstockwiese.
Challengers sweep Lions
The Challengers improved their record to 4-5 after winning twice against the Zürich Lions on Saturday, May 7 at the Heerenschürli.
The Challengers offense exploded for ten runs in the top of the eight inning, as the C’s posted a 18-7 win over the Lions in Game 1. The C’s built a five-run lead, but the Lions tied the game at 7-7 in the bottom of the fifth frame. Kurt Kovac had three hits and five RBI’s and Carlos Pena added four hits for the Challengers, while Thomas Burger pitched four innings of relief, allowing two hits and one run for his first win of the season.
Thomas Blank, Carlos Peña and Adrian Kämpfer turned a crucial double-play with the tying run on third base in the bottom of the fifth inning, as the Challengers edged the Lions 2-1 in Game 2. Jesus Martinez and Adrian Kämpfer had one RBI each, while Patrick Maier and Chris Palatinus combined for a two-hitter. Maier was credited with the win, as he allowed one run on one hit and six walks, while also striking out eight. Palatinus pitched the final 2.2 innings for his first save of the season.
Juveniles starten mit Sieg und Niederlage
Die U12-Juvniles der Spielgemeinschaft Challengers/TruckStar verzeichnete einen erfolgreichen Saisonstart am Samstag, 7. Mai in Dulliken. Im ersten Spiel landeten die Challengers/TruckStar einen 20-8 Erfolg gegen die Bern Cardinals/Sissach Frogs. Im zweiten Spiel erwies sich das Pitching der Thun Hunters als zu stark. Trotz starker Defense unterlagen die Challengers/TruckStar mit 0-6.
Weiterlesen » Juveniles starten mit Sieg und NiederlageChallengers spielen gegen Lions, Softballerinnen empfangen Cards
Das NLA-Team ist am Samstag, 7. Mai für einmal zu Gast im Stadion Heerenschürli. Die Challengers treffen dabei auf den bislang noch sieglosen Aufsteiger Zürich Lions. Beim ersten Duell anlässlich der Saisoneröffnung am 2. April gewannen die Challengers gegen die Lions mit 6-3. Die Spiele beginnen um 11.00 und 14.00 Uhr.
Das Softball-Team empfängt am Sonntag, 8. Mai die Bern Cardinals auf der Klopstockwiese. Beim letzten Aufeinandertreffen vor drei Wochen gab es für beide Teams je einen Sieg. Die Cardinals gewannen Spiel 1 mit 18-11, die Challengers die zweite Begegnung mit 9-1. Spielbeginn ist um 11.00 und 13.30 Uhr.
Am Samstag, 7. Mai starten die U18-Juniors in die Saison. Die Challengers nehmen in einer Spielgemeinschaft mit den Sissach Frogs und den Therwil Flyers an der Meisterschaft teil. Erster Gegner wird die Spielgemeinschaft der Wittenbach Vikings und Feldkirch Cardinals sein, gefolgt von der Begegnung mit der Spielgemeinschaft der Thun Hunters und Bern Cardinals. Die Spiele finden um 13.00 und 16.00 Uhr auf der Thuner Allmend statt.
Auch für die U12-Juveniles beginnt am Samstag, 7. Mai die neue Saison. Wie bei den Cadets nehmen die Challengers auchin der jüngsten Altersklasse in einer Spielgemeinschaft mit den Truck Star Dulliken an der Meisterschaft teil. Zum Saisonauftakt spielen die Challengers/TruckStar gegen die Thun Hunters sowie die Spielgemeinschaft Bern Cardinals/Sissach Frogs. Spielbeginn ist um 10.00 und 15.00 Uhr in Dulliken Sportplatz Untere Ey.
Cadets eroeffnen die Saison mit einer Punkteteilung
Die U15-Cadets der Spielgemeinschaft Challengers/TruckStar verzeichnete einen erfolgreichen Start in die Saison 2011. Am Sonntag, 1. Mai bezwangen die Challengers/TruckStar die Wil Devils in Spiel 1 in Rapperswil-Jona hauchdünn mit 10-9. Im zweiten Spiel des Tages setzten sich hingegen die Devils sicher mit 17-3 durch.
Weiterlesen » Cadets eroeffnen die Saison mit einer PunkteteilungChallengers swept by Mustangs
The Challengers lost twice to the Embrach Mustangs on Saturday, April 30 at the Heerenschürli ballpark. The Mustangs held on for a 5-3 victory over the C’s in Game 1, as Chris Hutchinson delivered a key 2-run single in the top of the eight inning and Roger Savoldelli tossed a complete game. Tobias Siegrist, Jesus Martinez and Chris Palatinus had RBI-singles for the Challengers, while Siegrist allowed five runs and eight hits with three walks and four strikeouts in eight innings.
And the Mustangs added another win, as they outhit the Challengers 13-6 and posted an 11-6 victory over the C’s in Game 2. Jesus Martinez highlighted the C’s offense with a solo shot over the left field wall to start the bottom of the fourth frame, while Carl Conway had two hits with one RBI and Carlos Pena scored two runs.
The Challengers will face next the Zurich Lions on May 7 at the Heerenschürli ballpark.
Challengers treffen auf die Embrach Mustangs
Das NLA-Team trifft am Samstag, 30. April im Stadion Heerenschürli auf den Tabellenzweiten Embrach Mustangs. Nach einem Split gegen die Luzern Eagles versuchen die Challengers (2-3) gegen die Mustangs (3-1) die Resultate aus dem Vorjahr zu wiederholen. Damals gewannen die Challengers drei von vier Partien darunter beide Heimspiele. Die Spiele beginnen um 11.00 und 14.00 Uhr.
Am Sonntag, 1. Mai beginnt in Rapperswil-Jona auch die Saison für die U15-Cadets. Die Cadets nehmen 2011 in einer Spielgemeinschaft mit den Truck Star Dulliken an der Meisterschaft teil. Zur Saisonpremiere empfangen die Challenegrs/Truck Star die Wil Devils. Spielbeginn ist um 11.00 und 13.30 Uhr in Rapperswil-Jona Lido.
Ladies post first win, split with Cards
The Softball-Team finally arrived in the win column, as the Challengers managed to split with the Bern Cardinals on Sunday, April 10. The Cards rallied for a 18-11 win in Game 1 against the Challengers. In Game 2 Karen Heimgartner led the Challengers to a 9-1 victory over the Cards, hurling seven innings of two-hit, one-run ball with one walk and eleven strikeouts.
The crowd saw an entertainig Game 1 with four lead changes, as the Cardinals and the Challengers combined for 27 hits, nine errors and several defensive misplays. After the Cards scored twice in the first inning, the Challengers answered with three runs in the second on three hits by Sophie Töpel, Celine Welti and Leandra Simitovic and an error by the Cards’ defense. But the Cards made it 5-3 in the bottom of the frame on a RBI-single by Aline Stämpfli and a two-run single by Lia Heimann. The Challengers took the lead again in the third inning, as four errors from the Cards enabled the C’s to score six runs to make it 9-5. After the Cards cut the deficit to one run in the fourth, they erupted for eight runs on five hits in the fifth inning to seal the deal.
Leandra Simitovic and rookie Sophie Töpel delivered two hits each and Brigit Zuber, Andrea Wirth, Simona Cellar, Sophie Töpel and Celine Welti scored two runs apiece for the Challengers, while Tiffany Toney and Lia Heimann went a perfect four-for-four for the Cardinals.
Game 2 was all Challengers, as they took an early lead and never looked back to eventually win 9-1 for their first victory of the season. The Challengers opened the score, as Simona Cellar drove in Brigit Zuber with an RBI-double and scored on a wild pitch to make it 2-0 in the first inning. And that was all Karen Heimgartner and her defense needed. After giving up one run in the bottom of the first frame, Heimgartner retired 17 straight batters, while the Challengers scored four more runs in the second and added another insurance run in the fourth frame to make it 7-1. Rookie Joy Amendola highlighted the seventh inning, as the Cards mishandled her groundball to enable Karen Heimgartner and Ziegylou Wehrli to make it 9-1. Leandra Simitovic had two hits, while Simitovic, Cellar and Heimgartner scored two runs apiece.
The Challengers are now in fifth place with a 1-3 record. They will face the Cardinals again on May 8 at the Klopstockwiese.