The NLB-Team lost twice to their cross-town rivals Zurich Barracudas on Sunday, June 6 at the Heerenschürli ballpark. The Challengers rallied for seven runs, but the Barracudas built a nine run lead again to eventually win 18-13 after 3 hours and 20 minutes in Game 1. Adrian Kämpfer led the Challengers’ offense with two hits, while Roger Burger and Daiki Sato scored three runs apiece.
Ralph Vonderschmitt outdueled the Challengers’ pitching staff, but the Barracudas needed Marcel Spring’s RBI-triple in the top of the seventh inning to knock off the Challengers in Game 2. The Barracudas opened the score in the third inning, while Lukas Krautter tied the game in the bottom of the fifth inning at 1-1. Challengers starter Jarrod Baker allowed one run and two hits with two walks and four strikeouts in three innings on his birthday, before handing over the ball to his bullpen. While Vonderschmitt kept the Challengers’ bats under control, the Barracudas scored the game-winning run on the only hit they had over the last three innings. Korey Kovac was given the loss after allowing two unearned runs and one hit with one walk and one strikeout in 2.1 innings of relief.
The Challengers are now in seventh place with a 1-7 record. They will face the Thun Hunters on Sunday, June 13 at Thun.

Weiterlesen » NLB-Team loses Zurich derby

The NLB-Team won its first game since returning to the national league B on Sunday, May 30 at Sissach against the Therwil Flyers. In the first game of the day the Flyers kept the Challangers’ bats silent, as they posted a 3-0 shutout win over the C’s. But the blue and red answered powerful in Game 2, as they cruised to a 20-1 victory over the Flyers.

Weiterlesen » NLB-Team celebrates first victory

The NLB-Team is still seeking for the first victory of the season, after losing twice to the Wil Devils on Sunday, May 16.
The Devils scored four runs in the first inning, but the C’s answered by four runs of their own. After exchanging zeros in the next two frames, four errors from the Challengers’ defense enabled the Devils to make it 8-4. And the Devils scored three insurance runs on another costly error in the seventh to make it 11-5. The C’s cut the deficit to three, but the Devils eventually posted an 11-8 win.
Roger Burger, Bryan Shemley and Yanik Probst delivered two hits apiece, while Dean Scherbaum was given the loss, as he allowed six runs – only one earned – six hits and six walks and two strikeouts in six innings.
In Game 2 the two teams were head-to-head again. Patrick Maier tossed six magnificient innings for the Challengers, as he allowed only one unearned run and three hits with one walk and thirteen strikeouts. But it was not enough, as the C’s stranded a total of eleven runners and the Devils held on for a 3-1 win over the C’s, who have now a dismal 0-4 record, despite four good performances so far.

Weiterlesen » NLB-Team cannot top Devils

Challengers U18-Nationalspieler Yanik Probst nimmt am Donnerstag, 6. Mai an den MLB European Academy Try-out Sessions im deutschen Bonn teil. Mit Rafael Eigenmann (Flyers) und Beni Zumbrunn (Hunters) nehmen zwei weitere Schweizer an den Try-outs teil.

Weiterlesen » Probst an MLB European Academy Try-out Sessions

Die zweite Mannschaft der Challengers bestritt am Sonntag, 25. April ihr erstes NLB-Spiel seit der Saison 2007. Dabei trafen sie in Bern gegen die Cardinals auf einen Mitaufsteiger aus der 1.Liga. Das Team aus der Bundeshauptstadt setzte sich dabei mit 11-6 und 8-7 zweimal knapp gegen die Challengers durch.

Weiterlesen » Zweite Mannschaft zurück in der NLB

Challengers Catcher und U18 Nationalspieler Gabe Staub zog sich bei einem Sturz auf einer Eisplatte in der Nähe seines Wohnorts am Mittwoch einen Schien- und Wadenbeinbruch zu. Staub wurde bereits erfolgreich operiert. Zur Stabilisierung des rechten Schien- und Wadenbeins setzten ihm die Aerzte eine Titanplatte ein. Der 15-jährige wird wohl den grssten Teil der Saison 2010 ausfallen.

Weiterlesen » Staub fällt lange aus