The Softball-Team swept the first-placed Therwil Flyers on Sunday, May 29 at Therwil to even its record at 6-6. The Challengers used a late-inning rally to take Game 1, as they posted a 6-2 victory over the Flyers, who saw their perfect 8-0 record ruined, by an almost perfect Challengers defense.
The Flyers opened the score with two runs in the first inning. Then the two teams exchanged zeros on the scoreboard for the next four innings, before the C’s started their rally. Leandra Simitovic led off the sixth inning with a double, followed by an RBI-single from Nancy Plamondon, an RBI-single by Simone Zurschmitten and a two-run double from Simona Cellar to make it 4-2. And the C’s added two insurance runs in the seventh frame to eventually win 6-2.
Brittany Howell and Simone Zurschmitten had three hits apiece, while Leandra Simitovic allowed two runs – none earned – and seven hits with three walks while also striking out two for her third win of the season.
And the C’s added another win, as Brittany Howell tossed a two-hitter with ten strikeouts and the C’s outhit the Flyers 11-2 in the second game for a 5-1 victory. Brigit Zuber and Taylor Mc Cants scored one run in the first and second inning for a 2-0 Challengers lead. The Flyers cut the deficit to one run in the bottom of the second, but the C’s answered with three runs of their own in the fourth frame. And that was all Howell and her strong defense needed. Simone Zurschmitten drove in Brittany Howell with an RBI-triple before scoring on an error by the Flyers defense and Leandra Simitovic drove in Ziegylou Wehrli to make it 5-1.
Brigit Zuber led the offense with three hits, while Brittany Howell delivered two doubles and Taylor Mc Cants had a double and a single.
The Ladies are now tied for fourth place with the Zürich Barracudas and will face next the Wil Devils on June 18.

The Softball-Team swept the Luzern Eagles 2 on Saturday, May 21 at Reussbühl. The Challengers scored 11 runs in the first inning, as they cruised to a 21-3 victory in Game 1. Taylor Mc Cants went 3-for-4 and Leandra Simitovic had two hits, four runs and drove in four, while Brittany Howell added a base-clearing 3-run triple in her debut in a Challengers uniform.
Game 2 was much closer, as the Eagles cut the deficit to two runs in the bottom of the third inning, but the C’s scored eight unanswered runs to eventually win 13-3. Brittany Howell belted an inside-the-park-homer to start the sixth frame, while Andrea Wirth went 2-for-3 with a double and three RBI’s. Taylor Mc Cants recorded her first career win, as she allowed two runs – one earned – and three hits with three strikeouts in five innings.

 
Newly acquired softball pitcher Brittany Howell arrived in Zurich on Friday to join the Challengers Softball-Team. The 22-year old left-handed pitcher, who was born in Mt. Vernon, Washington, played with the Blue Hose Presbyterian College Softball Team in the NCAA Division I in 2011. Howell, who was majoring in economics, pitched in 24 games, with 19 starts, and had a 10-6 record and a 2.75 ERA in 119.2 innings pitched in her senior year.
 
In high school Howell won the State 2B championship with the Concrete Lions High School Softball Team in 2007. She garnered state Player of the Year honors as a senior and was a three-time league MVP. She ended her high school career with a state record 1’128 strikeouts.
 
Howell will make her debut for the Challengers on Saturday against the Luzern Eagles 2 at Reussbühl.