The Challengers took part in the Women’s Softball European Cup Winners Cup “B” in Mont-Saint-Guibert, Belgium last week. After a veritable run of improvement with four wins in a row they finished the tournament in third place.

In Belgium the Challengers met the Egedal Stars from Denmark, MRKI Medvedi from Croatia and the host Mont-Saint-Guibert Phoenix. The start of the tournament was anything but optimal for the Zurich team. On the opening day the Challengers had to admit losses to both the Danes from Egedal and the Croatians. There was more to it, especially in the game against Egedal, as the score was still 1-1 after five innings before the Danes managed to decide the match. The game against the hosts Mont-Saint-Guibert was similar. Here too the game was tied before the Belgians were able to pull away with a six-run inning.

But the Zurich team improved over the course of the tournament. They were unrecognizable in the return matches against the same teams. The Challengers beat Egedal 8-0, against Medvedi they took an early 6-0 lead to the finish line with a 7-5 win despite a comeback by the Croatians, and in the last preliminary round game they inflicted the only defeat of the tournament on the home team, which had already qualified for the final, with a 9-1 win. Ultimately the Challengers missed out on reaching the final due to the run difference with the Croatians, who had the same number of wins.

In the Bronze Medal Game the Challengers faced the Egedal Stars again. The Zurich team took a 2-0 lead in the third inning and were able to immediately respond to the Danes’ run in the fifth inning with an RBI single from Carmen Lutz-Demetz to make it 3-1. Pitcher Madison Johnson brought the victory home and secured third place for the Challengers. Pick-up player Madison Johnson was also voted the best pitcher of the tournament.

Results:

• Tuesday, August 20th, 11.30am: Egedal Stars vs. Zürich Challengers 6-2
• Tuesday, August 20th, 4.30pm: MRKI Medvedi vs. Zürich Challengers 10-6
• Wednesday, August 21st, 7pm: Zürich Challengers vs. Mont-Saint-Guibert Phoenix 1-8
• Thursday, August 22nd, 11.30am: Zürich Challengers vs. Egedal Stars 8-0
• Thursday, August 22nd, 4:30 p.m.: Zürich Challengers vs. MRKI Medvedi 7-5
• Friday, August 23rd, 7:00 p.m.: Mont-Saint-Guibert Phoenix vs. Zürich Challengers 1-9
• Saturday, August 24th, 2:00 p.m.: Bronze Medal Game Egedal Stars vs. Zürich Challengers 1-3
• Saturday, August 24th, 5:00 p.m.: Final MRKI Medvedi vs. Mont-Saint-Guibert Phoenix 0-8