For the third time already the Zurich Challengers are hosting the Softball Hitting & Pitching Clinic with Mariëlle Vleugels in Zurich. On Saturday and Sunday, the Swiss softball players can take various lessons with the former Dutch National Team player, 2022 European Champion, and current Assistant Coach of the Dutch National Softball Team. Registration and further details can be found on the Challengers Facebook page.
Continue Reading » Hitting & Pitching Clinic with Mariëlle Vleugels
On Sunday the tenth edition of the Challengers Junior Indoor Tournament took place in the sports hall at the ETH Hönggerberg. After the last two tournaments were held in February and March, respectively, the Challengers returned to their original November date. As usual, four teams each competed in the U12 Juveniles and U15 Cadets age groups.
For many of the numerous new Challengers U12 players, it was their first competitive tournament. Therefore, finishing in fourth place was of secondary importance. The home team also fielded the youngest squad in the Cadets category, as a large number of players were competing in the older junior age group for the first time. Here, too, the hosts finished in fourth place. The Challengers thank all participants, spectators, and, last but not least, all the volunteers who made the anniversary edition of the indoor tournament at Zurich’s Hönggerberg campus a resounding success.
The Challengers present the new coaching staff for the U15-Cadets for the 2026 season. Garrick Smith, who led the team last season, will be succeeded by Armin Blickenstorfer, a Challenger native. After more than a decade as an NLA player and four Swiss championship titles, he moved to the sidelines, where he coached baseball, softball, and junior teams, including the Swiss Little League team. Most recently, he was the successful head coach of the Challengers’ U12 Juveniles for several years and since 2025 he has also been an assistant coach for the Swiss Cadets national team.
The new coaching staff includes Mindy Siemers, who previously worked with Blickenstorfer at the Juveniles level, and Livan Gonzalez, who, as a Cuban, has baseball in his blood and extensive experience in martial arts. The new team manager will be Jean-Claude Nicoud.
The Challengers would like to thank Garrick Smith and Nico Bucher for their outstanding commitment to the Cadets.
The Challengers’ softball season is over. They have been swept by the strong Zurich Barracudas in their best-of-three semifinal series.
The Barracudas, who finished second in the qualifying round, were the favorites. However, the Challengers won two of their four preliminary round games against the reigning Swiss champions, giving the visitors legitimate hopes of an upset. But these hopes quickly vanished. The Barracudas unleashed an offensive firework right from the start, which the Challengers’ defense was no match for. Although the Challengers took a 1-0 lead in the first inning thanks to an RBI single by Carmen Lutz-Demetz, the Barracudas scored a total of twelve runs with no fewer than ten hits, three walks, and one error in the first two innings, thus already clinching the game. The Challengers never recovered from this furious start, and after four innings the game ended with a score of 16-2 due to the mercy rule.
The break between the two games clearly helped the Challengers. In any case, they were able to keep the second game even for a long time. Both Challengers starter Karen Heimgartner and Barracudas pitcher Faith Weber kept the opposing bats under control, so that the first threat didn’t arise until the fourth inning, when the Challengers had runners on second and third base. However, Weber managed to pull herself out of trouble. The Barracudas even made it better in the fifth inning, although the runs occurred more by chance. With the bases loaded and one out, Jessica Rölli didn’t hit the ball properly, but ultimately decided the game. The ball died after five meters, making it impossible for the C’s defense to get an out at home plate. The attempt to make the play failed, and another error was added, allowing the Barracudas to score three runs on what was supposed to be a botched hit. And Faith Weber added an RBI double later in the inning to make it 4-0. With the end of the season in sight, the Challengers fought back. In the sixth inning, they once again had runners on second and third base this time with no outs. And this time the visitors were able to collect. Isabelle Tan brought home Taylor McCants with an RBI single, before the Barracudas turned a crucial double play, meaning the Challengers could only make it 2-4 a little later due to a wild pitch. In the final inning, however, national team player Mariah Jameyson put the series under the belt with a spectacular solo home run to make it 5-2. The Barracudas’ offense was ultimately too strong. They will now face the Wittenbach Panthers in the finals next weekend, just like last year. (Photo: Hans Dübendorfer)
Softball Playoff Semi-Final, best-of-three: Zürich Challengers (3.) vs. Zürich Barracudas (2.), 0-2
Game 1, Saturday, September 20, Rümlang Rümelbach: Zürich Challengers vs. Zürich Barracudas 2-16
Game 2, Saturday, September 20, Rümlang Rümelbach: Zürich Barracudas vs. Zürich Challengers 5-2
After the long break from the championships due to the European Cup tournaments and the European Softball Championship, which Switzerland finished in an excellent 12th place, the Swiss softball playoffs begin next Saturday. A curious twist is emerging: All games in the best-of-3 semifinal series between the Wittenbach Panthers and the Luzern Eagles on the one hand, and the Zurich Barracudas and the Zurich Challengers on the other, will be played as tripleheaders on Saturday, September 20th.
The Zurich derby promises to be quite exciting again. The preliminary round saw a split in both doubleheaders. However, the Barracudas had the edge in the standings with a 16-4 record compared to the Challengers’ 12-8 record. Another advantage for the Barracudas could be the playing experience they gained at the European Cup in Enschede, Netherlands, where they only lost in the final to the French representative. The Challengers will argue that they are more rested and have been able to prepare specifically for the playoffs, the highlight of their season. Next Saturday Rümlang Rümelbach will reveal where the truth lies.
Softball Playoff Semi-Final, best-of-three: Zürich Challengers (3.) vs. Zürich Barracudas (2.), 0-0
Game 1, Saturday, September 20, 10 a.m., Rümlang Rümelbach: Zürich Challengers vs. Zürich Barracudas
Game 2, Saturday, September 20, 12.30 p.m., Rümlang Rümelbach: Zürich Barracudas vs. Zürich Challengers
Game 3, Saturday, September 20, 3 p.m., Rümlang Rümelbach: Zürich Challengers vs. Zürich Barracudas (if necessary)
Head-to-head:
Season Series: Zürich Barracudas vs. Zürich Challengers 2-2 Wins
Overall (since 2011): Zürich Barracudas vs. Zürich Challengers 42-18 Wins
Playoff Series: Zürich Barracudas vs. Zürich Challengers 1-3 Series Wins
Last Playoff Series: Semi-Final 2024: Zürich Barracudas vs. Zürich Challengers 2-0 Wins
Thanks to the early end of the season due to the European Baseball Championship, which will take place at the end of September, the traditional Challengers Veterans’ Game took place earlier than ever before. The beautiful weather, contrary to the forecast, contributed to the fact that around 40 former, current, and future greats ultimately battled for hits, runs and outs. Among others, Thomas Blank, Armin Blickenstorfer, Harry Bregy, Nick Lehmann, Chris Palatinus, Benny Räber, Manuel Schretzmann, Willy Schaub, Tobias Siegrist, and Pieter Zandt demonstrated that they haven’t forgotten their baseball skills.
Honorary President Marianne Blickenstorfer flew in especially from South Africa, Nick Siemers interrupted his stay in the USA for the traditional event, and Gary Kochlefl, the 1998 Swiss Champion, and Peter Rothenhäusler, the 1986 Swiss Champion, were among the spectators. Veteran’s Game also means that the father gets a hit aagainst his son, who retaliates with a pickoff, the batting order consists of 13 players, and then there’s lively discussion including beer and sausages. Once again the Veteran’s Game was a complete success.
The home team qualified for the chmapionship game of the U12-Juveniles final four tournament at the Klopstockwiese in Zurich-Enge. The Challengers beat the Geneva Dragons 6-2 in the first semifinal. However, the Therwil Flyers proved too strong in the final.
The finals day began well for the Challengers. Although the visitors from Geneva took a 2-0 lead in the first inning, the home team immediately responded with three runs to make it 3-2. And because the defense, led by strong pitcher Roy Gonzalez, didn’t allow any more runs and the Challengers regularly added runs on offense, the Zurich team ultimately secured a comfortable 6-2 victory. In the second semifinal, the Therwil Flyers defeated the Lucerne Eagles in an extremely close game with a 2-1 walk-off victory.
The finals thus pitted the Therwil Flyers against the Zurich Challengers – once again in a final in Swiss baseball. However, this soon proved to be a one-sided affair. In the first inning, the Challengers made a fatal error in the outfield, giving the Baselbieters a 2-0 lead. The Challengers failed to respond. The offense remained largely harmless, all the close plays were going to the Flyers, who steadily extended their lead to 7-0. It wasn’t until the fourth inning that the Challengers finally got on the scoreboard. Then the Flyers went on to blast off, scoring seven more runs with numerous impressive extra-base hits. The Challengers showed some courage in the final inning, scoring two more runs to make it 3-14. The championship title, however, logically went to Therwil. The Geneva Dragons took the bronze medal with a 5-4 victory over the Eagles.
U12 Final-Four Schedule, Sunday, August 31., Klopstockwiese, Zurich-Enge:
Semi-Final no. 1: Geneva Dragons vs. Zürich Challengers 2-6
Semi-Final no. 2: Luzern Eagles vs. Therwil Flyers 1-2
Game for third place: Geneva Dragons vs. Luzern Eagles 5-4
Final: Therwil Flyers vs. Zürich Challengers 14-3
The final-four tournament for the U12 Juveniles will take place on Sunday at the Klopstockwiese in Zurich-Enge. The four best teams from the preliminary round will compete. These are the Therwil Flyers and the Geneva Dragons from the Western group, while the Lucerne Eagles and the Zurich Challengers prevailed in the Eastern group.
In the semifinals at 10:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m., the top two teams from each group will face the runner-up from the other group. The losers of the semifinals will play for the bronze medal at 2:00 p.m., and the winners will compete for the U12 Swiss championship at 4:00 p.m.
U12 Final-Four Schedule, Sunday, August 31., Klopstockwiese, Zurich-Enge:
10 a.m., Semi-Final no. 1: Geneva Dragons vs. Zürich Challengers
12 p.m., Semi-Final no. 2: Luzern Eagles vs. Therwil Flyers
2 p.m., Game for third place
4 p.m., Final
The Challengers also decisively lost Game 2 of the best-of-three playoff quarterfinal series against the Zurich Barracudas’ second team. This brought the Challengers’ season to an end.
After the Challengers’ second team won three of their four games in the second round, they were unable to wpost a win in the playoffs against their local rivals. Just as in the series opener a week ago, Game 2 was also decided early. Although the visitors scored the first run with an RBI single from Bastian Kämpfer, and the Barracudas were unable to add twelve runs again in the first inning, the Challengers’ defense committed three errors in the first frame, resulting in four unearned runs and an early 1-5 deficit. The home team clearly had no intention of playing a deciding game 3. The Barracudas kept their foot on the gas and sealed the Challengers’ season with another five runs in the third inning, making the score 14-2.
The Challengers did a bit of cosmetic work at the end. Jasper Freigang hit an RBI double and Florin Kämpfer a 2-run single, before Daniel Smith and Noam Blickenstorfer scored on an error by the Barracudas defense, and Jasper Freigang scored his team’s final run of the 2025 season on a wild pitch. The final score was 18-8.
NLB Playoff Quarterfinal, best-of-three: Zurich Challengers II vs. Zurich Barracudas II, 0-2
Game 1, Sunday, August 17: Zurich Barracudas II vs. Zurich Challengers II 21-5
Game 2, Sunday, August 24: Zurich Challengers II vs. Zurich Barracudas II 8-18
After the NLB-Team decisively lost Game 1 of the best-of-three quarterfinal series against the Zurich Barracudas’ second team last weekend, they find themselves with their backs against the wall on Sunday at the Heerenschürli ballpark.
To turn the series around and extend their season, they need two wins against their local rivals. To achieve this, they need a significant improvement in performance and, above all, a better start into the game. From a mental perspective, the starting position is simple. The Challengers have nothing left to lose.
NLB Playoff Quarterfinal, best-of-three: Zurich Challengers II vs. Zurich Barracudas II, 0-1
Game 1, Sunday, August 17: Zurich Barracudas II vs. Zurich Challengers II 21-5
Game 2, Sunday, August 24, 11:00 AM, Heerenschürli: Zurich Challengers II vs. Zurich Barracudas II
Game 3, Sunday, August 24, 2:00 PM, Heerenschürli: Zurich Challengers II vs. Zurich Barracudas II (if necessary)