After the European Cup tournaments and the European Softball Championship, which Switzerland finished in a good 14th place, the decisive phase of the domestic championship begins with the playoff semifinals. The title holder Wittenbach Panthers will face the Bern Cardinals, while the second semifinal series will be played by the Zurich Barracudas and the Zurich Challengers, as in the past three years.
The Challengers have fond memories of the last three playoff semifinal series against their local rivals. In the current season, however, the Barracudas have established themselves as the second force behind the reigning champion Wittenbach. The Barracudas have won all four games against the Challengers, the last two duels by a very clear margin. While the Challengers have been able to use their greater experience to decisively defeat the young Barracudas team in the playoffs in recent years, the Greens are likely to be the favorites this year. But perhaps the Challengers can once again exploit their full potential in the semifinals. Something they have barely managed to do this season. Games 1 and 2 of the best-of-three series will take place on Saturday in Rümlang.
Softball playoff semifinals Zurich Barracudas vs. Zurich Challengers: 0-0 (best-of-three)
Saturday, September 14, 12:00 p.m., Rümlang Rümelbach: Zurich Challengers vs. Zurich Barracudas
Saturday, September 14, 2:30 p.m., Rümlang Rümelbach: Zurich Challengers vs. Zurich Barracudas
Saturday, September 21, 12:00 p.m., Zurich Klopstockwiese (if necessary): Zurich Barracudas vs. Zurich Challengers
Season duel: Barracudas vs. Challengers 4-0 (11-9, 12-10, 16-3, 9-1)
Wins since 2011: Barracudas vs. Challengers 38-16
Last playoff series: Barracudas vs. Challengers 1-2 (semifinals 2023)
Number of titles: Barracudas 11 (last 2020), Challengers 2 (last 2021)
Softball Playoffs with Zurich derby
Cadets finish season in third place
The U15 Cadets sweep the Rümlang Kobras 2-0 in the best-of-three series for the bronze medal and take third place. After a clear victory in Game 1, the Challengers took Game 2 with a walk-off win in extra innings.
The duel for bronze in the U15 Cadets championship was a repeat of the 2023 final. And just like a year ago the Challengers prevailed in the duel between the cantonal rivals against the Rümlang Kobras. The Zurich team laid the foundation for victory in Game 1 in the second inning. The C’s scored three runs from five hits, including a triple by Yannik Hobi and an RBI double by Noam Müller. One inning later they extended their lead to 6-2, also thanks in part to some errors by the Kobras. This broke their resistance and the Challengers added a few more runs to ultimately secure a 15-3 win.
The second game of the day remained dramatic until the last pitch. The Kobras once again gave everything they had and took a 2-0 lead in the second inning. But the Challengers also saved a few highlights for Game 2. Yannik Hobi opened the bottom half of the second inning with a solo home run and after a single by Jimmy Siemers, Ilai Blickenstorfer followed up with a 2-run home run over the center field fence. The Kobras took the lead again with two runs in the fourth inning to make it 4-3. Before the Challengers’ last attack, the score was still the same. But the Challengers managed to equalize. After singles by Noam Müller and Ben Dickow, Jasper Freigang made it 4-4 with an RBI groundout. In the extra inning pitcher Tyler Smith defused a bases loaded situation with no outs with his defense, giving the Challengers a chance to win it in the bottom half of the extra inning. And the C’s made short work of it. After a wild pitch Tyler Smith scored the winning run and secured the bronze medal for his team.
U15 Cadets series for bronze Zurich Challengers vs. Rümlang Kobras: score 2-0 (best-of-three)
Sunday, September 8, 11:00 a.m., Rümlang Rümelbach: Zürich Challengers vs. Rümlang Kobras 15-3
Sunday, September 8, 1:30 p.m., Rümlang Rümelbach: Rümlang Kobras vs. Zürich Challengers 4-5 (6 inn.)
Challengers lose semi-final in Swiss Cup
The Challengers also missed out on reaching the finals in the Swiss Cup. In the semi-final against the Zurich Barracudas they had no chance and were clearly defeated 5-18.
After the Challengers missed the finals in the championship and defending their title from 2023 was no longer possible, the Swiss Cup remained the last option to win something in the 2024 season. But the Zurich team had a weak afternoon in their last-chance game. In the first inning two errors led to four runs for the Barracudas, while the Challengers left the inning empty-handed despite having the bases loaded. After two innings the game was already decided. The Challengers helped the visitors pull away to 7-0 with another poorly executed play. It was not until the fourth inning that the home team’s offense woke up. Singles from Carsten Zuber and Jack Siemers and a hit-by-pitch to Simon Steffen loaded the bases with zero outs. A walk by Patrick Maier and a groundout by Säntis Zeller brought the first runs for the Challengers to make it 2-9. But the Barracudas could not be deterred from their winning ways. They had hits with great regularity, totaling 20 by the end of the game, so that they celebrated their entry into Sunday’s cup final with a final score of 18-5. For the Challengers the Swiss Cup ended in another disappointment.
The winners of the Swiss Cup were the Therwil Flyers. The Basel team defeated the Zurich Barracudas 6-3 in the final game on Sunday thanks to four runs in the seventh inning.
Swiss Cup 2024: Final weekend
Saturday, September 7th, semi-final 1: Therwil Flyers vs. Zurich Lions 9-0
Saturday, September 7th, semi-final 2: Zurich Challengers vs. Zürich Barracudas 5-18
Sunday, September 8th, final: Therwil Flyers vs. Zurich Barracudas< 6-3/li>
Final Weekend in the Swiss Cup
Not less than three clubs from the city of Zurich are lining up in the semifinals of this year’s newly designed Swiss Cup. The semifinals on Saturday will see the pairings between the NLB team Zurich Lions and the Therwil Flyers, as well as the local derby between the Zurich Barracudas and the Zurich Challengers.
After the Challengers missed out on a place in the championship final and are no longer able to defend their title, the Swiss Cup remains their last option to win something in the 2024 season. The draw for the semifinals gave them the eagerly awaited local derby with the Zurich Barracudas. In the championship the Barracudas won three of the five direct duels, while the Challengers won two games. In the other semifinal the Therwil Flyers will face the lower-class Zurich Lions. They surprisingly won the quarterfinals after a spectacular rally against the NLA club Wil Pirates. Both the semifinals on Saturday and the final on Sunday will take place at the Heerenschürli ballpark in Zurich.
Swiss Cup 2024: Final weekend
Saturday, September 7th, 11:00 a.m., Zurich Heerenschürli: Therwil Flyers vs. Zurich Lions
Saturday, September 7th, 2:00 p.m., Zurich Heerenschürli: Zurich Challengers vs. Zurich Barracudas
Sunday, September 8th, 2:00 p.m., Zurich Heerenschürli: Final
Cadets play for third place
After narrowly losing the semi-final series against the Therwil Flyers, the U15-Cadets are now playing a series for third place. The Challengers will face the Rümlang Kobras in a repeat of last year’s U15 final.
In the preliminary round the Challengers won three of four games against the Kobras. The best-of-three series begins on Sunday with a doubleheader in Rümlang. If necessary, a third and decisive game would take place on September 14.
U15-Cadets Bronze Series Zurich Challengers vs. Rümlang Kobras: Score 0-0 (best-of-three)
Sunday, September 8th, 11:00 a.m., Rümlang Rümelbach: Zurich Challengers vs. Rümlang Kobras
Sunday, September 8th, 1:30 p.m., Rümlang Rümelbach: Rümlang Kobras vs. Zurich Challengers
Saturday, September 14th, 11:00 a.m., tbd (if necessary): Rümlang Kobras vs. Zurich Challengers
U15-Cadets lose decider
The U15-Cadets’ mission to defend their title was abruptly halted on Sunday in the third and decisive semi-final game. The Therwil Flyers turned the game around in the fourth inning and ultimately won 8-6 to qualify for the finals.
After both teams won one game each last weekend, the third game of the best-of-three series had to determine the second finalist alongside the Geneva Dragons. The Flyers shocked the Challengers with a lightning start. Emanuel Reyes Concepcion with an RBI triple and André Hefti Batista with an inside-the-park home run made it 3-0 in the first inning. The Zurich team organized two runs of their own thanks to a steal on home by Noam Müller and an RBI double by Tyler Smith, but immediately gave them up again in the second round with two errors. After Len Blickenstorfer was able to score on a wild pitch, Fabrizio Bucher shortened the lead to 4-5 with an RBI double. In the third inning the Basel defense also made a few mistakes. Jimmy Siemers on an error and Ilai Blickenstorfer on a wild pitch brought home two more runs for the Challengers, who took the lead for the first time with 6-5. But the Leimentalers scored two more runs in the fourth inning, giving them the lead again with 7-6. The Challengers had their backs against the wall, but the offense that had been so strong so far this season fell silent at the most inopportune moment. The last seven batters went down in order. The Flyers dethroned the Zurich team with 8-6.
The Flyers will face the Geneva Dragons in the final, while the Challengers will play for third place with last year’s final opponents, the Rümlang Kobras.
U15-Cadets Playoff Semifinals Zurich Challengers vs. Therwil Flyers: Score 1-2 (best-of-three)
Saturday, August 24th, 11:00 a.m., Therwil Känelmatt: Therwil Flyers vs. Zürich Challengers 8-9
Saturday, August 24th, 1:30 p.m., Therwil Känelmatt: Zurich Challengers vs. Therwil Flyers 14-18
Sunday, September 1st, 11:00 a.m., Therwil Känelmatt: Therwil Flyers vs. Zurich Challengers 8-6
Juveniles win Bronze Medal
The U12-Juveniles won the bronze medal at the Final Four tournament in Bulle on Saturday. After a clear semi-final loss against arch-rivals Therwil Flyers, the Challengers defeated the Wil Devils in the game for third place with 8-6. The Swiss championship title went to the Therwil Flyers, who were able to somewhat surprisingly defeat the Geneva Dragons, who had been better placed in the preliminary round, 6-4 in the final.
U12-Juveniles Final Four tournament in Bulle, Stade de Bouleyres:
Saturday, August 31st, semi-final 1: Wil Devils vs. Geneva Dragons 2-12
Saturday, August 31st, semi-final 2: Therwil Flyers vs. Zurich Challengers 13-2
Saturday, August 31st, match for third place: Zurich Challengers vs. Wil Devils 8-6
Saturday, August 31st, final: Therwil Flyers vs. Geneva Dragons 6-4
Challengers reach semi-finals in Swiss Cup
In a make-up game on Wednesday night the Zurich Barracudas Academy and the Zurich Challengers decided the fourth and final semi-finalist of this year’s Swiss Cup. What initially looked like a clear affair for the favorites almost turned into a nail-biter in the end. Ultimately, however, the Challengers prevailed 15-12. They will now face the flagship team of their city rivals in the semi-finals on September 7th at the Heerenschürli ballpark.
Continue Reading » Challengers reach semi-finals in Swiss CupU12-Juveniles Final Four Tournament in Bulle
The U12-Juveniles will compete in the Final Four tournament on Saturday for the Swiss championship title in the youngest age group in Swiss baseball. The tournament will be held for the first time in Bulle, Fribourg. The Challengers will face the Therwil Flyers in the semifinals, as they did in the U15 age group as well. The Geneva Dragons 2 and the Wil Devils will face each other in the other semifinal. The winners of the two semi-finals will then play for the championship, the losers will play for third place.
U12-Juveniles Final Four Tournament in Bulle, Stade de Bouleyres:
Saturday, August 31st, 10:00 a.m., Semi-final 1: Wil Devils vs. Geneva Dragons 2
Saturday, August 31st, 12:00 p.m., Semi-final 2: Therwil Flyers vs. Zurich Challengers
Saturday, August 31st, 2:00 p.m., Bronze medal game
Saturday, August 31st, 4:00 p.m., Final
The U15-Cadets will play their third and deciding game of their best-of-three semi-final series against the Therwil Flyers on Sunday at Therwil Känematt. One week ago both teams have won one game each.
U15-Cadets Playoff Semifinals Zurich Challengers vs. Therwil Flyers: Score 1-1 (best-of-three)
Saturday, August 24th, 11:00 a.m., Therwil Känelmatt: Therwil Flyers vs. Zürich Challengers 8-9
Saturday, August 24th, 1:30 p.m., Therwil Känelmatt: Zurich Challengers vs. Therwil Flyers 14-18
Sunday, September 1st, 11:00 a.m., Therwil Känelmatt: Therwil Flyers vs. Zurich Challengers
Challengers finish in 3rd place at the Softball European Cup
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