The softball women’s team won twice on Opening Day against the SG Frogs/Flyers. The rejuvenated team delivered a refreshing performance, impressing both offensively and defensively.
After a four-year absence from the championship, the twelve-time Swiss champion Therwil Flyers will field a team again in 2025. This year the young to very young players will compete in a joint team with neighboring Sissach. The first trip took the SG Frogs/Flyers to Zurich’s Klopstockwiese. The Challengers’ equally rejuvenated team was able to count on several returning players, who were sorely missed, compared to last year’s playoffs. The Zurich team got off to a good start. After two innings they were already leading 10-5. And after just over an hour and a half the Challengers put the game away 17-7 in the fourth inning.
Marianne Allen had two hits, Mia Matas collected three RBI, Tylor McCants and Tamara Ammeter each had two RBI, and Anouchka Michel scored four runs. Michel had even more reason to celebrate. The 17-year-old pitched four innings for the first time and earned her first career win.
The visitors got off to a better start in the second game. The Baselbieter team took a 3-0 and then a 7-3 lead. But the Challengers didn’t let that bother them. They had no reason to. Their offense kept things moving, and their defense made several nice plays. And in the third inning they turned things around. The Zurich team scored seven hits and eleven runs for a seven run lead. They sealed the victory in the fourth inning scoring three more runs and finally winning Game 2 17-7.
Simona Cellar led the strong offense with three hits, two RBI and three runs. Anouchka Michel, Taylor McCants and Karen Hendren, who had a strong debut for the Challengers, each had two hits and three RBI, while Mia Matas and Lara Müller each contributed one hit and two RBI. Tamara Ammeter was credited with the win with a scoreless fourth inning after starter Simone Zurschmitten gave her the ball with a seven run lead.
