The Softball-Team’s season came to an end on Sunday, September 13 at Therwil after losing Game 2 and also the decisive Game 3 of the best-of-three semifinal series against the defending champion Therwil Flyers.
Jennifer Feret was one error shy of a perfect game and the Flyers used small ball to tie the series at 1-1 with a 6-0 victory in Game 2 against the Challengers. Both teams exchanged zeros on the scoreboard through the first four innings, before the Flyers opened the score in the fifth, as they executed a number of perfect bunts for a 2-0 lead. And they added four more runs in the sixth, as the C’s misplayed a grounder that should have been the third out of the frame. Feret struck out 14 for the win, while Karen Heimgartner allowed six runs – only one earned – and eight hits with two walks, while also striking out nine.
The series have come down to a winner-takes-it-all Game 3. And the eight-time Swiss champion got on the board in the first inning, as Colleen Conway scored on a sacrifice bunt. The Challengers avoided further damage in the second inning, as Leandra Simitovic pitched in and out of trouble ending the inning with a strikeout with the bases loaded. But Jennifer Feret opened the third with a solo shot over the left field fence and the Flyers made it 3-0 on a sacrifice fly to center field by Marlene Wittwer. And that was all Sophie Zihlmann and the Flyers needed, as the Challengers’ bats remained silent for the entire day. The Flyers made it 4-0 in the fifth, as Feret scored on another sacrifice fly from Babsi Meierhans and they added two more runs on a costly error by the Challengers’ defense to eventually win 6-0 and taking the series by 2-1.
Zihlmann tossed a one-hitter with two walks and six strikeouts for the win. Simitovic allowed six runs – four of them earned – and eight hits with three walks and one strikeout but had no support from her offense, as the Challengers weren’t able to repeat their outstanding performance from Game 1, as they edged the Flyers 6-5.
The Flyers will face the Bern Cardinals in the finals, who swept the Wil Devils in the other semifinal, while the team of headcoach Armin Blickenstorfer finishs the season in fourth place.