The Softball-Team started its campaign with two losses against the reigning Swiss champion Luzern Eagles on Saturday, April 9 at the Klopstockwiese.

The Challengers erased a 8-run deficit to eventually lose 15-16 in Game 1. The Eagles opened the score with seven runs in the first inning and they added three more in the second and third frames each, as starting pitcher Leandra Simitovic had problems to find the zone and the Challenger’s defense committed several costly errors. But the Challengers fought back, as a 2-run double from Nancy Plamondon and a base-clearing triple from Nadja Critelli highlighted the second and third inning respectively to make it 10-13. And the C’s tied the game in the bottom of the fifth, as Simitovic took control of the Eagles bats and Plamondon delivered a 2-run triple. But two more errors by the C’s defense combined with two base-running errors in the sixth and seventh innings enabled the Eagles to score two more runs, while the tying run for the C’s stranded on second base for a 16-15 victory for the Eagles.

Nadja Critelli and Nancy Plamondon had a triple and a double with 5 RBI’s and 4 RBI’s respectively, Andrea Wirth delivered two hits and Ziegylou Wehrli drove in two runs for the Challengers, while Corina Casparis, Flavia Crameri, Sarah Winkler and Jessica Spring delivered two hits apiece for the Eagles and Irene Späni (1-0) was credited with the win.

Game 2 was all Eagles, as they rolled to a massive 26-2 victory over the Challengers. Julia Gloukhoff (1-0) kept the Challengers’ bats quiet, tossing a one-hitter with three walks and one strikeout. Gloukhoff, Celine Demarmels and Jessica Spring had two hits and four RBI’s each for the Eagles.

The Challengers will travel to Bern on Sunday, April 17, where they will face the Bern Cardinals (2-0).