Karen Heimgartner was inducted into the Wall of Fame of Walsh University in North Canton, Ohio on Saturday, September 27. Heimgartner pitched four years for the Cavaliers from 1997 till 2000 and led Walsh to their first NAIA World Series appearance in 2000. She set record marks on the Softball-Team’s all-time list for games pitched with 111, games started with 92, complete games with 79, innings pitched with 668, and leads the all-time list with a 1.41 Earned Run Average, 612 strikeouts, 67 wins and four No-Hitters. Heimgartner played her third season with the Challengers in 2008.
Walsh University Pitching RecordsWalsh University Wall of Fame
Heimgartner inducted into Walsh Wall of Fame
1.Liga-Team dominates Submarines
The 1.Liga-Team beat the Romanshorn Submarines on Sunday, September 28 at Sissach in the round for fifth place. Thanks to a stellar offense and a solid defense the C’s cruised to a 15-2 victory over the Subs. Game 2 against the Geneva Dragons was declared a forfeit victory for the Challengers after the Dragons – once again – didn’t show up without announcing. The C’s face the Submarines again on Saturday, October 4 at Romanshorn Weitenzelg. There is also a game scheduled against the Dragons.
Weiterlesen » 1.Liga-Team dominates Submarines1.Liga Team at Sissach
The 1.Liga-Team will face the Romanshorn Submarines and the Geneva Dragons on Sunday, September 28 in a battle for fifth place. The games will start at 12.30pm and 3pm at Sissach Tannbrunn.
Weiterlesen » 1.Liga Team at SissachLadies’ season ends with two tie break losses
The ladies’ title hopes came to an end in the semifinal on Saturday, September 20 after losing twice in tie break 7-8 and 5-6 against the defending champions Therwil Flyers at Therwil. In Game 1 the Challengers erased three deficits to send the game into extra innings with a 6-6 tie. In the eight inning the Challengers managed to load the bases with 0 outs. And the C’s scored the go-ahead run, as Karin Mittelstädt drove in Andrea Wirth with a RBI-single. But the Flyers escaped the threat when Alexia Zingg lined into a double play to pitcher Sophie Zihlmann, who threw to first to end the inning. In the bottom half of the inning the Flyers tied the game on Emily McNamara’s RBI-double, before Adeline Glauser drove in the winning run with a two-out RBI-single. The C’s ended up with the loss even though they outhit the Flyers 12-9. Flavia Von Meiss and Karin Mittelstädt collected three hits apiece, while Leandra Simitovic had two RBI’s. Simitovic allowed eight runs – six earned – and nine hits with four walks and four strikeouts.
The C’s bats remained on fire, as they opened Game two with three consecutive singles to make it 2-0 in the first inning. But the defense committed two costly errors, enabling the Flyers to tie the game in the second inning. The C’s took the lead again, as they scored a run in the third and fourth innings each. Again the Flyers tied the game with two runs in the fifth to make it 4-4. But the C’s made it 5-4, as Simone Zurschmitten drove in Karin Mittelstädt with a RBI-single in the sixth. In the seventh inning the C’s were one strike away from the victory, as a wild pitch from Karen Heimgartner enabled the Flyers to score the tying run. And as in Game 1 the Flyers had the better end in the tie break, as they scored the winning run on another wild pitch to end the Challengers’ season. The Flyers will face the Reussbühl Eagles, who beat the first placed Wil Devils in Game 3 of their semifinal series, in the finals. The Challengers finish the season in fourth place and will miss the European Cup for the first time since 2004.
Cadets do it again: Back-to-back Champions
The Challengers U15 Cadets did it again! They won their second consecutive Swiss Championship after sweeping the Flyers/Frogs on Saturday, September 20 at Embrach. After winning Game 1 19-1, Game 2 was a close battle, as both teams exchanged zeros on the scoreboard in the first three innings, before the C’s managed to score to eventually win 9-0. The Challengers even achieved a perfect season after they remained unbeaten during the qualification round and throughout the playoffs. more >
Weiterlesen » Cadets do it again: Back-to-back ChampionsCadets do it again: Back-to-back Champions
The Challengers Juniors proved again that they hold the most talent in the juniors league by beating the Therwil Flyers twice in the 2008 finals and finishing the season perfect. And what a game it was! The C’s ace, Korey Kovac got off to a great start as usual giving up an unearned run in the first after a high pop up was dropped in the outfield. The Challengers offence came back in the first and scored to tie it up 1-1. The next inning was also a pitchers duel as both teams ace’s had three up-three down innings. Therwil decided to reserve their #1 arm for the last inning and went to their #2 guy, that move turned out to be the spark which lit the C’s offence.
Carl Varnauskas showed his speed by easily tuning long singles into doubles. The Challengers strategy was simple; if we don’t get doubles we will be stealing our way to second… quickly. And that is exactly what happened! Not one base runner was picked off, which constantly put runners in scoring position. One of the days biggest surprises was when Danilo Schneider turned a hard hit double into a four bagger. Danilo recognized the outfielders bobble and took off for third, as the third base coach noticed that the outfielder lobbed in the ball he quickly reacted and sent Schneider home. Rookie Migel Angerer also turned out to be a valuable addition to the Challengers as he hit a towering double to dead center which fell only about three feet short of a home run. The first game turned out to be a 19-1 blow out.
The second Game started almost identically as the first two innings where close. The Cadets stayed focused while coach Shemley constantly screamed, “we are still in 2nd place, no sleeping”. All in all the finals were a reflection of how the Cadets played the whole season, they not only out-hit their opponent, they out-pitched, -ran and -fielded them. The Challengers won the second game 9-0.
The kids also showed off their gloves and made it clear why they go by the slogan of “The only team that can beat the Challengers is the Challengers” by only committing two errors. Catcher Gabe Staub also made it clear that he is one of Switzerland’s most promising players. Not only did he let it be known that he is almost mature enough to call his own games he also threw out all runners and even came up with the game ending pickoff in the second game.
Let’s just hope they are able to keep on working out hard and follow up with another outstanding season in 2009.
Cadets Finals at Embrach
The U15-Cadets will play their third consecutive finals, when they face the Flyers/Frogs in Game 1 and 2 of their best-of-three series on Saturday, September 20. The games will take place at Embrach PZ Hard on 11am and 2pm.
The Softball-Team will play Game 1 and 2 of its best-of-three semifinal series against the Therwil Flyers on Saturday, September 20 in what will be a rematch of the finals 2005, 2006 and 2007. The games start at 10am and 12.30pm at Therwil Känelmatt I. If necessary, the third game will take place on Saturday, September 27 at 1pm at the Klopstockwiese. The other semifinal series between the Wil Devils and the Reussbühl Eagles is tied up at 1-1 and will be decided on Saturday at Reussbühl.
Winter practice 2008/2009
The winter practice for the Zurich Challengers Softball Team starts at October 21 and takes place every TUESDAY from 6pm till 7.45pm at the Turnhalle Lavater at the Schulhausstrasse 1 in Zurich-Enge (Tram 7 to Museum Rietberg).
Das Wintertraining für das Zürich Challengers Softball Team beginnt am 21. Oktober und findet jeden DIENSTAG von 18.00-19.45 Uhr in der Turnhalle Lavater an der Schulhausstr. 1 in Zürich-Enge statt (Tram 7 bis Museum Rietberg).
All games rained out
The most active people in Swiss Baseball and Softball this weekend were the groundkeepers and the persons in charge of the schedule, as all the Challengers’ games had to be cancelled due to rain and unplayable fields.
Game 1 and 2 of the softball semifinal series between the Challengers and the Therwil Flyers had to be postponed to Saturday, September 20 at Therwil.
The 1.Liga-Team will face the Geneva Dragons and the Romanshorn Submarines on Sunday, September 28 at Sissach.
On Saturday, September 13 Game 1 of the U15-Cadets best-of-three final series between the Challengers and the Flyers/Frogs and the Zurich Pilots’ deciding game for third place in the U12-Juveniles championship against the Wittenbach Vikings had to be postponed due to heavy rain as well. No make-up dates have been announced so far.
More playoff action
The Softball-Team will open its best-of-three semifinal series against the Therwil Flyers in Therwil on Sunday, September 14, at 11am and 1.30pm in what will be a rematch of the finals 2005, 2006 and 2007. If necessary, the third game will take place on Saturday, September 20, at 1pm on the Klopstockwiese.
The U15-Cadets will play their third consecutive finals, when they face the Flyers/Frogs in Game 1 of their best-of-three series on Saturday, September 13 at Therwil Känelmatt I. The game starts at 10.30am.
The Zurich Pilots will travel to Wittenbach on Saturday, September 13 where they will face the Wittenbach Vikings. The U12-Juveniles team with players from the Embrach Rainbows, Zurich Lions and the Challengers will finish their very first season with the deciding game for third place. The game starts at 11am.
The 1.Liga-Team will face the Geneva Dragons and the Romanshorn Submarines on Sunday, September 14. The games will start at 12.30pm and 3pm at Romanshorn Weitenzelg.