Finals: The Challengers couldn’t make the sensation happen, losing 14-4 in the Finals of the European Cup against the Mladost Skorpions. The Challengers were outhit 13-9, with Karen Heimgartner and Simone Zurschmitten having two hits each. In the end, Karen was named Best Pitcher of the tournament, and Lindsay Marshall received the trophy for Best Batter. Day 5: The Challengers will play in the title game on Saturday after beating the Mladost Skopions 4-0. Karen Heimgartner pitched another gem as she gave up only four hits, no walks, and struck out eight. Andrea Wirth had the game-winning RBI in the fourth inning, and two singles and two errors scored all the runs the Challengers need. The Grand Final will be played on Saturday at 3pm against Evriali Glyfadas.
Earlier in the day, the Challengers advanced to the Semifinals by winning all their games. In the final game, they beat the Skorpions 15-2 on Irene Bühler’s 4-hitter, allowing only 2 unearned runs and one walk, also striking out nine. The Challengers scored 11 times in the third inning to blow the game wide open. Ziegylou Wherli went 3-for-4 with four RBI’s, including a 3-run double, and Lindsay Marshall went 2-for-4 with a 3-run double in the third. Day 4: It seems as if nobody can beat the Challengers as they won their seventh game in a row. They beat Athletic Sofia 13-6 as Leandra Simitovic combined with Irene Bühler on a 6-hitter. The Challengers scored 11 times on eight hits in the first inning. Simitovic had a triple, Lindsay Marshall an RBI-triple and Alexia Zingg a bases-clearing double. Four players had at least two hits as the team improved to 7-0. Day 3: The Challengers are still undefeated after six games, mainly thanks to Karen Heimgartner’s stellar pitching performance. In Game 6, her 3-hit shutout of Evriali Glyfadas from Greece in a 7-0 rout put the Challengers at 6-0 and in first place in the standings. She struck out nine and walked only three, while Irene Buehler had a two-run double in the first and a triple in the third inning. Leandra Simitovic was 2-for-2 with two runs scored, and Heimgartner hit an RBI-double in the 5th to help her own cause.
In the first game of the day, the Challengers have defeated the Odense Giants 6-0 for a second time to improve their record at the European Cup to 5-0. Karen Heimgartner pitched a no-hitter with 13 K’s and just one base-on-balls. Heimgartner’s performance on the hill was backed up by Lindsay Marshall’s 3-for-3 performance, including 3 RBI’s. Day 2: The Challengers started into the European Cup in Dupnitsa, Bulgaria with a perfect 4-0 record. With wins against all four other teams, the Challengers have propelled themselves into the role of early favorites to win it all. Their latest triumph came against Athletic Sofia, whom they beat 12-4 behind Irene Buehler’s 12-4 complete game win, in which she allowed only three earned runs on seven hits and one walk, while also striking out four. Simona Cellar went 4-for-4, including a triple and a grand-slam homer to collect a total of six RBI’s. It was the first homer ever in the new built Levski complex at Dupnitsa. Charissa Rajnoch added a 3-run double, and Alexia Zingg hit an RBI-triple.
In Game 3 earlier in the day, they beat the Odense Giants 16-6. Leandra Simitovic pitched a complete game, allowing six runs – only two of them earned – on seven hits and two walks, while also striking out five. Simone Zurschmitten went 3-for-4, including a double and four RBI’s, Flavia Von Meiss also added three hits and four RBI’s in five at-bats, and Simona Cellar hit an RBI-triple. Corinne Wengi is listed as day-to-day after getting a deep cut in her left knee after a collision with the catcher in Game 1 on Monday against the Mladost Scorpions.
Day 1: The Challengers have won their first two games at the European Cup in Bulgaria. They won the opener 4-0 against Mladost Scorpions behind Karen Heimgartner’s 4-hit shutout. Ziegylou Wehrli put the Challengers on the board in the 3rd inning on an error, and Lindsay Marshall’s 2-run triple scored Andrea Wirth and Flavia Von Meiss.
In the following game against the Evriali Glyfadas from Greece, Heimgartner combined with Leandra Simitovic on a 1-hitter in a 5-2 victory. Simone Zurschmitten hit an RBI-single in the first inning, and Marshall had a 2-run triple in the second. She later added a double and a single, and collected three RBI’s. Heimgartner finished with 15 K’s on the mound.
Pics by Kevin Splunder ->