In the Top Pool, Contes and Évry remain undefeated, each with two wins and a perfect record. Their clash is almost a duel for supremacy. Évry, advancing with a relentless offense and solid pitching, aims to confirm their status as the announced favorites, while Contes, serious, disciplined, and ruthlessly opportunistic, intend to prove their strong start isn’t just a flash in the pan.
In the other Top Pool matchup, Nice and Nogent find themselves in the opposite situation: two teams at 0-2, two teams still searching for their first breath, two teams who know that remaining winless after four games is already condemning themselves to play catch-up for the rest of the season. Nice, which has shown flashes but still lacks consistency, must absolutely turn their intentions into results. Nogent, on the other hand, is playing to stay in the race, to avoid the downward spiral.
In the Bottom Pool, Grenoble and Rouen face off in a strange, almost asymmetrical duel. Grenoble hasn’t played any matches yet and is finally entering the arena, eager to show that their lack of statistics doesn’t mean a lack of ambition. Rouen, on the other hand, arrives with two losses and the urgent need to react quickly. The Huskies know that starting at 0-3 would be a deep hole to climb out of, while the Grizzlies want to make a strong first impression, set a marker, and announce that they’re not here to just make up the numbers. This match is a revelation: for Rouen, it will show if the team can bounce back; for Grenoble, it will show if the team can compete.
Top Pool
Cobras vs Pharaohs
Game 1: Contes 8 – 13 Évry
Contes fell 13-8 to Évry in a match where the first inning sealed the game’s fate. Right from the start, Rony Papa, who later had two hits, had a nightmare in the circle: in one inning pitched, he gave up six runs, six walks, and just one hit. Évry barely had to swing to fill the bases, and Vincent Ferreira, who finished the game with four walks and three runs scored, immediately took advantage of this generosity. Behind him, Jacques Boucheron added an RBI and scored three times, but it was mainly Lucas Manglé who turned this first inning into a nightmare for Contes.
Manglé had a colossal game. He hit two singles, including a double and a home run, drove in five runs, drew two walks, and scored twice. On his own, he accounted for six total bases and dynamited every Évry offensive opportunity. His home run, hit mid-game, pushed Contes further away just as the team was starting to regain some stability thanks to Vivien Lemasson, who pitched six innings for only four earned runs despite giving up five walks.
Contes, however, never stopped existing offensively. Alexis Navarro Alfaro had a perfect day at the plate with four hits in five at-bats, two RBIs, and four total bases. William Berenguer also had two hits and remained consistent throughout the game. Loïc Dalloni, very active, scored twice, stole a base, drew a walk, and was hit by a pitch. But their offensive efforts were constantly canceled out by defensive errors: three total errors, plus six passed balls that gave Évry free advances.
On the other side, Guillaume Jouhanneau did the essentials. Despite giving up nine hits and six earned runs, he pitched a complete game, seven innings, and always kept a comfortable lead thanks to his team’s huge offensive production. He finished with three strikeouts and six walks.
In the end, Contes had more hits than Évry, nine to six, but buried themselves under walks given up, passed balls, and an impossible first inning to overcome. Évry, disciplined and explosive, logically won.
The game’s standout player: Lucas Manglé. Author of a home run, a double, five RBIs, two walks, and six total bases, he was the true engine of Évry’s offense from the first to the last inning.
Game 2: Contes 11 – 4 Évry
Contes won this second game thanks to a stellar offensive performance and a complete game by Alexis Navarro Alfaro, who dominated the match both at the plate and on the mound. From the early innings, Contes set a pace that Évry never managed to match. Navarro Alfaro led the way with an absolutely monumental game: three hits in five at-bats, including two triples and a double, five RBIs, and eight total bases. Every time he stepped into the box, the ball flew violently off his bat and changed the game’s momentum. He hit, he drove in runs, he scored, and he pitched: a true one-man show!
Around him, Contes’ lineup delivered. Alexandre Mari hit a double and drove in two runs, while Rony Papa had a very complete game with two hits, two doubles, and an RBI. William Berenguer added two hits and an RBI, confirming the lineup’s core strength. Further down the order, Lucas La Rosa had two hits, Vivien Lemasson added a single, and Eric Viano, very valuable, scored three times, hit a double, drove in a run, drew a walk, and was hit by a pitch. With thirteen hits in total, Contes hit hard, hit often, and hit at key moments.
Évry, on the other hand, never managed to establish an offensive rhythm. The team only had four hits, two for Olivier Van Tu, who had a triple, an RBI, and two runs scored. Jacques Boucheron hit a double and a home run for three RBIs, but he was far too alone to hope to reverse the trend. Lucas Manglé, so dominant in game 1, was limited to zero hits, though he did draw an intentional walk and steal a base.
The difference was also in pitching. Jonathan Lamon, Évry’s starting pitcher, had a tough game: in five innings, he gave up twelve hits, ten runs, and only one walk. Jacques Boucheron finished the game with two clean innings, but still gave up one more run. On the other side, Alexis Navarro Alfaro pitched a complete game of seven innings, giving up only four hits and three earned runs, with eight strikeouts for just two walks.
The game 2 standout player: Alexis Navarro Alfaro, author of an XXL game: three hits including two triples, five RBIs, eight total bases, two runs scored, and a complete game of seven innings with eight strikeouts.
Cavigal vs Bandits
No stats available at the time of writing. Nice won both games against Nogent-sur-Marne (7-0; 11-0).
Bottom Pool
Grizzlies vs Huskies
Game 1: Grenoble 7 – 19 Rouen
Rouen dominated Grenoble in a completely lopsided game where the Normandy offense rolled without ever being threatened, taking advantage of a nightmarish start to the game for the Isère pitchers. Right from the first inning, Rémy Stramandino was in trouble: in one and two-thirds innings, he gave up six hits, thirteen runs (only four earned), and seven walks.
Defensive errors didn’t help: five total errors and five passed balls that repeatedly gave free bases.
Rouen, on the other hand, hit perfectly. Aurélien Hue had a monstrous game with three hits, including two doubles, four runs scored, two RBIs, and five total bases. Tanguy Célibert added two hits, two RBIs, and four runs scored, while Mathys Brouard had the most complete performance of the game: four hits in four at-bats, three doubles, four RBIs, two runs, and seven total bases. Mickaël Demanneville also participated in the offensive festival with two hits, three RBIs, and three runs scored. In total, Rouen had twelve hits but especially took advantage of nine walks and a hit-by-pitch to turn every inning into a tidal wave.
Grenoble tried to respond but remained constantly stifled. The team only had six hits, including a double by Nicolas Leclaire and an RBI by Soulier on an infield hit. Thomas Lavergne added a hit and an RBI, Fabien Grimaud hit a solid single, and Alex Denton opened the game with a hit and a run scored. Luc Hong-Van, author of a hit and a walk, also scored.
On the mound, Robin Prouet only had to calmly manage his lead. He pitched four complete innings, gave up six hits but only one earned run, with four strikeouts and two walks. He was never put under pressure, thanks to the Normandy offense which gave him a huge cushion right from the start of the game.
The game 1 standout player: Mathys Brouard, author of a perfect game at the plate with four hits, three doubles, four RBIs, two runs, and seven total bases, the true engine of an unstoppable Rouen offense.
Game 2: Grenoble 11 – 4 Rouen
Grenoble took their revenge and beat Rouen in a game where the Grizzlies quickly imposed their law, benefiting from both a revived offense and numerous Rouen defensive inaccuracies. From the early innings, it was clear that Grenoble played with better intentions: Luc Hong-Van opened the game by getting on base, Fabien Grimaud followed with a single, then Jean-Guillaume Soulier also hit to immediately put pressure on. But it was mainly Nicolas Leclaire who set the tone, with two hits, including a double, three runs scored, and an RBI. Right behind him, Gautier Josse hit twice and drove in a run, while Alex Denton had one of his most complete games of the season: two hits, including a double, three RBIs, a run scored, and a stolen base. Jean-Michel Salvaia added an RBI, Renan Lethiecq another; in total, Grenoble had ten hits, scored eleven runs, and never let Rouen breathe.
On the mound, Alex Denton also delivered. In three and one-third innings, he gave up only one hit and two runs, with three walks but no strikeouts. Rémy Stramandino then took over for one inning, giving up two hits and two runs, before Nicolas Leclaire came in to close the door with two-thirds of an inning without a hit or run. Grenoble was never in danger.
Rouen, on the other hand, had a tough game from start to finish. The team only had three hits, one for Robin Prouet, one for Cyril Bluzé, and one for Alexandre Hacquard-Sierra. The three RBIs came from a sacrifice by Mickaël Demanneville, a single by Prouet, and a hit by Mathys Brouard. But the offense remained generally stifled, unable to build a solid inning. The six walks obtained weren’t enough to compensate for the lack of power and defensive errors.
The Rouen pitching also suffered. Raphaël Pompelle gave up eight hits and seven runs in two and one-third innings, with two walks and three strikeouts. Mickaël Demanneville took over for one inning, giving up one hit and three more runs. Alexandre Hacquard-Sierra finished the game with one and two-thirds innings, one hit given up, and one unearned run.
The game 2 standout player: Alex Denton, author of a complete and decisive game: two hits including a double, three RBIs, a run scored, a stolen base, and three solid innings on the mound to lead Grenoble to an uncontested victory.
Tigers vs PUC
No stats available at the time of writing. Stade Toulousain and Paris split the wins; 10-3 for the Tigers, 8-1 for the Pucistes.
We join in the strong emotion caused by the destruction suffered at Pershing Stadium by the PUC. Strength to you and the Patriots!
The tight standings at the top and in the middle of the table give the next matchday a particular tension.
Contes and Évry, still co-leaders of the Top Pool with three wins and one loss each, enter this new day with the obligation to maintain their status. For the Cobras, the trip to Champigny to face Nogent looks like a mandatory passage: the Bandits, still winless after four games, have no right to error and will play this duel as a chance to save their season. Contes, on the other hand, must avoid the trap, stay serious, and not give Nogent the chance to relaunch themselves.
Meanwhile, Évry-Courcouronnes hosts Nice in a duel that could redraw the hierarchy. The Pharaohs, solid and consistent, know that a victory would allow them to stay in touch with Contes, or even take sole leadership if the Cobras stumble. Nice, back to even with two wins and two losses, is playing for much more than just a game: a victory in Évry would be a strong signal, that of a team capable of competing with the best.
In the Bottom Pool, Grenoble and Toulouse meet for a double confrontation that could well become a turning point. Both teams have the same record, one win and one loss, and are advancing with the desire to get into the PUC’s slipstream, the solid leader.
Sébastien Dondé.
Photo credits: FFBS website; standings design: Matteo Van Parys.
