At the top, Saint-Raphaël is rolling like a steamroller: fifteen wins in fifteen matches, a perfect record that crushes all competition. But behind this invincibility lies a challenge: maintaining the pace while the chasing pack has nothing to lose. The Panthers, for instance, are heading to the Var to give it their all and fight for their chance.
Right behind them, Pessac has settled into the role of a patient hunter. Twelve wins, four losses, the Panthers know that the slightest slip from Saint-Raphaël could reopen the championship, and that every match counts double.
Évry-Courcouronnes, in third, isn’t far behind. Eleven wins, five losses, a solid rhythm, and an attack capable of exploding at any moment. The Pharaohs are playing this round with a simple idea: stay in touch, don’t let Pessac get away.
Colombes, in fourth, wants to finish the championship strong. Four wins, eleven losses, the Wildcats know this round could be a turning point: stay up or face a season finale filled with stress.
Further down, Grenoble and Nice are fighting for their sporting survival. The Grizzlies, with only three wins, are still searching for their form and struggling to string together good performances. Worse, they’ve seen the Cavigal catch up; a Nice team that can still hope for better than last place and who host Colombes with a simple objective: beat them and catch up in the standings.
Comanches vs Panthers
Match 1: St Raphaël 14-3 Pessac
Lisa Carmen Vieira kicked off the round with a hit and a run, then Inès Haudiquer took over: 2 hits, 6 RBI, a home run, and five offensive bases.
Mélissa Mayeux once again delivered an excellent performance: 2 hits, 3 runs, 1 RBI, a home run, and five offensive bases. Marjorie Brunel smashed 3 hits, including a double, and scored once. Elsa Munier added 2 hits and 2 RBI, Léna Sellam hit a single, Enora Simon recorded 2 hits and 1 RBI, Youna Péan added a hit and an RBI, and Raphaella Morius drove in a run.
Saint-Raphaël racked up 14 hits, scored 14 runs, and only allowed one walk. A well-oiled machine.
Pessac, on the other hand, tried to stay in the game. Isaure Gourgue hit a single, Josephine Robishaw smashed a double and drove in 2 runs. Laurence Cornaille, however, was the only one to score twice, thanks to two walks. But it wasn’t enough.
On the mound, Prapeng De Ridder delivered a clinically precise performance: 3.1 innings, 7 strikeouts, only 2 hits allowed, and just 1 earned run. She was sharp and precise. Alice Chanal closed out the next inning, allowing 2 unearned runs but shutting the door without flinching.
Pessac gave up 14 hits in 3 innings, an offensive torrent they couldn’t contain.
Khaleesi of the match: Inès Haudiquer, for her home run, 6 RBI, and her enormous impact on every offensive sequence.
Match 2: St Raphaël 10-3 Pessac
Lisa Carmen Vieira opened the scoring: 2 hits, 3 runs, 1 RBI, a triple that cracked like thunder, a walk, and a presence that set the pace. Inès Haudiquer followed with 2 hits, 1 RBI, a stolen base, always dangerous once she reaches base.
Then came Mélissa Mayeux: 3 walks, two runs, two stolen bases. Marjorie Brunel also delivered: 2 hits, 3 RBI, a double, a walk, and a run. Sofia Hammacott added a hit and an RBI, Agathe Sagory smashed a triple and drove in 2 runs, Chiara Enrione-Thorrand hit 2 times and drove in 1 RBI, and Youna Péan added a single. Saint-Raphaël racked up 12 hits, scored 10 runs, and never let Pessac catch their breath.
But this match was also won on the mound.
Élise Buvat, starting, pitched three innings: 0 hits allowed… but 3 runs, all unearned, after five walks and two defensive errors. A match where she navigated the storm without capsizing. She took the hits, adapted, and held firm.
Then came Enora Simon. Two innings, just 1 hit, no runs, total control.
Pessac, on the other hand, had a frustrating match. Only one hit, by Gabrielle Pedarzacq. Isaure Gourgue, Marion Travers, Camille Riera, Amandine Metreau, Josephine Robishaw… all drew walks, but none could capitalize. Robishaw drove in the only Pessac RBI.
And on the mound, Louise Le Chenadec, usually imperious, had a tough match: 4.1 innings, 12 hits, 10 runs, 9 of them earned, 5 walks. She pitched, she fought, but Saint-Raphaël was just too strong.
MVP of the match: Marjorie Brunel, for her complete performance, 3 RBI, her double, and her role as the offensive metronome.
Cavigal vs Wildcats
Match 1: Nice 8-1 Colombes
The Cavigal, often pushed around, often punished, often forced to play catch-up, this time struck first…
Right from the first inning, Léa Petit set the tone. A clean single, an RBI, then a perfectly executed sacrifice. She finished the match with 2 RBI, a hit, and a run. Behind her, Sandra Dymowiez made her presence felt: 2 walks, twice on base, twice in the action.
And then came Emma Flayol, and everything sped up. Flayol played a high-quality match: 2 hits, 2 walks, 2 runs, 1 RBI, and a double. She was everywhere, all the time. Juliette Peculier added a double and an RBI, Amandine Lopez hit twice and drove in a run, Christelle Giret completed the work with a hit, a run, and a stolen base.
And while the offense rolled, Amandine Bertrand delivered one of her best performances of the season. Six innings, just 4 hits, 1 unearned run, 4 strikeouts, and her control back.
The Wildcats, meanwhile, struggled to get their match going. Garance Viguier hit a single, Shahineze Souici did too, Estelle Meyer added a hit, Christina Poley smashed a double… but nothing clicked. Too many weak balls put into play, too many aborted sequences. And above all: 4 errors, some costly, that gave the Nice players points they didn’t even need to ask for.
Estelle Meyer, on the mound, did what she could: 4 innings, 5 hits, 5 runs, only 3 of them earned. Laurie Saurat took over but faced the same pressure: 3 hits, 3 runs in 1.2 innings.
Khaleesi of the match: Emma Flayol, for her complete performance, her calm, and her impact on every offensive sequence.
Match 2: Nice 4-5 Colombes
Nice, buoyed by their morning win, entered the field with newfound confidence. Léa Petit opened the match with two hits, including a double, and an RBI. Emma Ledin was on fire: 3 hits, 2 RBI, a double, an impact with every swing. Emma Flayol added a hit and a double, Juliette Peculier stole a base, Audrey Bertrand hit a solid single. Nice racked up 8 hits, scored 4 runs, and gave the impression they were controlling the tempo.
But Colombes refused to die.
Garance Viguier scored, Manon Délégué, who entered the game later, became a walk machine: 2 BB, 2 runs. Micha Labatut, meanwhile, played a warrior’s match: 2 hits, 2 runs, two hits that woke up the entire dugout. Christina Poley added a single, Estelle Meyer hit a clean RBI, Nadia Dozova drove in a run.
And while the offense fought back, the pitching rebuilt itself. Laurie Saurat pitched three innings: 5 hits, 2 runs, a solid effort. Then came Estelle Meyer. Four innings, just 3 hits, 1 earned run, her control back, a presence that reassured.
Nice, on the other hand, self-destructed. The Cavigal gave opportunities that Colombes turned into lifelines and won the game by a single run.
Khaleesi of the match: Micha Labatut, for her two hits, two runs, and her role as the offensive metronome in a match where every detail mattered.
Grizzlys vs Pharaohs
The matches couldn’t be played due to a heatwave alert.
In the next round, Évry-Courcouronnes travel to Pessac in what looks like a semifinal. The Panthers will play all or nothing to lock down second place. The Pharaohs, meanwhile, have two matches in hand, a win in Gironde could mean a lot!
Nice heads to Saint-Raphaël. The Comanches want to continue their imperial march. The Cavigal, meanwhile, arrives with new momentum and plays for their D1 survival.
Colombes travels to Grenoble in a powder-keg duel. The Wildcats defend their precious fourth place, under threat. The Grizzlies, meanwhile, play to stay alive.
Sébastien Dondé.
Photo credits: Club RS and FFBS website; standings design: Lucas Arrighi
