The Division 1 and Division 2 championships resume after a weekend off. Let’s take a look at the current state of these leagues.
Division 1 Baseball
6th matchday out of 15, we’re starting the second third. Not all teams have faced each other yet, but some return matches are already on the horizon. Indeed, this 6th matchday is the mirror image of the first, with home and away teams swapping places. In the overall standings, Montpellier and Savigny hold the top spots, followed by Sénart and Toulouse, then Rouen, La Rochelle, and Montigny. At the bottom, Cometz lead PUC and Nice. In the pool standings, if the season ended now, Toulouse and Rouen would qualify from Pool A, and Montpellier and Savigny from Pool B.
This weekend, two teams are on a bye: PUC and Savigny
Let’s analyze the four scheduled games.
Sénart hosts Nice. The latter haven’t won a game yet. They’re getting playing time. In the first matchday, scores were tight (1-3 and 5-7). Since then, Nice has struggled more, while Sénart has strengthened. Sénart, with their strong batting and pitching, should come out swinging in this match.
Prediction: Sénart wins both games
Cometz hosts Montpellier’s Barracudas. In April, while Montpellier dominated the scores, the second game was more competitive, thanks to Shane Priest’s pitching for Metz. Montpellier is on a great run this year, but they’re traveling far. Based on their averages, Montpellier has every right to expect to win this doubleheader.
Prediction: Montpellier wins both games
Montigny hosts Rouen. The two teams split their series, with Montigny taking the first game 6-0. This time at home, after a tough stretch in Toulouse, Montigny will want to repeat the feat and beat Rouen in at least one game. With this matchday dedicated to a ceremony honoring Annie Couton, the stadium will bear this beloved baseball community volunteer’s name, and the players will be eager to give their all. For Rouen, the pack’s fury must erupt. This is indeed one of the worst season openers the Huskies have ever had. Their pitching must be more solid.
Prediction: Both teams split a win
Finally, Toulouse hosts La Rochelle. Shaken by a well-prepared Stade Toulousain team, the Rochelais lost twice in April. This match was unfortunately marred by an incident (a brawl between players) leading to expulsions. The disciplinary committee has ruled as follows: Rojas, Toulouse’s ace pitcher, received 12 suspensions, including 6 with probation; Yudi Soriano of Toulouse received 24, including 12 with probation; and Felipe Lot of La Rochelle received 6, including 2 with probation. Of course, Toulouse has appealed, but in any case, we won’t see these players on the field this weekend. For the Rochelais, it’s also worth noting the loss of their shortstop leader, Forrest Crawford, injured for the entire season. We’ve seen that Toulouse still has reserves. The games will therefore be tense, but the Rochelais will be eager to pull off an upset, especially with the arrival of their second Venezuelan pitcher, Yeferson Lopez.
Prediction: Both teams split a win
Division 2 Baseball
5th matchday out of 15. The four dominant teams—Sénart, Valenciennes, Béziers, and Clermont—aren’t facing each other. If sports logic holds, this should be an opportunity for these leaders to solidify their positions by distancing themselves from the middle of the table. Rouen can avoid falling behind by winning both of their games against Ronchin. La Rochelle hosts Meyzieu. If they split, they’ll stay at the bottom of the table, but the team that takes both games will be safe for a while.
Division 1 Women’s Softball
4th matchday out of 10. Saint-Raphaël and Évry are leading the championship, and it’s the big match of the weekend. If both teams split and Clapiers, who face Nice, and Grenoble, who travel to Paris, win both of their games, the overall standings will balance out. After the dense weekend of the Super League, the return to club play can be disorienting for the 30 players selected for the Super League. They’ll be eager to find their team spirit and integrate the other players who weren’t lucky enough to be in this selection. This is a factor that can be important and that coaches shouldn’t neglect.
