We’re in the final stretch of the season, and the play-offs/play-downs are starting to take shape. The results in D1 and D2 this weekend will already seal standings that won’t change by the end of the regular season. In softball, it’s the third weekend of the Super League, and it will have a Japanese touch.
Division 1 Baseball
Several heavyweight clashes are on the agenda. The teams from Metz and PUC are not playing in this 12th round.
Pool A
The PUC are not playing and will finish last in this pool. However, the other four teams are neck and neck. Toulouse travels to Montigny. The Stade Toulousain started the season on fire, but since their poor performance in the France Challenge, they’ve lost some of their winning momentum. This clash between the pool’s first and second place teams will be decisive. Montigny, riding high after the France Challenge and their two wins against Toulouse in the 10th round, are the favorites. With their ace, Yorfranck Lopez, they have a great chance of securing at least one win. For Toulouse, the two French pitchers recently returned from the USA (Lacombe and Esposito) are also in good form. The Toulousains are two games behind; if they win both, they’ll secure their spot in the pool. If they split, they’ll stay top. If they lose, they’ll be second or even third, depending on the result of the second clash between Rouen and La Rochelle.
Editor’s prediction: Split between the two teams
Rouen travels to La Rochelle. The latter have been surprising this year. Weakened by early-season doubts due to a lack of players, then by the injury of their leader Forrest Crawford, they’re barely holding on, hoping to secure a play-off spot. For Rouen, nothing is going right. A challenge lost in the 13th inning, a disastrous European Cup, and finally two straight losses to Montigny for rule violations (the appeal is still ongoing). Doubt is therefore the first adversary of the 2023 Huskies. They can’t afford to lose both games against La Rochelle; otherwise, they’ll be left behind unless La Rochelle loses all their games against Toulouse and Montigny in rounds 13 and 14. La Rochelle, with their two aces (Lopez and Nieves), have a card to play. The pack, meanwhile, will be eager to bounce back, and the bats of Dagneau and Blondel are sure to heat up.
Editor’s prediction: Split between the two teams
Pool B
Almost as uncertain as Pool A, but with three teams in the mix. The Montpellier side should secure their top spot by traveling to Nice. The latter are bottom and haven’t been able to overcome their confrontations with all teams this season.
Editor’s prediction: Two wins for the Barracudas
The second confrontation between Sénart and Savigny is dangerous, especially for Sénart. Savigny are two games behind, and Sénart face them again in round 14 and play Montpellier in round 13. The Templiers have no choice; a split would almost definitely put them in third place, and a double defeat would put them in a very difficult position. Their first meeting at the start of the season was a split, just one point apart in the 5th round. Savigny have been strengthened since their European vice-championship result. Let’s hope we don’t see yet another manager dismissal from Sénart…
Editor’s prediction: Split between the two teams
Two matches will be broadcast live: La Rochelle vs. Rouen and Sénart vs. Savigny on Baseball TV France.
Division 2 Baseball
Six matches on the schedule for this 12th and penultimate round (one more to follow over two weekends).
Pool A
La Guerche are in dire straits and will have to fight against Ronchin and then Dunkerque. Their last hope is to avoid the play-downs. They would need four wins to achieve this, but they have already beaten these two opponents before, so it’s possible.
Valenciennes are well on their way in this pool. They can definitively secure top spot by winning their double header against Thiais.
Pool B
Béziers and Clermont, leading the way, should come out of this weekend with two more wins against Eysines and Anglet, respectively. La Rochelle travel to Meyzieu. As this is a pool of six teams, only one will go to the play-downs (unlike Pool A, which has seven teams and two will go to the play-downs). La Rochelle can theoretically lose both matches (and thus secure their place in D2) as Clermont should dash Anglet’s hopes by winning both their matches.
Broadcast: Valenciennes vs. Thiais on Baseball TV France
Super League Women’s Softball
See the article from last Wednesday on this new competition in 2023.
