The final sprint is back in full swing, and the playoff gate is getting crowded. A recap of an emotionally charged matchday, after which anything is still possible.

The comeback kids!

The old wisdom of baseball says it well: a game is never over until it’s over… A precept that La Rochelle has embraced. It was the case right from the first match, with a victory in the 10th inning against Montigny (2-1), followed by confirmation in the 2nd round with a 2-1 win against Rouen, thanks to a point scored in the 7th inning. An even more productive 7th inning against Savigny, with a 9-run surge while the Lions led 3-2. The same went for the return match, 1-1 after 6 innings and 5 points scored in the 7th. Another extra-inning victory against Metz, but above all, two breathtaking comebacks in the last two rounds. First, a 3-run push in the 9th inning against Toulouse to win 6-5, despite Garcia-Delgado’s previously flawless relief performance. Even more impressive, when the game seemed lost against Montpellier (3-8, with Ozanich on the mound), a 5-run comeback to tie the score and ultimately win in the 11th inning. Two consecutive walk-off victories, at least with La Rochelle, the show is guaranteed!

Qualified but unconvincing

The first team to qualify was, unsurprisingly, Rouen, who took advantage of a bad day from Paredes in the first match. The Huskies, however, convinced no one once this qualification was secured. Their Sunday match was quite pitiful. They had never conceded more than 7 runs in a match, but Metz scored 11 against them. They had never conceded more than 3 runs in an inning, but the Cometz scored four in one. They had never conceded more than 14 hits in a doubleheader, but Metz recorded 19. And it had been 6 rounds since they had made 4 or more errors in a doubleheader. In short, the Rouennais still have a lot of work to do, but the end of this 12-game winning streak might, in the end, be a blessing in disguise, showing them that nothing is guaranteed. And if they face Metz in the series, they will surely have against them the one who is becoming a deadly weapon against Rouen, Mathéo Launay. The left-hander pitched 8.2 innings in his two matchups against Rouen this season, giving up just one run, three hits, and two walks!

Who’s next?

The suspense remains total for the 3 remaining qualifying spots. Savigny (14-10) gave themselves some breathing room with two wins and should be able to secure a top-4 finish. The Lions will face two direct rivals, Montpellier and Toulouse. By splitting the victories in these two matchups, Savigny will qualify. The Barracudas (13-11) will play against Savigny and Metz. Direct rivals, with little room for error. Toulouse (13-11) ended a four-game losing streak by disposing of Montigny, albeit without being transcendent. The Stade must capitalize on their match against Sénart to secure two wins and avoid putting too much pressure on themselves before facing Savigny. Metz (12-12), by winning their last four games (against Montigny and Montpellier), will qualify for the playoffs, surpassing the Barracudas. La Rochelle (12-12) has the double disadvantage of not facing direct opponents (the Buccaneers will play against Rouen and Montigny), meaning they can’t hurt a competitor, and having a forfeited match that could weigh heavily in the balance. Pablo Ossandon’s men must hope to win their last four games and see Montpellier or Toulouse lose 2 out of 4 and Metz drop at least one, to finish in the top 4. It won’t be easy. But not impossible. In short, we’ll know more by Sunday evening, with the possibility of a final weekend of all dangers and all hopes!

Shipwreck(s)

On July 14th, Sénart had a catastrophic inning against Metz, the 7th, with the score tied at 1-1. They gave up 8 runs, and most notably, 6 walks, 2 hit by pitches, 1 error accompanied by 2 hits. This echoed a 9-run deluge, also in the 7th inning, on May 26th against La Rochelle, when the Templiers led 3-2: 3 walks, 1 hit by pitch, 3 errors, 4 hits. New collapse on Sunday, in the 8th inning this time against the Lions, despite a solid 10-2 lead. But after 7 walks, 1 hit by pitch, 1 error, and 5 hits, Savigny led 13-10. 11 runs conceded, the highest total of the season in an inning (tied with Toulouse, who achieved the same « performance » against Rouen), and a clear sense of wasted opportunity. Without Meurant, Nayral, Bouniol, the Templiers seemed out of resources and are heading straight for a relegation playoff against Montigny.

The podiums

Pitching

1. Luc Polit (Montpellier). A strong performance to put his team back on the path to victory after the painful defeat of the morning. He struck out 10 in 6.2 innings, becoming the 6th pitcher of the season to reach this milestone.
2. Josh Vincent (Rouen). A bit less dominant than in his last outings, he was still very solid in 7 innings of work, giving up just one unearned run, 5 hits, and one walk, for 6 strikeouts.
3. Émile Brelle (Sénart). He hadn’t started in a while, but he managed to hold his own against the powerful Lions’ offense for 7 innings, giving up only 4 hits and 2 earned runs.

Batting

1. José Paula (Metz). 12 consecutive games with at least one hit for the Messins’ right fielder, the best streak of the season. He tormented the Rouen pitching all weekend long with 6 hits in 7 at-bats and 3 RBIs.
2. Felix Brown (Sénart). One of the championship’s veterans, still as effective with 4 in 8 and his first home run of the season. Timeless.
3. Jake Defries (Rouen). 4 in 4 in the first match, 5 in 8 over the weekend, with 3 stolen bases along the way, he confirms his status as one of the best hitters in the championship.