In the Top Pool, Contes and Évry share the top spot, each with three wins and just one loss. The Cobras aim to cement their title contender status, flex their muscles, and inch closer to the final. The Pharaohs, meanwhile, want to prove they’re just as serious a threat to the crown. Behind them, Nice, at 2-2, treads a fine line: strong enough to aim higher, yet fragile enough to lose it all. The Cavigal are playing for high stakes: a double win could propel them into the final, while a bad day could exclude them for good.
Nogent, meanwhile, is still searching for their first breath. At 0-4, the Bandits want to hold their heads high: they need to strike and surprise.
In the Bottom Pool, the scene is just as tense. The PUC, a solid leader at 3-1, wants to lock down their spot and confirm their status as the pool’s benchmark. Grenoble and Toulouse, both at 1-1, advance in an unstable balance: one win propels them upward, while one loss sends them trailing Rouen.
Bandits vs Cobras
Game 1: Nogent 2-10 Contes
Robinson Quintero Morales kicked off the game by reaching base immediately, while Alexis Navarro Alfaro went on a tear with three hits, including a monstrous home run, driving in three runs and scoring one. Behind him, Jose Aridio Emeregildo Batista, despite no hits, drove in a run and stole a base, while Rony Papa racked up three hits, a double, two runs scored, and added an RBI. Alexandre Mari completed this devastating lineup core with three hits, three doubles, and two RBIs.
Nogent tried to resist, but the team was too often suffocated. Pierre Licitra hit a home run, a lone flash in a stormy sky, driving in the Bandits’ only two runs. Corentin Ladant added two hits, Guillaume Coquel one more, but the rest of the lineup remained silent. The eleven strikeouts they suffered speak volumes about their struggles against the opposing pitching.
On the mound, Vivien Lemasson pitched three solid innings, allowing just one hit and two runs, with three walks and three strikeouts. He left some gaps, but never wide enough for Nogent to exploit. Then Jose Aridio Emeregildo Batista came in relief and shut the door with authority: three perfect innings, three hits allowed but no runs, zero walks, and eight strikeouts.
On the other side, Nelson De Amorim had a tough outing: thirteen hits allowed, ten runs (seven earned), and no walks to breathe. Anthony Anastasio stabilized the end of the game, but the damage was already done.
The Quickening of the game for Alexis Navarro Alfaro, who delivered a complete performance: three hits, a home run, a double, three runs scored, one RBI, and seven total bases.
Game 2: Nogent 0-8 Contes
The game quickly turned. Robinson Quintero Morales opened with a double, scored twice, and immediately put pressure on Nogent, which they never managed to contain. Alexis Navarro Alfaro followed with two hits and two runs scored, true to his offensive metronome role. But it was Emeregildo Batista who delivered the knockout blow: a powerful home run, four RBIs, a perfectly executed sacrifice fly; he alone embodied Contes’ superiority, with four total bases and icy calm.
Behind him, Alexandre Mari added a home run and two RBIs, Evan Matranga hit two hits including another HR. Meanwhile, Nogent remained suffocated: just two small hits, a triple by Thomas Bizery as their only spark, and fourteen strikeouts that speak volumes about the Bandits’ offensive impotence.
Because the heart of the game was the pitching. Emeregildo Batista pitched nearly perfect five innings: two hits allowed, zero runs, two walks, and a staggering fourteen strikeouts! Nogent never got a chance to breathe, never had the space to build anything.
The Quickening of the game for Jose Aridio Emeregildo Batista, who hit a home run, drove in four runs, had a perfect batting performance… and a pitching performance that will go down as one of the most dominant of the season: five innings, two hits, zero runs, fourteen strikeouts.
Pharaohs vs Cavigal
Game 1: Évry 1-8 Nice
Nice dominated in Évry, with the Pharaohs never finding an opening, stifled by a perfectly launched, aggressive, opportunistic, and ice-cold efficient Nice team. Benjamin Gonfrier, patient, drew two walks and scored the first run, launching a dynamic Nice never let go. Cyril Grimaldi followed with a powerful hit and two RBIs, Thomas Hemzacek hit two hits and two RBIs.
Évry, usually so solid, had no answer. Vincent Ferreira hit a double and scored their only run, Pierrick Lemestre drove in that run on an infield hit, but the rest of the lineup stayed silent: just two hits, eleven strikeouts, and a total inability to string together two good at-bats. Lucas Manglé, usually their engine, was held hitless and struck out twice. Maxime Keser, Guillaume Jouhanneau, Nicolas Launay… they all fell one after another, facing a perfectly settled Nice pitching.
On the other side, Paul Lemettres had a nightmarish start: four hits, four runs, four walks in just one and a third innings. Guillaume Jouhanneau stabilized a bit after, but still gave up three earned runs.
Nice, on the other hand, played flawlessly. Sébastien Drouilly hit a hit, scored twice, and drove in a run, Alann Parois added an RBI, Arnaud Sola hit a hit, scored twice, and drove in a run, and Sébastien Moine completed the picture with a solid hit.
Évry tried to react in spurts, notably with a perfect double play executed by Peyrichou, Lemettres, and Pena Alvarez, but it was never enough to turn the tide.
The Quickening of the game for Cyril Grimaldi, who delivered a complete performance: one hit, two RBIs, one run scored, an offensive presence that launched and structured the Nice dynamic.
Game 2: Évry 1-8 Nice
Nice won again 8-1 against Évry, and this time too, the game quickly took on the shape of a match where the Pharaohs chased something they never caught. It all started with a flash: Vincent Ferreira hit a single in his first at-bat, Lucas Manglé followed with a powerful double and drove in Évry’s only run.
Nice held Évry in their claws and never let go. Benjamin Gonfrier, once again, set the tone: one hit, one walk, two runs. Cyril Grimaldi, already MVP of Game 1, returned as the boss: three hits, one double, three runs scored, two RBIs, four total bases. Thomas Hemzacek added one hit, one RBI, and two walks, while Christian Ricardo Fernandez Oliva signed his most complete match of the weekend with two hits and four RBIs.
Évry, on the other hand, sank with each inning. Just two small hits, eight strikeouts, one walk. Pierrick Lemestre, usually so solid, had no answers. Lucas Manglé, despite his double, couldn’t carry the offense alone.
On the mound, Sylvain Buvat delivered a remarkably clean game: five innings, two hits, one run, one walk, eight strikeouts. On the other side, Paul Lemettres had another rough start: five hits, five runs, two walks in one and two-thirds innings. Jonathan Lamon tried to stop the bleeding, but gave up three more runs, five walks, and let Nice roll without ever being threatened.
The Quickening of the game for Cyril Grimaldi, who delivered a masterful performance: three hits, one double, three runs scored, two RBIs.
Tigers vs Grizzlys
Game 1: Stade Toulousain 23-16 Grenoble
Blaise Cardonne led the way with three hits, two doubles, and six RBIs. Behind him, Sébastien Neumann delivered a monstrous performance: three hits, one home run, four RBIs, three runs scored, six total bases. Yanaël Delpech added four hits and one RBI, Alexandre Fourboul two hits and two RBIs, Arnaud Bonjour two hits and two RBIs, Thibault Deverchère two hits, three runs scored, and one RBI. And then there’s Alexandre Many, who embodied the madness of this game alone: two hits, two doubles, five runs scored, two RBIs, two walks.
Toulouse racked up eighteen hits, scored twenty-three runs, drew eleven walks!
But Grenoble refused to fold. The Grizzlys answered blow for blow, sometimes even harder. Luc Hong-Van scored four times, hit a double, and drove in two runs. Alex Denton delivered a titanic performance: three hits, one double, one home run, four RBIs, three runs scored, seven total bases. Gautier Josse added two hits, Nicolas Leclaire three hits, one double, one home run, two RBIs, and three runs scored. Clément Veve hit two hits and two RBIs, Robin Lethiecq two hits and two runs scored, Jean-Guillaume Soulier one hit and two runs scored. Grenoble hit fourteen times, scored sixteen runs, drew nine walks. In any other game, that would be enough to win. Not here.
Because the difference was made on the mound. Toulouse struggled but held on. Valentin Foulon gave up eleven runs in 2.2 innings, but Frédéric Hourmilougue picked up the pieces and pitched 3.1 crucial innings: five hits, five runs but only three earned, three strikeouts, and most importantly, the ability to stop the Isère attack just long enough for his team to keep hitting.
The Quickening of the game for Blaise Cardonne, who delivered an exemplary performance: three hits, two doubles, six RBIs, five total bases, two runs scored, one walk.
Game 2: Stade Toulousain 13-12 Grenoble
Toulouse struck first, led by Blaise Cardonne, who delivered two hits, one RBI, three runs scored. Behind him, Sébastien Neumann, repositioned as a pitcher but still dangerous at the plate, hit three times, one double, one triple, two RBIs, and two runs scored. Yanaël Delpech continued his weekend with two hits, four RBIs, and a perfectly executed sacrifice fly. Arnaud Bonjour added one hit and one RBI, Alexandre Many one double and one run scored, Thibault Deverchère one hit, two runs scored, and one RBI. And then there’s José Gregorio Perez Ojeda, who drew three walks and scored twice. Toulouse hit eleven times, scored thirteen runs, drew six walks, and played with the same intensity as in the first game. But Grenoble refused to die.
The Grizzlys answered with admirable ferocity. Luc Hong-Van delivered a monstrous performance: three hits, one home run, two RBIs, two walks, three runs scored, six total bases. Fabien Grimaud added one hit and two runs scored, Nicolas Leclaire hit twice, one double, one RBI, and three runs scored. Jean-Guillaume Soulier entered mid-game and hit once, drove in one run, and scored twice. Alex Denton, despite three strikeouts, drove in one run. Alexis Barbotin added one hit and one RBI. And above all, Gautier Josse hit a home run, three RBIs, two runs scored, and four total bases. Grenoble hit ten times, scored twelve runs, drew two walks, and stayed in the game until the end.
Sébastien Neumann, despite ten hits allowed and twelve runs (only six earned), held on for seven innings. He took the hits, he bent, but he never broke. He finished with five strikeouts and, most importantly, the ability to shut the door in critical moments.
On the other side, Rémy Stramandino pitched a clean inning, but errors proved too costly in a game where every run counted.
This second act resembled a mirror of the first: two teams refusing to yield, two red-hot offenses, two defenses under constant pressure. But like in the first duel, Toulouse found the spark.
The Quickening of the game for Sébastien Neumann, who delivered a complete performance: three hits, one double, one triple, two RBIs, two runs scored… and seven innings pitched in offensive chaos where he held on just long enough to give the win to his team.
The Top Pool has now delivered its verdict. Contes, imperial throughout the phase, finished as masters with a 5-1 record, while Nice, back in power, secured the second spot with a perfectly mastered end to their campaign. Évry collapsed at the worst moment and finished at 3-3, and Nogent, winless, closes this first part of the season with the heavy task of rebuilding.
The championship final will ultimately pit the Cobras of Contes against the Cavigal of Nice.
In the Bottom Pool, however, nothing is set in stone. One final round remains to be played, and it will decide everything. The PUC hosts Grenoble in a must-win game for the Grizzlys.
At the same time, Rouen hosts the Stade Toulousain. The Huskies can still hope to climb the standings, but to do so, they’ll have to take down the Tigers, an immense, almost unreasonable challenge, but not impossible in a sport where one swing can change everything.
Sébastien Dondé.
Photo credits: Clubs’ RS and FFBS website; standings design: Matteo Van Parys.
