From May 27 to 29, the French women’s softball challenge took place. This competition grants the winner a spot in the European Cup of pool winners. The six teams from France’s D1 championship gathered in Evry for a thrilling three-day tournament featuring 13 matches.
The 2023 Challenge Format:
Two pools of three: Evry Courcouronnes, Paris, and Clapiers-Jacou in one, and Grenoble, Nice, and Saint-Raphael in the other.
The pool winners, the Pharaonnes and the Grizzlys, advanced directly to the semifinals after winning both of their pool matches.
To determine their semifinal opponents, the second- and third-place teams faced off.
After these two matches, the Comanches, who defeated BCF 8-0, and the Rabbits, who beat Cavigal 8-3, secured their spots in the semifinals.
The first semifinal saw the Comanches, playing their third match of the day, battling the Grizzlys for a spot in the final. Farah Saidi and Clélia Costes, two French internationals, gave their all on the mound to push their teams further. Despite 11 hits from the Grenoble side versus 8 for their opponents, it was the Comanches who advanced to the final with a 5-4 victory.
Just minutes after this tightly contested match ended, the Pharaonnes, playing on their home turf in front of their fans, faced the Rabbits. Behind their young lead-off hitter, 18U international Lisa Papouin, they set the pace early, scoring two runs in the first inning. They maintained control throughout, winning 8-1 in five innings.
The final day of the competition saw BCF take on Cavigal for fifth place. The latter struggled to contain the Parisian hitters, allowing 12 hits and committing 9 errors. Perhaps some fatigue set in for these players, who fought until the final out. The match, decided in seven innings, ended with a 16-9 victory for the northern side.
The bronze medal match pitted Grenoble against Clapiers-Jacou. After hits from both sides, solid pitching, and some spectacular plays—along with a few errors—the Grizzlys left with the bronze around their necks. Final score: 6-2.
Finally, a fiercely contested final between the Comanches and the Pharaonnes. Seven hits to eight, all runs scored in the first three innings, and perhaps too many left on base for the southern side, with 11 runners left stranded. Evry’s defense, led by pitcher Prapeng De Ridder and catcher Chiara Enrione Thorrand, held firm under pressure and contained the Comanches’ lineup. The Pharaonnes claimed their first France Challenge title by the slimmest of margins.
On the individual awards front, congratulations to the final’s battery: Prapeng De Ridder for the best pitcher title with a 1.57 ERA and Chiara Enrione Thorrand for her best hitter title and a .615 batting average, along with the MVP award.
Thanks to the Evry Courcouronnes club and its volunteers for their hospitality, as well as all the officials, and of course, the players and coaches for the sporting spectacle they provided. Here’s to next year!
Raina Hunter
