The season kicked off with a deep rumble, the kind that precedes clashes where everything can change. From the very first moments, it was clear that this year would leave no room for comfort. The teams didn’t step onto the field to find their rhythm. They entered like warriors crossing the threshold of an arena. With the certainty that, in this battle that begins… only one can remain.
Softball took on the air of a duel. Bats cracked like drawn weapons, pitches sliced through the air like blows in a fight where every base gained was like conquered territory. The Pharaohs struck with the brutality of an advancing empire. The PUC tried to stand firm against the storm. Nice and Toulouse delivered a clash of styles, precise, tense, relentless. Contes and Grenoble offered a striking contrast: a rampant offense against a defense holding its breath. Rouen and Nogent-sur-Marne left the battlefield on equal footing, one victory each.
And already, figures are emerging. Sharp pitchers, red-hot hitters, all driven by the same will: to stand tall, ready for what’s next.
The battle has only just begun. And in this season that promises to be wild… as the rule goes, only one can remain.
Pharaohs of Évry-Courcouronnes vs PUC
Game 1 — The Pharaohs Strike Hard from the Start (17-2 for Évry)
Évry-Courcouronnes left no room for suspense in this first game of the doubleheader. From the start, the Pharaohs set an infernal pace, turning every at-bat into a threat. The Paris Université Club, meanwhile, had a nightmarish start: 5 runs allowed in one-third of an inning, 3 defensive errors, and a struggling battery (3 passed balls). A spiral they never recovered from.
Évry’s offensive display was led by a Florent Roucan in top form: a perfect day at the plate, a home run, two doubles, 5 RBI, and 8 total bases. Beside him, Lucas Manglé was just as devastating with a HR, 3 RBI, and 6 TB, while Christopher Launay added a triple and 2 RBI to complete the feast.
Paris tried to respond with what they had: five hits, including those by Ullah, Stumpf, and Lugagne-Boersner, the latter producing the PUC’s only RBI. But with 17 runs allowed in 3 innings, the task was too daunting.
The Game 1 Quickening goes to: Florent Roucan (Évry-Courcouronnes). A complete game: power, precision, production. Roucan was the metronome of an unstoppable offense.
Game 2 — Paris Fights Back, but Évry Keeps the Upper Hand (14-8 for Évry)
The second game offered a very different face. Paris, stung in their pride, returned with renewed energy. The PUC hit 8 hits, drew 8 walks, stole 7 bases, and most importantly, found an offensive leader: Dillon Stumpf, author of an XXL game with 2 extra-bases (1 double, 1 triple), 4 RBI, and 5 total bases.
Around him, Edouard Lugagne-Boersner delivered a complete performance (2 hits, 2 RBI, 5 TB), while Mukhtar Ghulami combined speed and impact (2 runs, 1 RBI, 3 stolen bases). Paris even kept the score close until mid-game.
But the Pharaohs once again showed their offensive depth. Jacques Boucheron led the charge with a home run, a double, while Florent Roucan continued his fiery weekend with 4 more RBI. Manglé and Peyrichou each added 5 TB, allowing Évry to take off and finally win 14–8.
Évry’s bullpen, led by Guillaume Jouhanneau (3 IP, 1 ER), then locked down the end of the game to secure the doubleheader.
The Game 2 Quickening goes to: Jacques Boucheron (Évry-Courcouronnes). Power, consistency, presence on base: his HR + 2B were the hammer blows that turned the game.
Stade Toulousain vs Cavigal de Nice
Game 1 — Nice prevails 4-3 in a tense duel, led by a monumental Sylvain Buvat
The first game between the Cavigal de Nice and the Stade Toulousain resembled a chess match: few hits, many duels, and a Niçois pitcher in top form. Sylvain Buvat, author of a stellar performance with 7 complete innings, only 3 hits allowed, 2 earned runs, and most importantly, 16 strikeouts. Total domination that stifled the Toulouse offense.
Offensively, Nice wasn’t dominant: only 3 hits, including a double by Thomas Hemzacek. But the Niçois knew how to seize every opportunity: 8 walks drawn, a hit-by-pitch, and an RBI by Christian Fernandez Oliva. The Cavigal scores 4 runs by advancing methodically, also taking advantage of the opponents’ errors (3 Toulouse errors and 2 passed balls).
On the other side, Toulouse had a frustrating game. Blaise Cardonne still showed the way with a home run and 2 RBI, while Vincent Gambardella added a double. But with 16 strikeouts and only 3 hits, the Tigers’ offense never managed to string together any momentum.
The pitchers’ duel was tight: Valentin Foulon had a clean game (7 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 8 BB, 4 SO), but his lack of defensive and offensive support tipped the balance.
The Game 1 Quickening goes to: Sylvain Buvat (Nice). A captain’s game: 7 IP, 16 K, total control of the tempo, and a serenity that carried the whole team.
Game 2 — Nice Rolls, Toulouse Suffocates (10-0 for Nice)
The second game was one-sided. Nice delivered a complete offensive performance, scoring 10 runs in 4 innings, with 12 hits, power, discipline, and perfectly dosed aggression. On the other side, Toulouse never found the solution, limited to just 1 hit (a single by Gambardella) and struck out 8 times.
The Cavigal hit everywhere: Benjamin Gonfrier opens the scoring with a triple and 1 RBI (3 TB), Thomas Hemzacek continues his excellent weekend (2 RBI, 2 BB, 2 TB), Cyril Grimaldi signs a complete game (2 hits, 1 double, 1 RBI, 3 TB), Sylvain Buvat, repositioned at 3B, adds a home run, 2 RBI, and 6 total bases, and finally Arnaud Sola concludes with 1 RBI and 4 TB.
On the mound, Christian Ricardo Fernandez Oliva delivers an excellent game: 4 innings, 1 hit, 0 runs, 8 strikeouts, without offering the slightest base. A clinical performance that cut short any Toulouse hope. Toulouse, on the other hand, collapsed defensively: 3 errors, a passed ball, and a pitching staff in trouble (12 hits, 10 runs).
The Game 2 Quickening goes to: Christian Ricardo Fernandez Oliva (Nice). A perfect game on the mound: 4 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 8 K. He locked down the game and gave Nice an ideal foundation to roll offensively.
Cobras de Contes vs Grizzlys de Grenoble:
Game 1 — Contes Strikes Hard, Wins 13-4
The Cobras de Contes turned this first game into an offensive showcase. In just five innings, they scored 13 runs, hit 11 hits, and above all, unleashed a collective offense where every batter contributed their share. Facing them, the Grizzlys de Grenoble were overwhelmed by the intensity and precision of the Cobras.
The game quickly turns: Roger Martinez opens with 2 walks and 2 runs, Alexis Navarro Alfaro follows with 3 BB and 2 runs, and Alexandre Mari (2 RBI) is not far behind. But the hardest blows come from Rony Papa, author of a complete game (2 hits, 1 double, 3 RBI), and William Berenguer, who hits a home run and totals 5 TB.
The highlight comes in the 4th inning: Jose Batista slams a 3-run home run, bringing his total to 4 TB and definitively sealing the gap.
On the mound, Contes first relies on Eric Viano (3 IP, 4 ER, 3 K), then on an imperial Batista: 2 perfect innings, 6 strikeouts, no one allowed on base.
Grenoble, despite 4 runs scored, never managed to keep up. With only 3 hits and 9 strikeouts, the offense was muzzled, even if Renan Lethiecq (2 RBI) tried to keep the team in the game.
The Game 1 Quickening goes to: Jose Aridio Emeregildo Batista (Contes). A game with double impact: 3-run HR, 4 TB, and 2 perfect IP with 6 K. The player who definitively turned the game.
Game 2 — Contes Suffocates Grenoble: an Almost Perfect No-Hit and an Irresistible Offense (10-0 for Contes)
The second game turned into a total demonstration. Contes dominated every phase of the game, winning 10–0 with 16 hits, two home runs, and absolutely unplayable pitching. Grenoble, limited to just 1 hit and 16 strikeouts, never existed in the game.
The recital begins with Alexis Navarro Alfaro, author of a leader’s game: 3 hits, 1 double, 1 RBI, and 4 TB. Behind him, Jose Batista continues his fiery weekend: 1 RBI, 3 TB.
But the two hammer blows come from Rony Papa (1 HR, 3 hits, 2 RBI) and Éric Viano, who also hits a home run, 2 RBI, and 5 TB.
And then there’s the performance that crushes everything: Jose Batista on the mound. The pitcher signs a rare game: 6 innings, only 1 hit allowed, 0 runs, 0 walks, 16 strikeouts. A masterpiece. Absolute domination. A performance that could have entered the annals as a no-hitter without that lone single by Denton.
Grenoble, on the other hand, never found the key: 20 at-bats, 1 hit, 16 K. A day to forget to relaunch themselves.
The Game 2 Quickening goes to: Jose Aridio Emeregildo Batista (Contes). Impossible to give this title to anyone else: 6 IP, 16 K, 1 H, plus 3 hits at the plate. A total and totally decisive performance.
Huskies de Rouen vs Bandits de Nogent-sur-Marne
No stats available.
Game 1: Rouen 5 – 11 Nogent
The Bandits take control and win 11–5. The offense clearly ran at full throttle, with good offensive phases. Rouen scores 5 runs but the defense didn’t hold up against the Bandits’ power. A big, controlled victory that shows Nogent-sur-Marne’s ability to strike hard in this first game.
Game 2: Rouen 5 – 4 Nogent (Nièvre–Marne)
The second game is tighter, tense, and was decided by small details. Rouen snatches the victory 5–4 in a game where both teams seemed to answer blow for blow. The close score suggests a balanced duel, with a solid Rouen defense in the crucial moments. Nice wasn’t far off.
The teams fought like clans, driven by their colors, their traditions, their ambitions. Every pitch, every hit, every dash to the base resonated like an oath: never to yield, to defend their territory, to keep the spirit of the game alive.
In the next round, Grenoble will host Stade Toulousain, Contes will face Nice, Rouen will travel to PUC’s field, and Évry-Courcouronnes will challenge Nogent-sur-Marne.
