Bilan du Challenge de France 2023

The 2023 France Challenge saw underdogs Les Cougars de Montigny emerge victorious. Let’s break down this tournament, where eight teams competed and only one could reign supreme. Seven disappointed teams and one ecstatic champion:

Toulouse’s Yanael Delpeh: « We faced quite a few challenges assembling a consistent roster. We did our best under the circumstances, but it just wasn’t enough. Now we’ll focus on the championship—we all believe we have a real shot this year. »

Metz’s David Ten Yeck: « We were disappointed with our performance against La Rochelle, but put up a solid showing against Rouen. It shows how much work we still have ahead. Now we need to stay positive and keep improving. »

Pablo Ossandon for La Rochelle: « A tough tournament, but we’re happy with the exposure and the future for our young players who put in great work. »

Vincent Colasuonno for Savigny: « We underperformed in several areas. We’ll get back to work and make the necessary adjustments to move forward in the championship. »

Mario Brelle for Sénart: « We had a strong tournament, but some calls didn’t go our way in the semifinals. Losing with that feeling is always tough. »

Martin Vissac for Rouen: « The competition format is tough for amateurs who work outside baseball and can’t train often. The 13-inning final was extremely long (4h20) and took a heavy physical toll. »

Montpellier’s Owen Ozanich: « Our team lacks a bit of on-field realism. We have a lot of talent, but now we need to find the right formula for this group to perform in big games. »

And finally, the champions: Jose de Araujo for Montigny: « Regarding the competition, our first match didn’t meet our expectations. We knew it would be tough against Montpellier, a very strong team, but we were caught off guard after Antonac’s home run. We couldn’t react to tie the score and lost logically 5-2. Naturally, the defeat was disappointing, but it served as a catalyst for a spectacular reaction. On Friday, in the two do-or-die matches that followed, our team showed unshakable determination. The players gave it their all, displaying exemplary teamwork. Every pitch, every run, every defensive play mattered. The tension was palpable, but our team stayed focused and delivered an exceptional performance to qualify for the semifinals by beating Toulouse and Savigny.

The semifinals were a massive challenge, as we faced the host team in front of their home crowd. We had one more match under our belts, so I don’t think we were the favorites. The game was incredibly close, with both teams trading blows. However, Sénart took the lead in the top of the 6th inning, 4-3. In the bottom of the 7th, we were batting with runners on 1st and 2nd and two outs. Dylan Mayeux stepped up to the plate, swung at the second pitch, and as I watched the ball sail from third base, I thought the game was over for us. But no—the ball dropped, we tied the score, and the final inning was pure magic for us.

Ultimately, we found the strength to win, creating a memorable upset and earning our well-deserved spot in the final. Then came the final preparation. We had left a lot of nervous energy on the field in the semifinals, and some thought it would put us at a disadvantage. But the guys wanted to push themselves to the limit to win. For my part, I experienced the final differently. Despite it being the highlight of the competition, we took an early lead (4-0 by the end of the 5th). So I was more relaxed until Rouen started chipping away at the score. Then we witnessed another crazy game, with five scoreless innings on both sides. Every hit, every catch, and every pitch was crucial. The players gave it their all on both sides, but we were able to score the necessary runs to win the match, triggering an explosion of joy and pride among the players and supporters. It was a true marathon of 13 innings and 4 hours of play. »

Regarding the competition format, several lessons can be drawn:

1 – Players and teams are unaccustomed to playing so many games in such a short time, and their bodies can suffer as a result. Some injuries were noted throughout the competition. Reducing the innings from nine to seven was a good decision.
2 – Close scores can be expected between teams. This wasn’t always the case, as seen with Rouen eliminating La Rochelle by 17 points or three other games with a 10-point margin.

3 – Many young players, future locally trained stars (JFL) who were still 15U last year (Pierre, Saumande, Couvreur…), played key roles. It’s a beautiful thing, even if facing older players can be challenging. We think of Ben Couvreur pitching against Bastien Dagneau and hitting a grand slam.
4 – Teams that rely on their foreign pitchers, as in the championship, give themselves a better chance of success. These pitchers are more experienced, more effective, and can better handle the full tournament distance.

5 – Experiencing a semifinal and final with extra innings is not common. This doesn’t necessarily call into question the notion of a tie-break in this tournament. In fact, a seven-inning game can extend to nine in extras. Having 13 innings, as in the final, is exceptional.
6 – On the organizers’ side, there’s a genuine enthusiasm to make this major baseball celebration a success. The facilities at Sénart are extremely well-suited to this type of competition, just like those in Evry for softball.