Challenge de France – Semi-finals: Metz and Savigny, the powerhouses, deliver
The semi-finals of the Challenge de France confirmed an age-old rule: teams that go through the first round unbeaten have a clear advantage. Metz and Savigny, who have been flawless so far, only needed three games to reach the final.
Savigny silences Béziers in a pitching masterclass
The first semi-final pitted two surprises of the competition against each other: the Lions of Savigny, who have shaken off their early-season slump, and the Pirates of Béziers, who had knocked out the reigning French champions, Rouen, twice.
But against Savigny’s ace, Orozco Alvarado, the Béziers dream quickly turned into a nightmare. The star pitcher delivered a masterpiece: 11 strikeouts, no hits allowed, just groundouts and flyouts – a textbook no-hitter. The Lions timed their hits perfectly: two runs scored in the fifth inning on surgical strikes were enough to seal their ticket to the final.
Savigny’s game-winning hits on the right
Béziers can still hold their heads high. For their first appearance in the Challenge de France, the club made a strong impression by eliminating Rouen and putting up a good fight against a fully focused Savigny, determined not to give an inch.
Metz capitalizes on errors and advances to the final
In the other semi-final, Metz, fresh after two dominant games, faced Montpellier, who had to dig deep physically and mentally after three matches.
From the first inning, Metz capitalized on their opponents’ defensive mistakes to score a run. The same story in the third. Montpellier cycled through their pitchers – four in total – but the damage was done. Matheo Launay, meanwhile, was in complete control on the mound until the fifth.
Metz’s game-winning hits on the left
The knockout blow came in the fourth inning: on a textbook play orchestrated by Yeixon Ruiz, manager and strategist of the Metz offense, Metz extended their lead. Even if Daniel Crossan’s entry in the fifth, for Metz, might have suggested a resurgence from the Barracudas.
In front of a roaring crowd, Metz secured their spot in the final for the second year in a row, determined to etch their name even deeper into the history of the Challenge.
Photo credits: RS Clubs Lions and Cometz
