This weekend will see the fourth round of the D1 men’s baseball championship. A stage where, aside from a postponed match, some clear trends and surprises are emerging. Notably, the rise of historic leaders and the shaky start of certain outsiders.
Let’s start with Montpellier’s Barracudas, who have had a flawless first half of the season. A 1.000 winning ratio, an offense batting .300 (the most consistent behind the Templiers), and a defense that has only allowed 9 runs in 6 games. Solid work. Even if behind these strong results, it’s worth noting that the Hérault players, who are leading the overall standings, have started against three outsiders.
What about Rouen’s Huskies, one of the most famous clubs in the country? It seems they’ve had a rough time against Montigny’s Cougars (2-4), the Templiers (0-4), and Stade Toulousain (2-2). The pack, who haven’t yet faced any outsiders, are batting .238 with a .500 winning ratio. Is the crushing dominance of the Normans (15-time champions since 2003 with 17 appearances in the European Cup – 9-time winners of the French Challenge since 2002) about to relinquish their crown, for the greater good of the championship? On the western front, the Boucaniers (.255 AVG), haven’t moved since their adventure against the Arvernes (0-6). The Rochellais will have to confirm their status against the 10th-placed Cavigals, who have a record of 1-5 (a tough away game). Even if the Niçois are only batting .130, they will be at home to try and secure a second win. The Lions of Savigny are furious; they let a crucial game slip against Rouen. The Essonne players’ record stands at 3-1, allowing them to top Group A with a .279 batting average.
At the Templiers, nothing has changed, just like the Rochellais, with both teams having had a postponed match. The Cometz of Metz are currently sharing the fate of the Cavigals, with only 1 win for 5 defeats. It’s already clear that the game will be tough for these two teams if nothing changes. The PUC, batting .234 (almost as much as the Huskies), are at 2-2 and, like the Boucaniers, haven’t yet faced the favorites (Sénart, Savigny, Rouen, Montpellier). Isn’t it by measuring yourself against the giants that you truly become aware of your capabilities? The 4 theoretically dominant clubs (mentioned above) must, on their side, accumulate as many wins as possible before the final stages to hope for a good finish. In the middle of the table, it seems the fight will be tough between the Toulousains, the Cougars, and the Parisians of the PUC for a playoff spot…
Vincent Picard
Photo credits: Hiep Than Trong
