The big clashes took place and gave us a better idea of the teams’ strengths. With the France Challenge fast approaching, teams will face each other over four days. Before presenting this event, let’s look at what happened on the diamonds last weekend.
All matches were played. Toulouse, away in Paris, further cemented their dominance at the top. Let’s hear from Yanael Delpech, Club President: « We knew this trip to Paris was a trap. PUC has two solid pitchers, good hitters (Douglas), and we saw they could beat anyone with their win against Rouen. Offensively, the team is gaining power. Some players need several games to reach their level, which is the case for Nolan Soliveres and Ariel Soriano, who delivered a fantastic performance this weekend after a shaky start to the season and a gradual improvement. Our line-up is now well-balanced, but what makes us strong is the collective that Randy Perez has developed. We’re ready for the challenge. »
Metz hosted Nice. Two wins for the Cometz, who have put themselves out of reach of relegation. Let’s hear from Metz President David Ten Eyck: « The first match was one-sided. Shean Priest mastered his craft and showed great professionalism by setting an example in a decisive game. The hitters responded, and the result was clear. The second match was much tighter. Pitcher Augustin put in a huge performance for Nice, and it was only after surpassing 120 pitches and starting the fourth line-up that Metz managed to score and win. These two victories allow us to start a new chapter in our season. It’s clear we’re not where we wanted to be in the standings, but we have to accept it and move forward with a positive attitude. We must learn from our defeats and succeed in the rest of the season to have the maximum impact on the playoff race and finish in the best possible position after the playdowns. »
Rouen hosted the Boucaniers de la Rochelle. The two teams split the series. The first match was fiercely contested, and after a series of defensive errors and a flash of opportunism, the Rochelais won by one run in the tenth inning. The second match could have been difficult for the Rouennais against pitcher Nicolas Antoine, who had given them so much trouble in the away game in La Rochelle. But a first-inning home run by Bastien Dagneau rattled the French pitcher. The points quickly piled up for the Huskies. Let’s hear from Pierre Yves Roland, Rouen’s president: « The Huskies are facing a complicated start to the season. The reasons are, of course, multiple, but one of the main ones lies in recruitment. Doubt has slowly crept into their minds; we’ve made unusual defensive errors and approximate base-running. With five defeats, including three by one run and one by two, we remain strong on our main strength, which is the collective. We could do without this rough patch, but it’s also interesting to go through periods like this; it helps avoid falling into self-satisfaction and arrogance. I’m not worried about our ability to react. »
Savigny hosted the Barracudas de Montpellier. The two teams split the series and battled hard at the plate. The first match saw the victory of Canelon, Montpellier’s ace, against Gédéon Coste. In the second match, pitcher Amoros of Savigny won against Ben Couvreur. This second match saw a rain of hits and three home runs (two by Ivan Acuna for Savigny and one by Yoan Antonac for Montpellier).
