Game of Throws: Episode 10

The Pharaohs, fresh off their European title and sitting 2nd in the standings with an 11-5 record, are missing key players Lila d’Hauteville (injured in a Baseball5 tournament) and Jade Aubart-Cojan, Jade Lippert, and Elsa Lepinay (all called up for a Baseball5 training camp). Across the diamond, Pessac arrives at home with just as much momentum: 12 wins and 6 losses. The Bordeaux side has mastered the art of winning tight games and boasts one of the most consistent lineups in the division. These two teams will clash in the semifinals—though the home-field advantage is still up for grabs.

Over in Grenoble, the Grizzlies hosted the Wildcats in what amounted to the weekend’s marquee doubleheader. Grenoble needed to sweep both games to overtake Colombes in the standings. The Wildcats, meanwhile, were missing star hitter Hermine Boudousq (.333 batting average this season), but their lineup remained formidable.

Saint-Raphaël’s Comanches, meanwhile, hosted Nice in a matchup that looked lopsided on paper—but carried massive stakes. The Comanches have been unstoppable all season, rolling to a perfect 17-0 record. Their confidence is sky-high, their chemistry flawless, and their ability to punish even the smallest defensive miscues is terrifying. Could the pressure of a flawless campaign finally catch up with them? Nice, for their part, has struggled all season (3-15, .167) but is desperate to end the year on a high note. Against the league’s juggernaut, every inning is an opportunity to defy expectations.

Grizzlys vs Wildcats

Game 1: Grenoble 6-5 Colombes

The Grizzlies came out swinging. The second inning started like a dream: Diane Simon and Krystina Korousova combined for two hits, loading the bases with just one out. But a strikeout and a pop fly later, Grenoble left the bases loaded and frustrated, with just a single run to show for their efforts. They kept grinding, though, and added another run in the fourth to take a 2-0 lead. Or so it seemed.

The relief pitchers flipped the script. The Wildcats ratcheted up the pressure, scoring a run in the fifth to cut the deficit to 2-1. Then, in the sixth, the errors started piling up for Grenoble—three miscues, a wild pitch, and a passed ball—as Colombes seized control and took a 5-2 lead.

But the Grizzlies weren’t done. In the bottom of the sixth, Lauryne Paladini-Emo scored on a clutch single, igniting a late surge. Then, with one out, Ellie Bouis stepped up and drilled a triple to the gap, sending shockwaves through the dugout. The bases were suddenly loaded, and Grenoble’s bats came alive. Korousova delivered the walk-off hit, capping a stunning 6-5 comeback and sending the Wildcats reeling.

Grenoble’s offense was relentless, collecting 11 hits and keeping Colombes’ defense on its heels. Four players in the lineup finished with two hits apiece.

Game MVP: Ellie Bouis. She single-handedly flipped the script with her clutch triple in the final inning, a monumental blow that shattered Colombes’ momentum and sparked Grenoble’s dramatic victory.

Game 2: Grenoble 14-4 Colombes

The Wildcats were shell-shocked after the first game’s heartbreak. The second matchup was a different story entirely.

Grenoble’s bats came alive from the get-go, pounding out 14 hits in just four innings. Colombes managed a faint rally in the fourth, scoring four runs, but it was too little, too late. The Grizzlies struck in every inning, with Diane Simon and Krystina Korousova leading the charge. Korousova was a force of nature, going 2-for-2 with a home run to center field, a double, three RBIs, three runs scored, and six total bases.

In the circle, Victoria Biteur was sharp, spinning through most of her innings with ease.

The final score: 14-4, a statement win for Grenoble.

Game MVP: Krystina Korousova. Her complete, dominant performance—powerful, decisive, and all-encompassing—made her the clear standout of the day.

Panthers vs Pharaohs

Game 1: Pessac 8-5 Évry-Courcouronnes

The Panthers held off a spirited Évry side to take the opener 8-5 in a tightly contested match. The visitors struck first with a triple from Ambre Brouard followed by an RBI from Emma Liminier, but Pessac answered right back, using Isaure Gourgues’ speed and disciplined hitting to keep the pressure on.

Over the next few innings, Pessac methodically built its lead, capitalizing on Évry’s defensive miscues. Marion Travers, Siobhan Hayes, and Camille Riera found themselves in scoring position time and again.

The turning point came in the fourth and fifth innings, when Pessac went on a tear. Louise Le Chenadec, dominant at the plate and on the mound, set the tone with a perfectly placed bunt. Travers and Hayes followed with clutch hits, and Mylène Graves delivered two consecutive singles that put Évry in a deep hole.

The fifth inning was the knockout blow: three runs scored on a wild pitch and a defensive error, a deficit the Pharaohs couldn’t overcome.

Le Chenadec closed things out in style, throwing 7.0 strong innings, allowing just five runs (four earned), walking one, and striking out five for an ERA of 2.80.

Game MVP: Louise Le Chenadec. Her consistency, offensive impact, and clutch pitching made her the undisputed star of the game.

Game 2: Pessac 2-11 Évry-Courcouronnes

Évry came out firing in the series finale, with Rosalie Coste and Ambre Brouard combining for a double and a single to stake an early lead. Pessac fought back, but the Pharaohs’ defense and Eidy Carolina Tortolero Monagas’ dominant pitching kept them at bay.

The second inning sealed the deal: Brouard crushed a line-drive home run to left field, extending the lead and putting Pessac in an impossible hole. The Panthers’ offense went silent, while Évry continued to capitalize on every mistake, adding runs via sacrifice flies and well-placed hits.

The third and fourth innings saw the Pharaohs’ offense click into gear. Coste racked up multiple hits, and Tortolero Monagas turned in a masterclass on the mound, throwing 5.0 innings of two-hit ball, allowing just two runs (one earned), walking two, and striking out three for an ERA of 0.88.

Pessac managed a late rally in the fourth with a single from Pedarzacq that plated two runs, but it was too little, too late.

The fifth inning put the final nail in the coffin: Liminier and Coste combined for three more runs, sealing the 11-2 win.

Game MVP: Eidy Carolina Tortolero Monagas. Her flawless performance on the mound was the difference-maker.

Comanches vs Cavigal

Game 1: Saint-Raphaël 13-3 Nice (Mercy Rule)

The first inning was a complete offensive explosion for Saint-Raphaël. A string of Nice errors, well-placed hits, and aggressive baserunning allowed the Comanches to pile up 10 runs before the visitors could blink. Pauline Prade drilled a double, Marjorie Brunel and Inès Haudiquer followed with a double and a triple, Chiara Enrione-Thorrand added a single, and Elsa Munier drove in another run. Nice fought back with a sacrifice bunt and a walk, but the damage was done.

The second inning saw Saint-Raphaël’s dominance continue. Brunel launched a home run, Haudiquer added a sacrifice fly, and Prade kept the hits coming. The Comanches’ offense was fluid, aggressive, and perfectly coordinated.

Nice managed to score two runs in the third thanks to Charlotte Gonfrier and Emma Flayol, but the momentum never shifted. In the fourth, Saidi and Pean added more clutch hits, capitalizing on another defensive error to score Farah Saidi. The game was called early under the mercy rule.

Game MVP: Farah Saidi. She turned in a complete performance on the mound, throwing 4.0 innings of two-hit ball, allowing three runs (two earned), walking three, and striking out two for an ERA of 3.28.

Game 2: Saint-Raphaël 10-3 Nice

Nice started strong in the series finale, with Emma Flayol’s triple and subsequent hits from Rousselot and Dessi putting three runs on the board in the third inning. But it was the only real offensive spark the visitors could muster.

Saint-Raphaël answered right back in the first, with Chanal and Haudiquer combining for key hits, Munier drawing a walk, and Enrione-Thorrand driving in a run. Nice’s errors gifted the Comanches extra bases, and Prade added a single to keep the pressure on. The score was 4-3 in favor of the hosts.

The fourth inning was the turning point. Brunel delivered a clutch single, Sagory plated two runs with a perfectly placed hit, Munier advanced the runners, Haudiquer added an RBI, Enrione-Thorrand reached on an error, and Prade smashed a double to center field. In a matter of minutes, Saint-Raphaël exploded for four runs and took control of the game.

Nice couldn’t mount another threat, despite a few walks and a single from Piolin. In the sixth, Haudiquer sealed the deal with a triple and another run scored on an error, triggering the mercy rule.

Game MVP: Marjorie Brunel. Coming out of the bullpen, she was dominant, throwing 3.0 innings of one-hit ball, allowing no runs, walking two, and striking out two for an ERA of 0.78.

The Grizzlies and Wildcats are now tied in the standings. With one game left for Colombes and two for Grenoble, the final weekend could see the Wildcats leapfrog the Grizzlies into the semifinals—if Grenoble doesn’t sweep their doubleheader. If the two teams finish level, Colombes will advance on tiebreakers, setting up a semifinal clash against the Comanches. Grenoble, meanwhile, would face the Pharaohs.

For the Pharaohs, the path is clear: win to lock up 2nd place and home-field advantage in the semifinals. But they’ll have to get past Grenoble, a team capable of pulling off miracles despite their mid-table standing. For Pessac, the season is effectively over—they’ll need Évry to stumble to keep any playoff hopes alive.

The Comanches, meanwhile, are on the brink of history. A perfect 17-0 season is within reach, and while the final standings won’t change, the chance to finish the campaign unbeaten is a prize worth fighting for. Nice, meanwhile, will be playing in Division 2 next season after a dismal 3-15 campaign.

Sébastien Dondé + local correspondent

Photo credits: Club RS; standings and results design: Lucas Arrighi.