The final weekend of baseball action brought genuine medal hopes for France in the Baseball5 World Cup, a nail-biting playoff for Division 1, and exciting finals for the 15U and 18U teams.
Baseball5 World Cup 18U
The French juniors made a stellar start, winning their first five matches and topping their group. Their first loss came against Cuba, the other group leader. They bounced back with a win over Turkey and will face China in their third match. Regardless of that result, they’ll meet Cuba again in Sunday’s final. Tune in to the WBSC’s YouTube channel for their match against China. We’ll stream the final live on Sunday.
Division 1 Playoff
Two wins separate Metz from relegation to Division 2 and Béziers from promotion to Division 1. Both teams will leave nothing on the field in this crucial showdown. The medical substitute rule will come into play, as both teams have lost players in their respective playoffs. Metz, weary from a tough season, face an extra challenge with Division 1 now expanded to eight teams—they’re currently eighth out of ten (with Le PUC and Nice already relegated). After five years in Division 1, relegation would be a heartbreaking blow. Béziers, meanwhile, are riding high after winning the Division 2 title. They’ll fight tooth and nail, especially with home-field advantage on Saturday and Sunday. Unlike Metz, they’ve bolstered their pitching with Spanish international Eric Paez, fresh off winning the European title.
18U French Cup
Semi-finals on Saturday and finals on Sunday between four clubs: Savigny, Rouen, Nice, and Le PUC. Notably, all four are Division 1 teams in 2023, with two (Le PUC and Nice) set to drop to Division 2 next year. Both are known for developing young talent, with Le PUC excelling across junior categories (runners-up in the 12U French Cup and champions in the 15U French Cup).
15U French Open
In Évry Courcouronnes, three teams will battle for the title: Normandy and two from the Essonne Departmental Committee. Final at 4 PM on Sunday.
