Men’s side
The Barracudas are on fire. Not only did their baseball team win the France Challenge, their cricket team won their first tournament in their first appearance, but most importantly, their men’s softball team won the 2021 season as champions. They faced the Cobras de Contes. In a best-of-five series, they won the hard-fought duel 3-2. This result gives them the opportunity to participate in next year’s 2022 European Champions Cup.
Victorious in the first two games of the series last weekend in Montpellier, the Barracudas had seen Contes tie the score after two Cobra wins on Saturday, 15-5 and 15-3, but they won on Sunday in the final game of the series 12-2.
Sylvain BUVAT (Contes) is MVP, Sébastien NEUMANN (Toulouse) is the best hitter and Mickaël MENGOLI (Montpellier) is the best pitcher.
Women’s side
The Comanches of Saint-Raphaël retain their title as French Women’s Softball Champions.
Leading the standings with a victory ahead of Clapiers-Jacou before the final day on September 26, 2021, the Comanches drew with Grenoble, while Clapiers drew with Pessac.
This is their thirteenth consecutive title in this competition.
Here’s what they have to say:
It would be a mistake to take a national title for granted, even when it’s the 13th in a row. Even more so when it’s achieved in pain at the end of the last day of the championship…
The least that can be said is that the players of Saint-Raphaël played it safe this Sunday, September 26, against the Grenoble Grizzlies, when they needed one last victory to finish first and guarantee their place in the European Cup in 2022. With capricious weather and trailing until the last inning, the Comanches managed to reverse the trend to claim this spot they’ve dominated since… 2008!
The occasion to salute in the best way the « retirement » of one of their historic volunteers, Françoise Lassaigne.
The second match confirmed the beautiful adversity offered by the Grenoble team, who managed to capitalize on their strong moments and win this final encounter. This result has no consequence on the final standings but is symbolic of the homogeneity of the 2021 championship!
The upcoming weekend brings the 2021 France Challenge of Women’s Softball, which will be organized in Valenciennes. Their title of French champions will be awarded on this occasion.
