The Rouen Huskies have won the 2012 Challenge de France to secure a European competition berth for the 2013 season. They shut out the Savigny Lions 4-0 in the title game on Sunday at the new ballpark in Senart. Chris Mezguer allowed just three hits and a walk in six scoreless innings to lead the way. Keino Perez closed out the win.
A RBI single by Joris Bert and an error gave Rouen an early 2-0 advantage in the third. Another error and a wild pitch allowed Boris Marche and Anthony Piquet to score in the eighth to make it a four-run game. Kazuki Iwamori was charged with the loss, issuing two hits, two runs (1 ER) and six base on balls in six innings.
The Huskies had reached the finals undefeated and winning all three preliminary round games against Savigny, Stade Toulousain and Paris UC, as well as the semi-final (8-1) against the Templiers Senart. The Lions had edged out PUC and the team from Toulouse to make it into the semis. They dispatched the Montpellier Barracudas (10-2) en route to the championship game. Montpellier won the game for third place against Senart.
Results:
Wednesday, May 16:
19:30 Templiers Senart – Montpellier Barracudas 4-13
Thursday, May 17:
10:00 Rouen Huskies – Stade Toulousain 3-1
11:00 Pessac Panthers – Beaucaire Chevaliers 6-0
14:00 Stade Toulousain – Savigny Lions 4-6
15:00 Montpellier Barracudas – Beaucaire Chevaliers 3-2
18:00 Savigny Lions – Paris UC 11-3
19:00 Templiers Senart – Pessac Panthers 11-1
Friday, May 18:
10:00 Paris UC – Stade Toulousain 9-2
14:00 Paris UC – Rouen Huskies 0-14
14:00 Montpellier Barracudas – Pessac Panthers 12-2
18:00 Rouen Huskies – Savigny Lions 11-8
19:00 Beaucaire Chevaliers – Templiers Senart 2-12
Saturday, May 19:
14:00 Rouen Huskies – Templiers Senart 8-1 (Semi-Finals)
19:00 Montpellier Barracudas – Savigny Lions 2-10 (Semi-Finals)
Sunday, May 20:
10:00 Templiers Senart – Montpellier Barracudas 0-2 (Bronze Medal Game)
14:00 Rouen Huskies – Savigny Lions 4-0 (Gold Medal Game)