The Templiers Senart have won the Challenge de France 2017. In the championship game on Sunday afternoon in Rouen they defeated the Montpellier Barracudas 4-2. A two-run home run by Florian Peyrichou in the top of the fifth broke a 1-1 tie en route to the victory. Matthieu Brelle-Andrade pitched 8 1/3 innings of one-run ball for the win. Thomas Meley got charged with the loss.
While Montpellier reached the final undefeated, Senart lost their opening match against the Montigny Cougars on Thursday. However they then beat the Savigny Lions and again Montigny to reach the semi-final, where they eliminated defending champion Rouen Huskies 9-4. Montpellier cruised past the Clermont-Ferrand Arvernes in the semis.
By winning the Challenge de France, the Templiers already have secured a ticket in next year’s European Cups. Senart has won the Challenge de France for the third time overall and the first since 2014 in Toulouse.