Duel between Rouen and Savigny ends with split

Savigny Lions – Rouen Huskies 7-6 (10), 6-12

ROU 100 050 000 0  6 11 3
SAV 100 022 010 1  7  9 3

ROU 043 121 010  12 18 2
SAV 001 100 040   6  6 2

Two of the best teams of the Elite league met last weekend in Savigny and settled for a split. The LIONS overcame a 1-6 deficit to defeat the HUSKIES in extra innings in game one. A bases loaded walk in the tenth by Sebastien Grimaud sealed the walk-off victory. Grimaud had already tied the contest with a RBI-double in the eighth. ROUEN had scored five runs in the fifth to take the lead, including RBIs a two-run double by Luc Piquet. Jeffrey Blanco (SAV) allowed six hits, six runs and three walks in 4 1/3 innings. Keino Perez (ROU) gave up six hits, four runs and two base on balls in six innings. He struck out ten. Jason Kosow (ROU) blew the lead. Carlos Jiminian (SAV) received the win after 5 2/3 scoreless relief innings. Alexandre Sochon (ROU) took the loss.

ROUEN took a fast 7-1 lead after three frames through two-run singles by Flavien Peron, Dany Scalabrini and Randy Perez en route to an easy 12-6 win. Perez and Peron each had four hits. The LIONS started a little rally in the eighth and put four runs on the board. Nonetheless the deficit was to big, finish another comeback successfully. Giovanni Ouin (ROU) gave up two hits, two runs (1 ER) and four walks in five innings for the win. Thomas Salado (SAV) took the loss after giving up seven runs (3 ER) on eight hits and a bb.

Montpellier Barracudas – Templiers Senart 4-5, 1-4
The TEMPLIERS closed the gap to SAVIGNY and passed ROUEN in the standings due to two victories in Montpellier. However both wins were not easy. They needed to rally in the eighth frame of game one to erase a 2-4 deficit to defeat the BARRACUDAS 5-4. In the second match of the weekend they needed a strong pitching effort to defeat MONTPELLIER 4-1. SENART has now a 5-1 record and faces their local rivals LIONS (5-1) on the next game day.

Stade Toulouse – Arvernes Clermont-Ferrand 1-0 (10), 18-11
The fans in Toulouse saw two different ballgames last weekend with the same favorable outcome for the home team. STADE won a pitchers duel in the first game. Both teams failed to score on different occasions throughout the first nine innings. In the top of the tenth, Fabricio Rodriguez of the ARVERNES was thrown out in a close play at the plate, trying to score. However TOULOUSE did it better in the bottom of the period, loading the bases and Jamal Boutagra scored the game winner on a hit by pitch.

The second part of the doubleheader was a wild one. CLERMONT-FERRAND pitching put 15 runners on base through a walk or a hit by pitch and TOULOUSE profited from it. ARVERNES scored from the start and led by 4-0, 9-5 and 11-9. But STADE rallied several times and scored nine runs in the last three frames to complete the sweep. Both squads combined for 29 runs, 26 hits and eight errors in a 3 hours and 36 minutes slugfest. Doug Grant (CLE) had four hits on the day, including a solo homerun. Frederic Hanvi (TOU) provided a two-run homerun.

Paris University Club – La Guerche Hawks 7-6, 2-12
Both clubs combined for five victories last season. Although LA GUERCHE won a game at the first weekend, they started the new season in the bottom half of the standings as well. Each squad could celebrate once on Sunday. The HAWKS carried a 5-2 lead into the eighth inning in the first game but could not hold on. Tim Stewart ignited a PUC rally with his second homerun of the year and PARIS won by a score of 7-6. Louis Lebelle (PUC) and Anthony Piquet (GUE) were the starters. Ludovic Clairet took the loss against his former team.

LA GUERCHE angry to lose so late, they were motivated to win their second game of the season in the second part of the doubleheader. They scored with ease and build up a 12-0 lead on their way to a lopsided 12-2 victory.