Rouen Huskies – Templiers Senart 6-1, 10-5
SEN 100 000 000 1 7 1 ROU 020 001 210 6 11 0
The two French clubs, which played in the European Cup at the beginning of April, met last weekend to celebrate their opening day in the Elite League. TJ Stanton (W 1-0) led ROUEN to a 6-1 victory in game one, striking out twelve batters in six innings. He gave up just one run on six hits and a walk. Alex Malihoudis had put SENART up in front in the first with a RBI single. But the HUSKIES answered in the second with two runs and continued to build up the lead afterwards. Dany Scalabrini drove in two. Sebastien Grimaud went two-for-two with a walk, two runs scored and a RBI. Ernesto Martinez had three hits for the TEMPLIERS. Steven Vesque (L 0-1), fresh off the MLB Academies tournament, started for last year’s regular season winner and allowed nine hits, five runs and seven bb in seven innings.
SEN 100 000 130 5 8 5 ROU 501 021 100 10 9 3
In the second match ROUEN scored five runs in the first frame en route to a 10-5 victory. David Gauthier was the main force with two hits, two runs and three RBI. Nicolas Dubaut got two RBI. Luc Piquet, Kenji Hagiwara and Flavien Peron each scored twice too. Evan Blesoff and Damien Teygeman had two hits apiece for SENART. Alexandre Sochon (W 1-0) picked up the win with five solid innings, conceding four hits, one run and two bb, striking out four. Blesoff (L 0-1) surrendered nine hits, ten runs (8 ER) and three walks in seven innings.
Arvernes de Clermont-Ferrand – Savigny Lions 7-11, 1-2 (11)
SAV 000 611 012 11 10 2 CLE 010 500 010 7 3 4
The LIONS blew a 6-1 lead in the fourth frame, but still prevailed in an 11-7 victory, thanks to runs in five of the last six innings. Stewart bailed out starter Christopher Morel with 5 1/3 innings of relief to pick up the win. Aurelien Dalibard (4 IP) and Remi Pellet (5 IP) pitched for CLERMONT-FERRAND.
SAV 010 000 000 01 2 6 1 CLE 000 010 000 00 1 9 1
SAVIGNY overcame an impressive performance by ARVERNES starter Ben Pfinsgraff to sweep the doubleheader with a 2-1 win in eleven innings. Pfinsgraff struck out 14 in eight innings to out-duel LIONS ace Pierrick Lemestre (9 IP). But in the extra innings, Thomas Salado (2 IP, W) had the better ending as Christopher Joly (3 IP, L).
{mrb-result:2009-04-11|2009-04-12|FR}
{mrb-standing:france-2009}
Photo by Stade Toulousain