In contrary to the similar format in Italy, the French Elite League teams take their regular season records with them into the playoffs. The postseason started last weekend with SENART widen the gap in the standings with a sweep against SAVIGNY. ROUEN split their doubleheader with MONTPELLIER and is now four games behind the TEMPLIERS in second place.
Results Playoffs:
Rouen – Montpellier 5-8, 3-1 (5)
Senart – Savigny 2-0, 6-5
Standings:
Senart 26-4 Rouen 22-8 Savigny 19-11 Montpellier 16-14
Rouen Huskies – Montpellier Barracudas 5-8, 3-1
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On the first game of the French Elite League playoffs, ROUEN and MONTEPLLIER settled for a split. In game one the BARRACUDAS scored four runs each in the third and seventh in an 8-5 victory. The HUSKIES tried to rally in the eighth, but got stopped right in time. The fourth ranked team profited from six errors by the ROUEN defense. Eduard Masse pitched 7 2/3 innings to pick up the win. Keino Perez took the loss. Just three of the eight runs allowed by the HUSKIES were earned.
ROUEN got revenge in the second match, when they won a rain-shortened contest 3-1 in five innings. Randy Perez drove in run number one with a double in the second. Kenji Hagiwara’s two-run single a frame later made it 3-0. Gregory Cros singled in the lone MONTPELLIER run in the fourth. A thunderstorm in the bottom of the fifth led to the end of the game. The result of 3-1 for the HUSKIES is official. Mathieu Crescent received the win, Thomas Meley the loss.
Templiers Senart – Savigny Lions 2-0, 6-5
The TEMPLIERS continue to win at start of the playoffs, sweeping the two-game series against third-ranked SAVIGNY 2-0 and 6-5. Samuel Meurant pitched a complete game shutout in game one, striking out 13 batters in the nine innings.
The second match was much more thrilling. SENART received another dominant performance by a starter, as Evan Blesoff struck out 14. Nonetheless the LIONS led 5-4 in the ninth. David Meurant hit a two-run walk off single in the bottom of the period to seal the 6-5 victory.
Results Playdowns:
Toulouse – Clermont-Ferrand 0-3, 12-11
La Guerche – Paris UC 2-1, 10-14
Standings:
Toulouse 11-19 La Guerche 11-19 Clermont-Ferrand 10-20 Paris UC 5-25