The Paris University Club quickly put its loss to the Swiss National Team behind it and burst onto the scene with a seven-run bottom of the first inning, propelling them to a sizable lead that they were able to hold on to after five innings to win 10-7.
Ben Jones’ RBI double in the top of the first gave the London Mets an early lead that proved to be short lived.In the bottom of the first, a single and two walks loaded the bases for the Paris University Club. After a strikeout, Jules Diego Rabearivelo grounded into a fielder’s choice at second base that scored a run. Then another walk loaded the bases once more, before Erwan Prieur, Matho Launay and Lucas Khemache hit back-to-back-to-back doubles, giving Paris a 6-1 lead, but the French weren’t done there.
Paul Stukas walked, ending Jones’ day on the mound for London, and then Samy Jamous singled to load the bases for the third time. Pierre Monbeigwalked on four pitches, earning Paris its seventh and final run of the inning.
With the score at 9-2 by the end of the third inning, the Mets fought back. With runners on second and third with no outs, Nathan Kettle hit an RBI double and Tosh Lawson cashed in another run on a single to third base. Aidan Pearce walked, loading the bases for Graydon Koyanagi who grounded into an RBI fielder’s choice (9-5). Later, on an error, Lawson scored from third base, completing the scoring for London in the inning.
Paris added an insurance run in the bottom of the fourth, when Prieur scored on a wild pitch. With one last chance to complete a comeback in the top of the fifth, London cut into the lead, when Kettle reached on an error, scoring Joe Perez on the play from third, but a double play ended the game.
Stukas and Jamous, Paris’ one and two hitters, led the team with two hits each, while Greg Kettle paced London with two hits. Prieur and Launay recorded a team-high two RBI each for Paris, while Ben Jones and Nathan Kettle’s two RBI led London.
Watch the gallery from our photographer Iris Drobny here