2018 European Champions Cup Day Three Recap
T&A San Marino had something to prove at the European Champions Cup in Rotterdam, the Netherlands on June 8, 2018. Before the first pitch thrown in the game against Czech Republic’s Draci Brno, both teams were winless in the five-day international tournament. T&A San Marino rose to the occasion by coming from behind to end up victorious. 
Down 10-6 in the top of the seventh inning, T&A San Marino needed runs in a hurry. Vincente Lupo reached first on a walk, and Juan Martin was hit by a pitch. An RBI single by Riccardo Babini brought Vincente Lupo home to score. Then a two RBI double from Jose Ferrini cut the deficit down to one run. Thomas De Wolf followed and tied the game up 10-10 with his RBI double down the right field line. In the top of the eighth inning, T&A San Marino mounted a two-run rally to eventually beat Draci Brno 12-11 when Chris Colabello and Vincente Lupo got base hits and later scored on a pair of RBI singles by Juan Martin and Riccardo Babini. Reliever Thomas De Wolf picked up the win after throwing the last three innings of the game. Tommasso Cherubini started for T&A San Marino and pitched six complete innings. With his first victory in the Euro Champions Cup, manager Mario Chiarini leads T&A San Marino (1-2) into battle against Germany’s Heidenheim Heidekoepfe (1-2) on June 9, 2018 at 4:30 am (EST). Catch the live play-by-play action by clicking .
It was the clash between the two undefeated teams when UnipolSai Bologna went up against Euro Cup Champion Curacao Neptunus. The Italian squad wasted no time in getting on the board. In the top of the first inning with one out, speedy Gilmer Lampe worked the count for a walk and then stole both second and third base. He came home on an RBI double from cleanup hitter Giuseppe Mazzanti, who also scored on an RBI single by shortstop Robel Garcia. Bologna came back for more in the top of the second inning. Outfielder Alessandro Grimaudo reached first on a walk and quickly stole second base. Gilmer Lampe knocked him in with his RBI single to give Bologna a 3-0 lead. In the top of the sixth inning, A.S.D. Bologna added an insurance run when Giuseppe Mazzanti crossed the plate on an RBI single from Alessandro Grimaudo. Starting pitcher Andrea Pizziconi held the explosive Dutch offense at bay and limited Curacao Neptunus to only three hits during his first five innings of work. When Curacao Neptunus rallied for three runs in the bottom of the sixth inning, reliever Justin Cicatello was summoned from the bullpen to stop the bleeding. The pressure built up even more later when closer Nick Pugliese entered the game with bases loaded in the bottom of the seventh inning and surrendered a two RBI single to give Curacao Neptunus a slim 5-4 advantage. Bologna was unable to come back in the final two innings and lost the heartbreaker 5-4.
A.S.D. Rimini was in a do-or-die situation in the Euro Champions Cup as the team needed to defeat L&D Amsterdam in order to remain in contention for the 2018 crown as the top-seed in Pool A. Rimini starter Logan Duran (7 innings pitched, 5 hits, 1 run, 3 walks, and 9 strikeouts) kept the Dutch bats quiet early in the contest. The Italian bats came to life in the top of the fourth inning when Federico Celli doubled, and Luis Ustariz followed with a two-run home run over the left field fence. Rimini was gifted the game-decisive run in the top of the eighth inning when Miguel Noguera singled and later scored on a balk. Closer Kevin Kelly earned the save (1.2 innings pitched, 1 hit, 1 run, and 4 strikeouts) in the 3-2 A.S.D. Rimini win over L&D Amsterdam. Rimini (2-1) plays UnipolSai Bologna (2-1) June 9, 2018 at 9 am (EST). The winner of the contest will advance to the Euro Championship Cup final game on June 10, 2018 at 2 pm. Catch all the live play-by-play action by clicking .
by Roberto Angotti
