In the U18 European Baseball Championship semifinal game against Great Britain on Saturday, July 13, 2024, Team Italy faced adversity early in the top of the first inning when Italian starting pitcher Matteo Marello had to be bailed out by reliever Filippo Sabatini after surrendering three runs. The usual Azzurri closer went on to pitch six innings and allowed just one run on five hits with 11 strikeouts and four walks before winning pitcher Daniel Francini entered the contest with one out in the top of the seventh inning. The reliever got the job done with runners on first and second by just giving up one run during his 1.2 innings of work with two strikeouts and two walks.
The Italians answered with two runs in the bottom of the second inning when Luca Magnani singled and Giacomo Taschin homered to deep right field.
Team Italy added two runs in the bottom of the fifth inning. After Lorenzo Barbona singled, Luca Magnani was hit by a pitch, and Giacomo Taschin was issued a walk, Daniele Di Persia connected with an RBI single to right field. An infield error amounted to another run and give the Italians a slim 4-3 lead.
Great Britain tied the game in the top of the seventh inning to send the contest into extra innings. The Brits managed to score one run in the top of the eighth inning, but Team Italy scored twice in the bottom of the eighth inning for a walk-off 6-5 victory. With Daniele Di Persia placed on second base as per tie-break rules, Federico De Cristan executed a perfectly placed bunt single and hero Mattia Bernardis came through in the clutch with a two-run double to end the game.
BOX SCORE
Undefeated Team Italy now battles Germany in the U18 European Baseball Championship finals at the Armin Wolf Arena in Regensburg on Sunday, July 14, 2024 at 7 pm. Germany defeated the Kingdom of the Netherlands 6-1 in the other semifinal game to earn the right to play Team Italy again in the gold medal game. When Team Italy met Germany earlier in the tournament on July 12th, the Italians prevailed with a 9-3 win.
SCHEDULE, RESULTS AND PLAY BY PLAY
Forza #Italia!
by Roberto Angotti
(Photo of Team Italy after the extra-inning semifinal win over Great Britain on July 13, 2024 Legionaire)
