With Bologna practically guaranteed a spot in this year’s 2014 Italian Baseball Series, it’s now time to see whom they will be facing off against for Italy’s top prize. Will it be the Rimini Pirates or will it be T&A San Marino. It’s a question that could be answered before the weekend is up.
A lot of people are saying that this weekends head to head matchup between the Rimini Pirates and T&A San Marino is the one that will decide this year’s second place spot in the semifinals round and thus the second squad that will go up against the almost certain finalist, UnipolSai Bologna. With this said, the mentality of Rimini’s manager, Chris Catanoso, is a little bit different heading into this weekend’s derby, “We have to play this series like any other, I don’t believe that this three game set is more crucial then any other that we have been locked up in thus far in 2014, and I want my guys to believe the same.” Missing from Rimini’s lineup this weekend will once again be Mario Chiarini, but as for the rest of the bunch, it looks as if everyone will be on deck for the Pirates, which includes Mazzanti at third and Gomez back at second. Corradini should also be on this week’s roster out of the pen in the Italian game, a game that should be started by Cherubini. As for the other two games, it will be first Ekstrom on Thursday, followed up by Gonzales on Friday. On the other side of the diamond, T&A San Marino’s roster is once again up in the air, beginning with Delgado who might not be able to go on the bump once again for T&A. Going on Thursday for Bindi’s club will be Jr. Guerra, and in the Italian game it will be Valerio Simone.. as for the second foreigner matchup, if Delgado isn’t read look for Teran and Morreale to pick up the slack. On the one through nine, it looks as if Macaluso will be the odd man out of the lineup this week with the outfield rounding out as Avagnina, Duran, and Reginato. Tonight’s first pitch is scheduled for 9:00 pm.
Tonight in Bologna, UnipolSai hopes to get one step closer on making a finals bid official fact. Look for Williamson to get the call tonight against Parma’s southpaw, Yepez. On Friday evening in Parma, look for it to be Rivera for the home team against De Santis for Bologna, and finally on Saturday night back in Bologna, it will be Baez for UnipolSai and Sanchez for Lino’s Coffee Parma. Even though Bologna practically guaranteed a spot in the finals, look for them to continue to fight for home field advantage over the next two weekends of play. Tonight’s game will get underway at 9:00 pm.
