Team Italy U15 squad places third at Youth Rotterdam Baseball Week after 15-2 win over Kingdom of the Netherlands
13/07/2024 1 Minute Read

Team Italy U15 squad places third at Youth Rotterdam Baseball Week after 15-2 win over Kingdom of the Netherlands

Team Italy closed out Youth Rotterdam Baseball Week with a third-place finish after a convincing 15-2 victory over the Kingdom of the Netherlands U15 squad at the Neptunus Sports Complex on Saturday, July 13, 2024

The young and promising Team Italy U15 squad was scheduled to play the Czech Republic the day prior in the Youth Rotterdam Baseball Week semifinals, but due to adverse weather conditions the game was canceled. Tourney organizers chose to place the top teams with the best records (the Czech Republic and Germany) in the championship final. As a result, the Italians were relegated to the third and fourth place game against the Dutch on Saturday, July 13, 2024.

Having endured an 8-7 heartbreaking loss to the Kingdom of the Netherlands U15 squad on July 10th, Team Italy sought revenge and beat the Dutch easily by a score of 15-2 three days later.   

Without the services of two of the best Team Italy hitters, Elia Plusigh and Dario Lomi, Azzurri U15 manager Giuseppe Mazzanti got creative against the Kingdom of the Netherlands. His lineup card looked like this: Mattia Angelucci (2B), Federico Magalotti (1B), Pablo Suarez (3B), Alessio Casasanta (DH), Leonardo Prizzon (LF), Nicolò Mariani (SS), Michael Moronta (C), Cristian Severino (CF), and Matteo Chinello (RF). The Italian offense collected twelve hits and nine walks in the five-inning mercy-rule game. Pablo Suarez went 4-for-5 with an RBI, and Alessio Casasanta was a perfect 2-for-2 with two triples and two RBI.

On the pitching mound, Patrick Silva got the start and threw two innings before the quartet of Christian Tontini, Federico Carlomè, Giacomo Tesio and Takuma Lupo closed out the contest. The entire pitching staff limited the Dutch to just two hits.

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VIDEO REPLAY

Despite an undesired end result for Team Italy due to weather during Youth Rotterdam Baseball Week, the international tourney effectively served as adequate preparation for the team with the U15 Baseball World Cup at Edgar Renteria Baseball Stadium in Barranquilla, Colombia next month.

Forza #Italia!

by Luca Giangrande and Roberto Angotti

(Photo of Team Italy's Federico Magalotti with third base coach Alberto Furlani nearby against Kingdom of the Netherlands on July 13, 2024)