Team Italy hosts Euro Women's Softball Championship in Friuli region

Prior to departing for the Olympics in Tokyo as the Europe-Africa representative, Team Italy manager Enrico Obletter and the Azzurre softball squad have to take care of some very serious business on their own home turf. The 2020 Olympic Europe-Africa representative and defending European champion strives to score back-to-back titles in the WBSC European Women's Softball Championship, which takes place in the Italian Friuli region from June 7-13, 2020.

Although defending the Euro championship title in front of the loyal and dedicated Italian softball fan base may serve as enough motivation to perform with absolute perfection, the results of the 2020 WBSC European Women's Softball Championship take on significant importance in terms of qualifying for other world-class events. The top three teams in the competition will represent Europe at the WBSC Women's World Cup in 2021. In addition, the winner of the Euros will also secure its spot at the 2021 World Games. Finally, the top six softball nations earn the right to play in the second annual Super 6 competition in the Netherlands next year.

By no stretch of the imagination, winning the 2020 European Women's Softball Championship title for Team Italy will not be an easy task based on past experiences at home. In fact, the Kingdom of the Netherlands has defeated Team Italy for the Euro title on the two previous occasions that the European Women's Softball Championship was held on Italian soil (Ronchi dei Legionari in 2011 and Bollate in 2017 ). Softball skipper Enrico Obletter and coach Federico Pizzolini are well aware of Team Italy's past struggles to capture the Euro crown on their home turf; however, this time around the Olympic-bound Team Italy lineup is stacked with superior talent and incredible power. On the Road to Tokyo 2020, the Azzurre softball squad will absolutely not allow the Dutch to repeat history with a third victory on their home turf. Forza #Italia!

by Roberto Angotti