Team Italy loses 4-3 in Club Italia LA28 College Series Opener against University of Tampa

In game one of the two-game College Series between Team Italy and Division II National Champion University of Tampa Spartans in Tampa, Florida on Friday, October 18, 2024, National Baseball Hall of Famer and Team Italy manager Mike Piazza put together the following lineup of Club Italia LA28 Olympic prospects: Francesco Barbieri, CF; Vince Cimini, 2B; Lorenzo Morresi, C; Peter Bocchino, DH; Juan Chacon, RF; Samuel Gamberini, 1B; Samuele Bruno, LF; Gabriele Angioi, SS; Manuel Zazza, 3B; and Matteo Bocchi, P.

Team Italy faced UTampa starting pitcher C.J. Williams. In the top of the first inning, Canadian Italian Francesco Barbieri (Brampton, Ontario) popped up to shallow left field. A flyout to shallow right field by Vince Cimini and a groundout to second base from Lorenzo Morresi followed. 

Azzurri starter Matteo Bocchi got two quick outs before Alberto Osuna reached second base on an error by center fielder Francesco Barbieri but no further after an inning-ending strikeout of Mike Valdez. 

Peter Bocchino drew a walk to lead off the top of the second inning. Then Juan Chacon struck out swinging before Samuele Gamberini hit into 5-4-3 double play. 

Matteo Bocchi registered two strikeouts and issued one walk in the bottom of the second inning while keeping the Spartans scoreless.

Lefty reliever Jake Stipp entered the contest in the top of the third inning. Samuele Bruno struck out swinging. Then Gabriele Angioi grounded out to second base and Manuel Zazza walked. A strikeout of Francesco Barbieri ended any chance of a two-out rally. 

Team Italy reliever Francesco Pomponi pitched a clean inning with one strikeout and a walk in the bottom of the third inning.  

Jake Stipp got strikeouts of Vince Cimini and Lorenzo Morresi before fielding a sharply hit line drive by Peter Bocchino to keep Team Italy off the bases in the top of the fourth inning. 

Three consecutive singles off Francesco Pomponi in the bottom of the fourth inning produced the first run of the game for UTampa. 

UTampa Spartans summoned reliever Jacob Fletcher in the top of the fifth inning. Juan Chacon reached first base on an infield error but was tagged out at second base after slipping off the bag on a stolen base attempt. Then Samuel Gamberini struck out swinging and Samuele Bruno grounded out to second base. 

UTampa took advantage of control issues in the bottom of the fifth inning to score three runs in the bottom of the fifth inning. Despite striking out two, reliever Diego Gergolet surrendered three walks and an RBI infield single to put UTampa in front 2-0. Mattia Aldegheri was summoned from the bullpen. His wild pitch and two walks yielded another two runs to give the Spartans a 4-0 advantage. 

Spartan reliever Jacob Fletcher had an easy 1-2-3 out top of the sixth inning, After a Gabriele Angioi groundout, pinch hitter Nicholas Bertoldi struck out and Francesco Barbieri grounded out to first base.

Mattia Aldegheri returned to pitch a scoreless bottom of the sixth inning with one strikeout.

UTampa reliever Carson Caso came in to pitch in the top of the seventh inning. With one out, Jose Fernandez reached second base on an infield error and Peter Bocchino got to first base on an infield throwing error. Both runners would later score on a fielder’s choice by Juan Chacon and a pair of throwing errors. Juan Chacon would also cross the plate on a sacrifice fly by Andres Annunziata to make it a 4-3 game.

Lefty reliever Joey Marciano pitched a scoreless bottom of the seventh inning with two strikeouts. A diving shoestring catch by right fielder Juan Chacon ended the inning. 

Eli Thurmond held Team Italy scoreless in the top of the eighth inning, and Joey Marciano matched him to throw a scoreless bottom of the eighth inning. 

In the top of the ninth inning, Team Italy threatened to score but came up empty. Eli Thurmond gave up back-to-back singles to Edoardo Cornelli and Jose Fernandez before striking out Peter Bocchino and Juan Chacon. The UTampa closer picked up the save in the 4-3 win after a flyout to right field by Andres Annunziata ended the game.

Despite the loss, Team Italy played well defensively and third baseman Manuel Zazza made two impressive grabs at the hot corner to keep the Azzurri in the contest.

ITALY-UTAMPA BOX SCORE

Team Italy returns for the second and final Club Italia LA28 College Series game against University of Tampa on Saturday, October 19th at 6 pm (ET). Catch the LIVESTREAM by clicking HERE.

Forza #Italia!

by Roberto Angotti

(Photo of Team Italy starter Matteo Bocchi against University of Tampa on October 18, 2024 by GCPFilms.com)