The 3rd week of the IBL’s semifinals gets going tonight in San Marino and Rimini

The third week of the Italian Baseball League’s semifinals will get underway this evening in both San Marino and Rimini. In San Marino on Thursday evening the two clubs that currently hold share of the top spot in the semifinals round at a 4 and 2 mark (T&A San Marino and UnipolSai Bologna) will be going at it in game one of three, before the series shifts over to Bologna for a double dip on Saturday afternoon and evening. The second of two three game matchups in the IBL will also get started this evening in Rimini (Rai Sport game of the week). The Rimini Pirates are heading into the weekend with some momentum in their favor thanks to taking two of three from Bologna just a week ago, while on the other side of the ball Lino’s Coffee Parma was able to keep their hopes alive when they salvaged the last game of their three game set last Saturday evening against San Marino. Both Thursday evening’s games will get going at 9:00 pm local time.

In the Rimini Pirates vs. Lino’s Coffee Parma three game series look for Ekstrom to get the call tonight, and Gonzalez to go tomorrow evening, however the game three starter is still up in the air as manager, Chris Catanoso, will most likely be going with a bullpen by committee which should begin with Patrone. As for the rest of the lineup Romero and Salazar will look to get the start in the outfield, Di Fabio at third, and Mazzanti as the DH. Missing from the lineup on the DL will once again be Gomez and Chiarini. On the other side of the diamond Lino’s Coffee Parma will be going with Sanchez this evening, followed by Yepez and Rivera. On the defensive side of the ball it looks as if Imperiali will be pushed over to the third base bag, while Fanfoni could get start at second. For Parma to stay in the race, they will need to put forward a good performance this weekend against a very tough opponent.

Tonight in San Marino the two top clubs that both sit at a 4 and 2 mark will lace them up for game one of three. The visiting UnipolSai Bologna are coming off of a difficult weekend against Rimini where they dropped the first two of the series before coming up with a huge win in game three. Tonight Bologna will be going with Williamson who will be looking to bounce back from his loss a week ago, while on Saturday when the series shifts to Bologna it will be Panerati and Baez. As for T&A San Marino it looks as if their weekend will be a little bit more difficult in regards to players available to suit up against Bologna. Catcher, Albanese is in doubt behind the plate, which means that it will be Reginato who will be calling pitches for the T&A staff. On the bump Chris Cooper should increase his pitches once again after going a scoreless inning for the win a week ago against Parma, but as one arm makes his way back one will have to sit out a week, that being Delgado who suffered a knee injury last Saturday afternoon. Going tonight for T&A will be Jr. Guerra.