U12 Staranzano Ducks, U15 Academy of Nettuno Baseball and U18 New Black Panthers di Ronchi claim championship titles in Modena

Former Team Italy batting practice pitcher Claudio Vecchi was the perfect Modena Baseball host as he and his hard-working staff worked diligently to prepare the three fields used for the Final Four U12, U15 and U18 Championships at Stadio baseball Giovanni Torri in Modena on Sunday, September 30, 2018. Baseball families came together from different regions of Italy to cheer on their son or daughter's squad in the competion which ran concurrently under sunny skies throughout the day. Two teams from the Friuli Venezia-Giulia regions, the U12 Staranzano Ducks and the U18 New Black Panthers di Ronchi, were successful in winning the championship in their respective age categories while Lazio's pride-and-joy Academy of Nettuno Baseball brought home the gold in the U15 division. Absent from the winner's circle were the Emilia-Romagna teams which usually dominate the Italian leagues and so often represent Europe in the Little League World Series. Federazione Italiana Baseball Softball (FIBS) president Andrea Marcon and vice president Fabrizio De Robbio were pleased with the enthusiam and passion exuded by both the players and the fans in the stands during the Final Four Championships. FIBS Baseball Academy director and Team Italy U18 manager John Cortese attended the Modena event and was equally impressed. The Azzurri Juniors manager said, " It was great seeing many of our FIBS Academy and U18 national team players in action."

Also in attendance was Team Italy softball coach Federico Pizzolini, who cheered for his son's U18 New Black Panthers di Ronchi squad. Team Italy U18 pitcher Marco Pizzolini started against UnipolSai Fortitudo and limited the Bolognese team to just four hits in his five innings of work in the New Black Panthers 12-2 victory. A two-RBI double by FIBS Academist Daniele Di Monte highlighted a three-run first inning. A three-RBI double by designated hitter Stefano Nunin in the fifth inning put the game out of Bologna's reach. Former FIBS Academy player Riccardo Bertossi had two RBI and scored three times to add the finishing touches on the abbreviated five-inning mercy-rule win. Team Italy U18 catcher Giulio Da Re also scored twice to seal the deal for the U18 New Black Panthers di Ronchi. Team Italy Juniors manager John Cortese commented: "I liked the way Marco Pizzolini attacked the strike zone when he was pitching. Danielle Di Monte swung the bat well and showed off his strong arm in right field. It was fun seeing Riccardo Bertossi playing third base because we needed him in center field for our European competitions. He is one of the most versatile players I have ever coached and is always a threat at-bat. Giulio Da Re brings a lot of energy with his catching style. He has also improved swinging the bat."

The Torre Pedrera Falcons defeated U18 Junior Rimini 7-3 earlier in the day to earn the right to battle the New Black Panthers di Ronchi for the U18 Championship title. FIBS Academist Ettore Giulianelli played a solid second base next to former FIBS Academy shortstop Tomas Canuti for the Torre Pedrera Falcons. Ettore Giulianelli did not disappoint at the plate with his 2-for-4 performance against Junior Rimini. Batting in the lineup as the three-hole hitter, he came through with an RBI double and later scored on an RBI single by former FIBS Academy player Nicolo Ioli to give the Torre Pedrera Falcons the 6-3 lead in the fourth inning. Azzurri manager John Cortese said, "Ettore Giulianelli surprised me with his bat because last year at the FIBS Academy he worked primarily as a pitcher. Now we have to consider his bat as a secret weapon for the next couple years. It was also good seeing Tomas Canuti as a shortstop as well as a pitcher on the mound. I look forward to seeing him compete for a spot on the U18 squad."

In the U18 Championship against the Torre Pedrera Falcons, New Black Panthers di Ronchi starter Andrea Samsa threw a complete seven-inning game. He allowed just two earned runs in the 8-3 victory. FIBS Academist Daniel Di Monte gave New Black Panthers di Ronchi an early 2-0 advantage in the top of the first inning with a two-run triple. His RBI single in the third inning capped off a four-run rally to put the New Black Panthers di Ronchi in front 6-0. Fellow FIBS Academist Ettore Giulianelli led off the bottom of the fourth inning with a walk and later scored on an RBI triple by Nicolo Ioli to give the Torre Pedrera Falcons its first run of the game. The New Black Panthers di Ronchi proved too tough for the Torre Pedrera Falcons and claimed the U18 Championship title. This was a special victory for Giulio Da Re, Riccardo Bertossi, and Daniele Di Monte because it was their fourth consecutive New Black Panthers di Ronchi Championship title. Growing up together in the Friuli Venezia-Giulia region of Italy and wearing the New Black Panthers di Ronchi uniform from an early age, they have now won collectively the U12, U14, U15 and U18 Italian Championships.

Just as proud to represent Team Italy in the 2017 WBSC U18 Baseball World Cup in Thunder Bay, Canada, New Black Panthers di Ronchi's Marco Pizzolini, Giulio Da Re and Riccardo Bertossi gained invaluable experience during the competition. Azzurri teammate Leonardo Seminati signed a contract with the Cincinnati Reds prior to the international tourney and has since progressed into the minor league system playing for Single-A affiliate Billings Mustangs. Team Italy Juniors Riccardo Bertossi and Daniele Di Monte hope to follow in Grande Leo's footsteps. Both players left Italy immediately following the conclusion of the U18 Championship to compete in front of scouts for a two-week MLB Academies Showcase in Surprise, Arizona at the Kansas City Royals Spring Training complex.

Back at Modena's Stadio baseball Giovanni Torri, Friuli Venezia-Giulia's Staranzano Ducks took the U12 Championship title after wins over Junior Rimini and T&A San Marino, who defeated the Anzio Dolphins to play in the final. The Academy of Nettuno Baseball claimed the U15 Championship title as a result of two victories over Oltretorrente and UnipolSai Bologna, who beat Junior Rimini to enter the final.

Francesco Maestri, brother of Team Italy patriarch Alessandro Maestri, represented the Dominate baseball brand and awarded the best pitchers and hitters in each age category with Dominate gear. The following players were selected for their excellence during the Final Four competition: U18 Best Hitter - Riccardo Bertossi (New Black Panthers di Ronchi), U18 Best Pitcher - Tommaso Muccini (Torre Pedrera Falcons), U15 Best Hitter - Mattia Giardini (Junior Rimini), U15 Best Pitcher - Valerio Ciaramella (Academy of Nettuno Baseball), U12 Best Hitter - Matteo Mautone (Anzio Dolphins), and U12 Best Pitcher - Mattia Bernardis (Staranzano Ducks).

Congratulations to all the players and teams that participated in the FInal Four. It was an extremely well-run tournament for Italian youth baseball and a fun-filled family event for the hundreds of people who attended. Team Italy U18 skipper John Cortese concluded: "It was great to see all the various age levels competing and having fun at the same time." Let's hope successful tournaments like the Final Four in Modena will spark more interest for Italians to play baseball so FIBS can continue its ongoing efforts to help grow the game. Forza #Italia! #LetsMakeItHappen 

by Roberto Angotti