The stage is set for a very interesting weekend in the Italian Baseball League, with (1st) Bologna and (2nd) Rimini set to face off in a home away two game set, as well as the two 4th place clubs, San Marino and Nettuno.
UnipolSai Bologna will be welcoming in the Rimini Pirates tonight for game one of a two game series (game two to be played in Rimini on Saturday evening). This matchup has all the makings of a playoff preview, as it’s currently Bologna who controls the top spot in the league, while Rimini sits two games back in second. These two clubs are fairly evenly matched from top to bottom, with Bologna currently sitting at 17 and 5 on the season and Rimini at 15 and 7. When breaking down the stats, Bologna holds a slight advantage at the plate, batting .281 as a team as opposed to Rimini’s .260. On the mound, the tables are turned with the Pirates pitching to a 2.23 ERA while Bologna mound is posting a 2.43 earned runs against average mark. Going in for Bologna in the foreign game will be Fleming, while it will be De Santis in the Italian matchup. On the other side of the ball look for Richetti to get the call in the Italian game and for Candelario to get the start in the foreigner game. Both games are scheduled for 8:30 pm.
The series with most on the line tonight and tomorrow is the one that will take place in San Marino between the home T&A San Marino and Nettuno… Currently both these teams sit at a 12 and 10 mark and in a deadlocked tie for the fourth and final postseason spot with just 6 games to go on the schedule. Getting the call for San Marino in the foreign game will be the southpaw, Rodriguez, while in the Italian game look for Pizziconi to get the nod. On the other side of the ball it will be Paul Estrada in the foreign game and most likely Ularetti in the Italian game. By the end of this weekend’s play a clearer image of the top four in the IBL could come to light… especially if either one of these clubs is to walk away with a two game sweep. Both games are scheduled for 8:30 pm.
With the two fourth place squads going head to head in San Marino, the third place Tommasin Padova has the best opportunity to move things in their favor this weekend when they go up against Parma in a home-away two game set (Friday in Parma, Saturday in Padova). At the moment Padova holds a slight one game lead over both San Marino and Nettuno, as well as the advantage on paper over this weeks opponent… Padova 13 and 9 to Parma 5 and 17. However with this said, the last time these two clubs met up earlier in the year it was Parma who came out on top as they were able to walk away with the two game sweep. Going for Padova in the foreigner matchup will be Quevedo while in the Italian game it should be Enrico Crepaldi. On Parma’s side of the ball it should be the two lefties on the rubber, Jimenez and Rivera. Both games are scheduled for 8:30 pm.
Finally, the last two game set on these week’s schedule will feature the likes of the 6 and 16 Nettuno2 club vs. the 8 and 14 Godo Knights. This two game set will take place in Rome on Friday (8:30 pm) and Saturday (8:30 pm). Going for the home Nettuno2 club on Friday should be the Noberto Gonzalez followed by Tabata out of the pen, while on Saturday look for Andreozzi and Valerio Simone to be the two of choice. On the other side of the ball it will be Uviedo and Galeotti for the Knights.
All games can be followed live on .
