Team Italy U15 squad suffers 11-7 loss in Youth Rotterdam Baseball Week debut
The Czech Republic took an early 7-0 lead after two innings and never looked back against Team Italy on day one of Youth Rotterdam Baseball Week in the Netherlands. The Italians return to the Neptunus Sports Complex in Rotterdam to take on the host country’s U15 squad on Wednesday, July 10, 2024 at 3:30 pm.
After concluding the three days of workouts in Lodi, the Team Italy U15 baseball squad departed for the Netherlands to compete in Youth Rotterdam Baseball Week, which continues through Saturday, July 13, 2024in preparation for the U15 Baseball World Cup at Edgar Renteria Baseball Stadium in Barranquilla, Colombia from August 16-25, 2024. The Dutch tournament features national teams from the Czech Republic and Germany as well as two teams from the Kingdom of the Netherlands (including both U15 and U16 squads).
While in Rotterdam, Team Italy U15 manager Giuseppe Mazzanti is being assisted by coaches Alberto Furlani, Ivano Licciardi and Alessandro Ruberto, pitching coach Lucio Taschin, athletic trainer Daniele Santolupo and physiotherapist Mirko Pancellini.
In the Youth Rotterdam Baseball Week debut game against the Czech Republic on Tuesday, July 9, 2024, Italian U15 skipper Giuseppe Mazzanti handed the ball off to starting pitcher Christian Tontini. The Team Italy lineup card looked like this: Christian Severino (center fielder), Elia Plusigh (second base), Pablo Suarez (third base), Alessio Casasanta (designated hitter), Patrick Silva (first base), Matteo Chinello (right fielder), Federico Magalotti (left fielder), Nicolò Mariani (shortstop), and Michael Moronta (catcher).
Despite the 11-7 loss to the Czech Republic, the Team Italy offense picked up 13 hits. Elia Plusigh went 3-for-5, while Federico Magalotti and Alessio Casasanta had two hits each. Team Italy U15 manager Giuseppe Mazzanti said, "We expected to start a little tight, but In the end, we loosened up and scored seven points against an older Czech Republic team with four players over 15. I saw discipline on our offense, but we lacked a bit of experience on defense. However, as a start it was positive.”
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Team Italy will return on Wednesday, July 10, 2024 at 3:30 pm to face the Kingdom of the Netherlands U15 squad. On the following day at 2 pm, the Italians play the Kingdom of the Netherlands U16 squad (a team which will not be included in the final ranking and therefore will not participate in the semi-finals).
The semi-finals are scheduled for Friday, July 12th at 2 pm and 3.30 pm. The battle for the bronze takes place on Saturday, July 13th at 1 pm, and the championship final follows at 5 pm.
