Team Italy named top Euro Softball powerhouse
The European Softball Federation (ESF) recently released its 2017 Women’s Fastpitch Rankings and named Team Italy manager Enrico Obletter’s Azzurri squad number one with 4,425 points. The Czech Republic followed with 4,337.5 points while Great Britain and the Netherlands ranked third and fourth with 4037.5 points and 4025 points respectively. Outstanding starting pitching performances from Greta Cecchetti, Alice Nicolini and Ilaria Cacciamani under the guidance of Azzurri pitching coach Lisa Birocci Banse catapulted Team Italy in the 2017 European Softball Championship in Bollate (Milan). 
In addition to guiding Team Italy to a strong finish in the Euros, skipper Enrico Obletter also led Team Italy to a respectable 12th place finish in the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) 2017 Junior Women’s World Championship in Clearwater, Florida. Undoubtedly, both of Team Italy’s strong showings in the international competitions helped the Azzurri capture the top ESF ranking. Although Team Italy may be ranked number one by the European Softball Federation, the Netherlands are considered the top Euro powerhouse according to the WBSC with their number eight ranking (1978 points). The WBSC ranks Team Italy number 12 (1594 points) while the Czech Republic ranks number 13 (1524 points) and Great Britain ranks number 14 (1452 points). Regardless of the ESF and WBSC rankings, Team Italy manager Enrico Obletter has his eyes set on qualifying for the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan. In order to achieve this goal, the Azzurri must advance to the second-round of next year’s World Cup completion and finish as one of the top eight softball nations in the world. Forza #Italia
By Roberto Angotti
