The defending ISL Champs are just one game away from the finals
It was a two game sweep for the defending Italian Softball League Champions, Rhibo La Loggia on Tuesday in Forlí, which now means that Rhibo needs just a single win to punch their ticket to the Italian Softball Series for the second year in a row.
Both games in Forlí were intense ones between the defending ISL Champion, Rhibo La Loggia and Fiorini Forlí, however it was La Loggia that made two positive steps forward towards a second consecutive finals bid after a 4 to 2 game 1 win and a 3 to 1 game 2 win on Tuesday late afternoon and evening. In game one it was Forlí that got the scoring started in the bottom of the 2nd when they were able to push across a run on an RBI single to center off the bat of Onofri which plated Cacciamani from third. However in the top of the third Rhibo got that run right back, plus one, when a run was forced in on a bases loaded walk, which was later followed by an RBI single off the bat of Dalbesio that found the hole on the left side. Forlí tied the game up at two all in the bottom of the 6th thanks to a leadoff homer off the bat of Gellerman, but in the top of the 7th Rhibo came up with another 2 run frame when Bosdachin singled down the right field line, driving in both Ricchi and Avanzi. Picking up the win for Rhibo wa Elisa Brandino with 7 innings pitched, 7 hits allowed, 2 runs, no walks and 5 K’s.
In game two it was once again Rhibo La Loggia who got the best of the host team, Forlí by the final of 3 to 1. The only difference in this one was that Rhibo never once fell behind. The visiting club crossed a run in the second, third and forth on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Bosdachin in the second, an RBI single off the bat of Avanzi that scored Dalbesio in the third, and finally it was a fielding error by the leftfielder that allowed Bosdachin to complete a circle around the bases leading off the 4th. Forlí did pick up a run in the 5th, however that would be all that they would get off of Lindsey Beisser, who went the complete game for the ‘W’ (7.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 8 SO). The series will now shift to La Loggia for game 3 and the if necessary games 4 and 5.
