The first round of the Italian Baseball League has come and gone… Meaning that it’s now time for the top 4 in the league to fight it out over the next 6 weeks to determine who will be playing for the top prize come the end of August. Finishing at number one in the regular season was UnipolSai Bologna, without a doubt the hottest club heading into the postseason having banged out 15 consecutive wins to conclude their regular season campaign. In second place was the Rimini Pirates followed by Tommasin Padova and T&A San Marino. This Thursday, Friday and Saturday it will be T&A San Marino vs. the Rimini Pirates (Thursday’s game will be televised live on RaiSport2) and Tommasin Padova vs. UnipolSai Bologna. All games will begin at 9:00 pm.
UnipolSai Bologna (23-5) comes into the semifinal round as the favorites to be one of the two clubs moving onto the the Italian Baseball Series in August. After finishing the regular off with 15 consecutive wins, the 2014 Champs will look to continue their string of successes. Look for their rotation to go Fleming and Rivero in the two foreign pitched games, with the two being backed up by the newly acquired Cova and Marinez. In regards to the Italian game, manager Nanni will have to wait and see how the right elbow of Riccardo De Santis is holding up after going through some issues during the conclusion of the regular season. The first weekend of the semifinals Bologna will be locked up with Tommasin Padova on Thursday (in Padova), Friday (in Bologna), and Saturday (in Padova).
- .288 team batting average
- 2.35 team era
- .981 team fielding percentage
The Rimini Pirates (18-10) head into the semifinals after going through a regular season full of ups and downs… Finishing just behind Bologna in the standings, the Pirates have a lot to look forward to heading into the playoffs, especially if they can stay healthy. Look for Rimini’s three man rotation to feature the likes of Candelario, the newly acquired Pete Parise, and Carlos Richetti in the Italian game. Also look for Rimini’s lineup to come to life a little bit more in this second round of the Italian Baseball League… with the names and ability, they should have no issues heating up with the weather over the next couple of weeks. Thursday’s game is in San Marino, Friday’s game in Rimini and Saturday’s game in San Marino.
- .257 team batting average
- 2.19 team era
- .977 team fielding percentage
Finishing in the 3rd spot in the regular season was Tommasin Padova (16-12)… meaning that now they are officially navigating in uncharted waters as they are entering into the IBL’s postseason for the first time ever as a franchise. Padova came out swing in the regular season with big wins against the top dogs in the league, taking a game away from Bologna, 3 of 4 from Rimini and 4 of 4 from San Marino… impressive victories to say the least. Joining Padova’s mound out of the pen as the new foreigner will be Yorfrank Lopez, while the rotation looks to be set with Quevedo and Enrique Gonzalez in the two foreign games along with Enrique Crepaldi in the Italian pitched contest. Padova will have their hands full this weekend with UnipolSai Bologna on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, with all games scheduled to get underway at 9 pm.
- .239 team batting average
- 2.96 team era
- .962 team fielding percentage
The last club to make it into the semifinal round of the Italian Baseball League was T&A San Marino (16-12). T&A seemed to struggle exactly as they alway have in the first round of the season, but now as the second round of the league gets underway look for this group of vets to play some hard nosed ball over the next 6 weeks as they look to get back to the finals after just missing them in 2014. Joining San Marino’s rotation of Rodney Rodriguez, and Andrea Pizziconi will be the ex Big Leaguer, Justin Berg. T&A will be matched up with their rival Rimini over the first three games of the semifinal… getting underway tomorrow at home, Friday on the road and Saturday once again at home.
- .255 team batting average
- 4.12 team era
- .978 team fielding percentage
