The ISL is ready to go

The Italian Softball League (ISL) starts the 2016 season with a match up between the 2 teams that competed in last Fall's Italian Softball Series: the defending champion Bussolengo and the runner up Forlì.
The 14 team League will see action develop in 2 groups, with 6 teams advancing to the playoffs.
The journey will come to an end in late September: game 5 of the Italian Softball Series is scheduled for Sunday 27. There will be a couple of stopovers: on June 4 (for the Tournament of the Republic, a warm up for the national team) and from July 3 through August 27 for international competition: the World Cup in Canada (July 15 through 24), the 19U European Championship in Spain (August 1 through 6) and European Club competition in Ronchi dei Legionari, Italy (Premiere Cup) and Czech Republic (Cup Winners Cup)

PROGRAM AND SCHEDULE    

Bussolengo looks like the team to beat. The defending champions in Italy and Europe, the team from the Verona area will be managed by Enrico Obletter, former Team Italy's pitching coach. They lost Team Italy's first baseman Priscilla Brandi, who will play for the Bologna Blue Girls, but signed starting pitcher Aimee Creger (Universtiy of Tulsa).
Bologna added also cuban starting pitcher Yumei Vega Minoso.
Also the Staranzano Stars went cuban on trading central, adding pitcher Anisley Lopez. Their new manager is Federico Pizzolini.
Nuoro looks like a real competitor after adding Team USA starting pitcher Jolen Henderson and Team Italy's veteran Mara Papucci. First season manager Gustavo Lizazo (from Cuba) can also count on another import from the NCCA world: infielder Briana Hamilton.
Import pitchers should help the level of competition grow. Kylee Studioso will start for Collecchio, Julia Morrow for Old Parma, Krista Jo Menke for the Castellana Thunders. Ellen Roberts moved from Bollate (the signed Leslie Jury) to La Loggia. Caronno re signed manager Argenis Blanco and added 2 new imports: Karla Claudio and Quianna Diaz Patterson.