After losing 10-2 to the Kingdom of the Netherlands the day prior, Team Italy sought revenge in the quest to win its third consecutive U22 Women’s European Softball Championship title on Saturday, August 10, 2024.
Team Italy manager Federico Pizzolini penned the following lineup in the U22 Women’s European Softball Championship final against the Kingdom of the Netherlands: Felicia Di Pancrazio, LF; Giluia Koutsoyanopulos, CF; Alexia Lacatena, P; Silvia Torre, 1B; Virginia Mambelli, DP; Lucia Polini, C; Delia Manera, 2B; Anita Bartoli, SS; Alice Spiotta, 3B; and Ilaria Colepio, RF.
The Italians faced NFCA NJCAA Division I Pitcher of the Year J’dah Girigorie, the Curacao native who led Indian River State College to the NJCAA Division I National Championship title. She earned the win against Team Italy the day before when allowing one run on three hits with four strikeouts in five innings. Against the Azzurre in the U22 Women’s European Softball Championship final, J’dah Girigori proved to be just as effective by limiting Team Italy to just one run on four hits with nine strikeouts in eight innings.
The Azzurre countered with Alexia Lacatena, who kept the game close with 10 strikeouts but was inevitably haunted by the long ball.
Team Italy manufactured one run in the top of the third inning. After Alice Spiotta hit an infield single and Felicia Di Pancrazio reached first base on her sacrifice bunt as a result of a throwing error by first baseman Julia Kwakernaak, Alexia Lacatena connected with an RBI single to put the Italians on top 1-0.
The Kingdom of the Netherlands answered in the bottom of the third inning when Julia Kwakernaak hit a solo home run to tie the contest 1-1.
The Italians threatened in the top of the fourth inning but came up empty. Delia Mania singled, advanced to second base on a sacrifice bunt by Anita Bartoli, and moved to third base on an Alice Spiotta groundout. However, she was left stranded on base without crossing the plate.
The late innings were scoreless so the game went into extra innings. Amy Felix clubbed a grand slam off Alexia Lacatena in the bottom of the eighth inning to give the Kingdom of the Netherlands the gold medal and deny the Italians their third consecutive U22 Women’s European Softball Championship title in the 5-1 extra-inning victory.
ITALY-KINGDOM OF THE NETHERLANDS BOX SCORE
Despite the heartbreaking extra-inning loss to the Kingdom of the Netherlands and second-place finish, Team Italy battled throughout with grit that the late and great Italian Hall of Fame softball manager Enrico Obletter always instilled in his players.
In the bronze medal game, Great Britain defeated the Czech Republic 5-4.
U22 WOMEN’S EUROPEAN SOFTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL STANDINGS
Forza #Italia!
by Roberto Angotti
(Photo of the Team Italy pitcher Alexia Lacatena against the Kingdom of the Netherlands on August 10, 2024 by Piotr Novak)
