On Saturday evening in the Italian Baseball League, the postseason picture became a lot clearer in terms of the top four clubs that will most likely be competing for the league championship come the middle of July. With one team in for sure (Bologna), the other three (Rimini, Padova and San Marino) need just a couple more things to fall into place over the final two weekends of play in order to solidify their positions as the top four in the IBL’s standings… Rimini’s magic number sit at one, even after being swept this past weekend by Bologna. Both San Marino and Padova are looking at a magic number of two (these two clubs will go head-to-head this upcoming weekend in a home away two game set, while the team that is chasing thing, Nettuno will have to take on Nettuno2 followed by UnipolSai Bologna over their final two weekends of play in the regular season.
In Rimini it was the visiting UnipolSai Bologna that got the best of the Pirates on Saturday evening in order to walk away with the two game sweep. This was a long game that lasted just about 4 hours… with the go ahead run, and eventual winning run crossing the plate for Bologna in the top of the 9th on a bases loaded walk. The game ended 4 to 3 with Crepaldi being credited with the victory, while the loss was suffered by Victor Moreno out of the pen. The win was Bologna’s 11 consecutive victory, while the loss suffered by Rimini will have to put on hold for the moment any discussions of the postseason… as their magic number still sits at 1 game.
T&A San Marino got past Nettuno on Saturday evening in San Marino by the final of 4 to 3. Picking up the win for San Marino with a strong 5 innings of work on the bump was Andrea Pizziconi (5 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 4 BB, 3 SO), while suffering the loss for Nettuno was Alessandro Ularetti, who went 5.2, allowing 4 runs off of 4 hits and 2 walks. The game was a low hitting affair with, Nettuno picking up a total of six hits on the game, and San Marino five. The loss suffered by Nettuno makes life really difficult over the next two weekends of play, as they currently sit 2 full games back in the standing with just 4 to play.
Nettuno2 was able to catch the Godo Knights thanks to their completion of the two game sweep down in Rome on Saturday evening. The game went by the final of 4-0 with the win being picked up by Milvio Andreozzi who went 5 innings of solid shut out ball on the bump for his club. The loss on the other side of the diamond was suffered by Matteo Galeotti who surrendered four runs in five innings… only one of the four was earned. Nettuno2 scored 2 in the second and another 2 in the fourth to go onto the 4-0 victory. The sweep puts Nettuno2 in a deadlock tie for 6th place in the Italian Baseball League with 4 games left on the schedule.
Parma surprises Padova in Padova with the 3 to 2 victory. The loss suffered by Padova drops them into a tie with San Marino in the standings with both clubs now sitting at 14 and 10 on the season… 2 games up on Nettuno for that fourth and final postseason spot with just 4 games to go. Picking up the win out of the pen for Parma was Matteo Spada who came on in relief of Yomel Rivera in the 7th. Spada tossed up 3 innings of 1 hit shutout ball for his club, earning the victory thanks to a 2 run 7th inning that saw Parma pick up a run on a Maestri double , and an eventual throwing error with two outs in the frame. The loss went to Michele Meschini out of the pen. Next week it will be Padova taking on T&A San Marino in a home-away two game set.
