Bollate and La Loggia in the Finals
Down south on Saturday afternoon and evening in the best of five series between Des Caserta and Rhibo La Loggia, the whole of the Italian Softball League saw what was thought to be the impossible become possible as La Loggia took two games from the defending champs on their own turf. With Caserta suffering these two losses in games three and four of the best of five series they have now been eliminated from the 2013 postseason, meaning that this year we will defiantly be seeing a new champion crowned for the first time in four years.
Game four was a nail bitter through and through, lasting 13 full innings that were packed with emotions on both sides of the ball. In fact, the clubs needed 11 innings to even cross a single run, as both teams came up with on apiece. Then came the top of the 13th, and the three unearned runs that crossed on a costly error and a hit. Femke Van Dusschoten went the first two La Loggia, facing off with Dagmar Bloeming who went an astounding ten. Following Van Dusschoten’s two innings of work, Rebecca Arbino and Turazzi Stella came on and combined for 11 innings of work, giving up 1 hit apiece and only one run in the 10th that was surrendered by Turazzi. The unraveling for Des Caserta in the 13th came when Carlotta Natti was on for her 3 inning of relief, and gave up 3 unearned runs. Notably Jessica Camello went 2 for 4 for La Loggia, scoring one of the 4 runs and driving in 1 as well.
Rhibo La Loggia closed the door on Des Caserta’s 2013 season after they took game 4 four of the best of 5 series by the final of two to nothing. Elisa Brandino was absolutely fantastic in this one for La Loggia as she picked up the victory with 6.1 innings of work on the mound, allowing only 2 hits and 2 walks. Brandino out dueled Ronchetti for Caserta and her complete game effort (7 ip, 7 hits, 2 runs, 3 walks). The scoreboard finally lit up in the top of the 6th when La Loggia crossed two off of Sara Avanzi’s double to center field that drove in Blaauwgeers and Fama. That would be it for La Loggia, but it was also all that they needed to come out with the victory and head to the finals for their right to face off of the 2013 ISL Championship.
Up in Lombardia, Sanotint Bollate was given the task of taking one of a possible three games on the schedule over the weekend against Dino Bigioni Unione Fermana, as they held a two to nothing lead in the best of five series. Game three featured a premier matchup between two of the leagues best pitchers, Kimberly Reeder for Unione Fermana, and Kristen Wadwell for Bollate. The game was sure to be tight, and tight it was until Dino Bigioni got to Wadwell for four runs in the 5th. Four runs off of four hits and an error, a costly error as none of the four runs that crossed the plate were earned. As for Bollate’s offense, well they couldn’t come up with an answer to the riddle of pitches that Reeder was throwing at them during her complete game 3 hit, one run performance that kept Unione Fermana’s season alive for one more game.
In game 4, the evening matchup on Saturday, it was Bollate’s turn to come up with a big inning, a 5 run third, to put Dino Bigioni Unione Fermana away and turn out the lights on their 2013 ISL campaign. Greta Cecchetti was the winning pitcher for Sanotint Bollate. Cecchetti gave up only three hits, and a single run, all while striking out 8 in her 7 inning complete game performance. On the offensive side of the ball 5 different players drove in 5 runs for Bollate, with Kristen Wadwell having a particularly nice game by going 2 for 2 with a homer, 2 runs scored, and an RBI. With the win Bollate will now face off with La Loggia in the finals for the right to claim the 2013 title. It should be a good one as the two clubs are very familiar with each other, having faced off 4 times in the regular season with Bollate taking 3 of 4. The series will kick off next weekend for with two games scheduled for Saturday the 3rd in La Loggia.
