Bologna repeats their EU domination

Bologna and Rimini faced off on Friday evening with the 50^th European Champions Cup on the line. Bologna’s 1-0 lead in the best of 3 series set them up for a chance to close the door on Rimini in only 2 games, and that they did. It was a tight match through and through, with 1 run being picked up by Rimini in the 1^st thanks to a two out RBI double by Romero that drove in Chiarini off of Bologna’s starter, D’Angelo, however from that point the righty settled down nicely and ended up pitching into the 8^th, surrendering only six hits on the evening, three walks, and recorded four strikeouts. The games other two runs didn’t come till the top of the 9^th when Bologna’s offense finally chased Bazardo from the game to eventually pick up their 5^th overall European Champions Cup.

Unipol Bolonga went into Friday evening’s game in Rimini with the sole objective of being able to hoist the trophy at games end, and that they did when they walked away with a 2-1 victory thanks to a late inning comeback that was all started by Infante going yard off of a Bazardo in the 9^th who had dominated Bologna’s lineup till that point. With the game all tied up at one, and two outs in the frame, Reyes reached base on a broken bat single which was then followed by a single by Liverziani that made its way through the right side, putting runners at the corners. The very next batter, Bischeri, followed with the game winning RBI on a single to 3^rd that scored Reyes as Gomez just couldn’t keep his footing, falling before he could get the throw off to second for the force out. In the bottom of the 9^th Nanni went to his pen and called upon Nick Pugliese for the save and the EU Cup Championship, making it back to back for for Bolonga and three in the last four years. “I’ve gotta hand it to my guys, never giving up, especially when the game was one pitch away from getting out of hand on more then one different occasion.. Great “D” and persistency in the box is what brought this title back home to Bologna for the second straight year.” NANNI 

This series finals saw two very different games ( and 2-1), but the end result is the one that counts, and the end result is Unipol Bolonga on top of the European continent once again. Next week the focus will shift back once again to the IBL regular season. These very two clubs are in a tight race for the top spot in the league, with Rimini holding the slight edge heading into the final sprint to the postseason. So much is yet to be written, and it would be a real shame not to stay tuned into all the action, paying particular attention to the 1 through 5 in the league.