The U15 European Baseball Championship contest between undefeated Team Italy (2-0) and Austria (0-2) in Trnava, Slovakia on Thursday, July 22, 2022 was close early in the game, Team Italy starter Edoardo Pellegrini experienced control issues and granted four walks while allowing one run on one hit in the top of the first inning. Reliever Daniel Francini entered the game in the bottom of the second inning after Team Italy took a slim 2-1 lead. He earned the win for pitching 2.2 innings of hitless baseball with four strikeouts. Team Italy added two runs in the top of the third and fourth innings before picking up one more in the top of the fifth inning. With a commanding 7-1 lead heading into the top of the sixth inning, the Italians rallied for eight runs to end the game via mercy rule.
The Team Italy offense was fueled by Riccardo Mazzanti (2-3, 2 R), Edoardo Cornelli (2-3, 3B, BB, 3R, 3RBI), Mattia Bernardis (2-4, 3B, BB, 2R, 2RBI), Giacomo Taschin (3-5, 2B, R, 2RBI), Daniele Di Persia (1-2, 2B, R, RBI), Luca Magnani (2-3, 2B, SB, R, RBI), and Francesco Gallo (1-2, 3B, R, 2RBI).
Team Italy manager Roberto De Franceschi now sends his young and talented squad into the next phase of the U15 European Baseball Championship. The Azzurrini return to the Trnava diamond on Friday, July 23, 2021 at 11 am (local time) for a clash against Kingdom of the Netherlands. The U15 European Baseball Championship semi-final, final and bronze medal games take place in Brno, Czech Republic from July 23-24, 2021. Forza #Italia!
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by Roberto Angotti
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Read more: Team Italy dominates Slovakia 12-1 in U15 European Baseball Championship opener
(Photo of Team Italy's Edoardo Cornelli by KS/FIBS)
