Having defeated Team Italy six days prior 9 to 3, host Czech Republic prevailed in the rematch for the bronze medal at the U18 European Baseball Championship in Brno by a score 4 to 2 on Saturday, August 20, 2022. Team Italy manager Francesco Aluffi chose to give pitcher Pietro Verzin the start in the battle for the bronze against the Czechs. The right hander surrendered three earned runs on four hits with two strikeouts and one walk. Reliever Riccardo Nepoti was lights out throwing four hitless innings with three strikeouts.
Team Italy scored early in the top of the first inning when Williams Wong doubled and captain Tommaso Adorni hit an RBI single to give the Italians a 1-0 lead. The Czechs answered with three runs of their own in the bottom of the second inning.
It appeared Azzurri starting pitcher Pietro Verzin was off to a good start in the bottom of the first inning when striking out Czech leadoff hitter Michal Antoň. Things went downhill fast from that point on. After giving up a single to Viktor Hluchý and issuing a walk to Benjamin Morgan, cleanup hitter Michal Zelenka hit a three-run home run to put Czech Republic on top 3-1. The Czechs were quick to add one more run in the bottom of the second inning to take a 4-1 advantage.
Team Italy was unable to capitalize on a series of blunders in the top of the third inning when leaving the bases loaded without scoring. With two outs, Filippo Venditti reached first base on a third strike wild pitch. Then Tomasso Adorni got on base on an infield error and Diego Luciani walked to load the bases for catcher Marco Ragionieri. The young and talented backstop fouled out to end the scoring threat.
The Italians made a valiant comeback effort in the top of the seventh inning. With one out, Edoardo Cornelli reached first base on an infield error, stole second base and got to third base on a groundout by Alessandro Laise. An RBI single from pinch hitter Andres Annunziata made it a 4-2 game. However, a groundout by Tommaso Adorni ended the contest.
ITALY-CZECH REPUBLIC BOX SCORE
ITALY-CZECH REPUBLIC LIVESTREAM REPLAY
With the 4-2 loss to bronze medal winner Czech Republic, Team Italy placed fourth in the U18 European Baseball Championship. Undefeated Spain (7-0) beat defending Euro champion Kingdom of the Netherlands 6-2 to win its first ever U18 gold medal. Forza #Italia!
by Roberto Angotti
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