2023 promises to be an exciting year for the Team Italy elite squad as the World Baseball Classic looms in early March and the European Baseball Championship takes place in late September. Czech Republic hosts the Euros for the third time as the Czechs held prior competitions in 2005 and 2014, when co-hosting with Germany. In both cases, Kingdom of the Netherlands took home the gold medal, while Team Italy settled for silver.
Having placed third in the most recent 2021 European Baseball Championship in Piemonte, Team Italy hopes to reclaim the Euro throne from Kingdom of the Netherlands, a powerhouse country seeking its fifth consecutive Euro title. Team Italy won back-to-back titles in 2010 and 2012, when current Azzurri manager Mike Piazza served as the squad's hitting coach.
The Italians begin their journey in 2023 European Baseball Championship Group B competing against Great Britain, Sweden and Euro newcomer Hungary. Group A consists of Spain, Czech Republic, Austria and Greece. Group C includes Kingdom of the Netherlands, Croatia, Ukraine and France. Group D features Israel, Belgium, Germany and Switzerland.
The top two teams in each group will advance to the knockout rounds (quarterfinal, semi-final and final), which will determine the European Baseball Champion on October 1, 2023. The bottom two teams in each group will compete the placement rounds. As a result of the decision issued by WBSC Europe, Russia and Belarus have been barred from all European baseball and softball competitions in 2023. Forza #Italia!
by Roberto Angotti
