28/07/2023 2 Minute Read

Team Italy arrives in Prague for the U18 European Softball Championship

Hoping to improve from a silver-medal finish in the 2021 U18 European Softball Championship, Team Italy manager Andrea Longagnani wants to bring home the gold medal in 2023.

Prior to the start of the U18 European Softball Championship, Team Italy manager Andrea Longagnani excudes confidence in his Azzurrine softball squad. He said, "I trust in the ability of these girls immensely. They know very well what is at stake and have grown closer together every day. I have told them the best teams are born when you have an excellent base and an excellent group. We have worked up to this point to execute what we have learned over the past year in order to achieve our goal."

Team Italy manager Andrea Longagnani has faith in the 16 players selected to compete at the U18 European Softball Championship in Prague, Czech Republic from July 30-August 5, 2023 The young and talented Italian softball squad makes its Euro Group B debut on Sunday, July 30, 2023 at 9:30 am (local time) against Switzerland. Team Italy returns the following day at 3 pm (local time) for a battle with Ukraine. The Italians play two games on Tuesday, August 1, 2023. The first contest against Denmark takes place at 10 am (local time), while the second versus Sweden begins at 5 pm (local time).

The other groups are as follows:

Group A: Croatia, Israel, Slovakia, Poland and Czech Republic

Group C: Austria, Belgium, Finland, France and Kingdom of the Netherlands

Group D: Germany, Great Britain, Ireland, Spain and Hungary

The two top teams from each group will advance to Round Robin 2 to determine which squads continue on to the Super Round, which begins on Thursday, August 3, 2023. The U18 European Softball Championship Final is scheduled for Saturday, August 5, 2023 at 6 pm (local time), while the battle for the bronze medal is set to take place earlier at 3:30 pm (local time).

U18 EUROPEAN SOFTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP SCHEDULE/RESULTS

Follow all the action by watching the livestream on the WBSC Europe YouTube Channel.

The following players will represent Team Italy in the U18 European Softball Championship:

	Last Name	First Name	Position	B	T	Date of Birth	Club Affiliation
1	Albertin	Chiara	C/3B	R	R	15/12/2005	U.S. Giovanili Collecchio Soft. A.S.D.
2	Aroldi	Silvia	P	R	R	14/02/2005	U.S. Giovanili Collecchio Soft. A.S.D.
3	Bernardi	Livia	P/SS	R	R	13/11/2005	Rovigo Softball Club
4	Binetti	Caterina	3B/2B	R	R	07/01/2006	Bollate Softball 1969 A.S.D.
5	Cortesi	Noemi	SS	R	R	03/07/2007	Forli Softball Club
6	Desii	Sara	P	L	L	09/07/2005	Pianoro Softball Club
7	Di Lauro	Chiara	P/2B	R	R	02/10/2006	Bollate Softball 1969 A.S.D.
8	Di Pancrazio	Felicia	OF	L	R	27/09/2006	Pianoro Softball Club
9	Manera	Delia	P/SS	R	R	14/06/2005	Bollate Softball 1969 A.S.D.
10	Moggi	Sveva	OF	L	R	17/08/2007	Pianoro Softball Club
11	Moretti	Lucrezia	P/OF	R	R	04/03/2005	Old Parma
12	Polini	Lucia	C/OF	R	R	03/10/2007	Bollate Softball 1969 A.S.D.
13	Silvoni	Anita	3B/1B	R	R	05/08/2006	Rovigo Softball Club
14	Spiotta	Alice	2B/3B/OF	R	R	18/10/2005	Forli Softball Club
15	Villa	Carlotta Maria	1B/OF	L	L	01/12/2006	Milano 1946 A.S.D
16	Zenari	Giorgia	C/3B	R	R	06/03/2006	Old Parma

Team Italy manager Andrea Longagnani will be assisted by coaches Becky Blatnick, Sara Dall'Alpi, Paola Marfoglia and Simona Nava, team physician Dr. Simone Crotta, physiotherapist Marta Cioni and delegation manager Bruno Gasparotto.

Forza #Italia!

by Roberto Angotti

(Photo of Team Italy U18 softball manager Andrea Longagnani observing pitcher Sara Desii during an intersquad game on Friday, July 28, 2023 by LG-FIBS)