Team Italy places second in U18 Euro Baseball Championship

Team Italy places second in U18 Euro Baseball Championship
10/07/2021
Team Italy suffered a 6-2 loss to Kingdom of the Netherlands in the U18 European Baseball Championship final in Macerata on July 11, 2021

Kingdom of the Netherlands won its third consecutive U18 European Baseball Championship title by defeating Team Italy by a score of 6-2 in the Euro final under the hot Macerata sun on July 11, 2021. In the Gold Medal game, Italian manager Francesco Aluffi handed the ball off to starter Riccardo Nepoti. In his second start of the U18 European Baseball Championship, the right-handed pitcher threw four innings and limited the Dutch to just one run on four hits with two strikeouts and two walks.

Kingdom of the Netherlands got on the board early with one run in the top of the first inning. Team Italy tied it up in the bottom of the third inning when Tommaso Adorni crossed the plate on an RBI double by slugger Samuele Gamberini.

Kingdom of the Netherlands rallied for five runs in the top of the seventh inning to break the contest wide open. Team Italy attempted to make a miraculous comeback in the bottom of the seventh inning when the Azzurre had bases loaded after back-to-back singles by Williams Wong and Samule Gamberini preceded Samuele Bruno being hit by a pitch. Enrico Buin was also hit by a pitch and Williams Wong scored. However, the Italians fell short and settled for a Silver Medal second-place finish in the U18 European Baseball Championship after the 6-2 loss to the Dutch.

Both teams were winners as Kingdom of the Netherlands and Team Italy have automatically qualified for the U18 Baseball World Cup in Bradenton, Florida from September 10-19, 2021 as result of being the two top finishers in the U18 European Baseball Championship. Forza #Italia! #PerBill

by Roberto Angotti

BOX SCORE

CALENDAR, RESULTS AND PLAY-BY-PLAY

STANDINGS

STATS

(Photo of Pittsburgh Pirates pitching prospect Alessandro Ercolani with Team Italy catcher Francesco Segreto in the U18 European Baseball Championship semi-final against Spain by Lynx Prod.)