Azzurri U18 baseball skipper Gianguido Poma said, "It was a nice weekend of work. I had a good group at my disposal with excellent individuals. And winning the tournament made everything even more beautiful. It is only the beginning of a journey which will continue in the coming weeks and in 2024, until arriving at the European Championship, the dates of which we will know in the month of November."
The Italians beat Regensburg Baseball Academy 3-2, and Bayer Munich 10-2 before losing to Friuli Venezia Giulia 6-2. In the final, however, the Team Italy U18 baseball squad turned the tables on Friuli Venezia Giulia and won 6-2. The youngest member of the team was U15 squad standout Alessandro Garavaglia.
The Team Italy U18 players who took part in the tournament included: Martin Anselmi (OF, Rho Baseball), Lorenzo Barbona (2B, Academy Of Nettuno/Nettuno 1945), Enrico Bicchiarelli (C, Baseball Club Pesaro), Mattia Calcagni (P, Macerata Angels), Christian De Boni (C, Bolzano Bc/ Bsc Rovigo), Federico De Cristan (OF, Crazy Sambonifacese), Andrea Destro (SS, Olimpic Baseball Romano/Padova), Daniele Di Persia (3B, Academy Of Nettuno/Nettuno 2), Giovanni Farina (3B, Palladio B.S. Vicenza), Daniel Francini (P, Baseball Chianti/Fiorentina), Alessandro Gamberini (P, Fortitudo Baseball/Pianoro), Alex Giovanardi (3B, Poviglio Baseball), Davide Lugli (P, Poviglio Baseball), Luca Magnani (OF, Torre Pedrera Falcons), Matteo Marelli (P, Senago Milano United), Andrea Mengoli (SS, Fortitudo Baseball club/Pianoro), Francesco Roero (P, Rimini 86/Poviglio), Filippo Sabatini (P, Lion's Baseball Nettuno) , GiacomoTaschin (P, Bsc Rovigo), and Elia Zaccarini (P, Oltretorrente Baseball).
Team Italy U18 manager Gianguido Poma was assisted by pitching coach Lucio Taschin, coach Ivano Licciardi, delegation executive Alessandro Cappuccini and physiotherapist Mirko Pancellini.
Forza #Italia!
by Roberto Angotti
(Photo of the Team
Italy U18 baseball squad in Regensburg, Germany)
