Team Italy manager Roberto De Franceschi has narrowed down the his roster to 20 young and talented baseball players for the U15 European Baseball Championship, which is scheduled to take place in Brno, Czech Republic and Trnava, Slovakia from July 21-25, 2021.
Team Italy is in Group B along with 2019 Euro semifinalist Kingdom of the Netherlands, Austria and Slovakia. Defending Euro champion Germany, Czech Republic, Russia and France are featured in Group A.
The Italians play their first round robin game in Trnava, Slovakia on Wednesday, July 21, against host Slovakia before facing Austria and Kingdom of the Netherlands. Then Team Italy will travel to Brno to enter the final phase of the U15 European Baseball Championship.
After placing second in the 2019 European Baseball Championship, the Azzurrini U15 squad is determined to bring home the gold. Prior to departing for Slovakia, Team Italy will train and prepare for the Euros during an intensive five-day session in Friuli-Venezia Giulia from July 15-19, 2021.
The following players are expected to report in Friuli-Venezia Giulia and participate in the U15 European Baseball Championship:
Cognome | Nome | Ruolo | B-T | Società d'appartenenza | |
1 | Barbona | Lorenzo | P/IF | R-T | Academy of Nettuno B. C. |
2 | De Donno | Giacomo Maria | C/OF | R-R | Academy of Nettuno B. C. |
3 | Di Persia | Daniele | P/IF | R-L | Academy of Nettuno B. C. |
4 | Mazzanti | Riccardo | P/OF | R-R | Academy of Nettuno B. C. |
5 | Sabatini | Filippo | UT | R-R | Lions Baseball Nettuno |
6 | Gallo | Francesco | P/OF | R-R | Lions Baseball Nettuno |
7 | Cassini | Duccio | P/OF | R-L | Baseball Chianti/Staranzano Ducks |
8 | Bernardis | Mattia | UT | R-R | Staranzano Ducks |
9 | Taschin | Giacomo | P/1B/OF | L-L | BSC Rovigo |
10 | Squarcia | Riccardo | P/1B/IF | R-L | Oltretorrente B. C. |
11 | Casadio | Matteo | IF | R-R | BSC Godo |
12 | Cornelli | Edoardo | IF | R-L | Baseball Old Rags Lodi/Oltretorrente BC |
13 | Buriani | Dario | P | R-R | Ferrara BSC/Cral Enrico Mattei |
14 | Magnani | Luca | P/OF | R-R | Torre Pedrera Falcons B. C. |
15 | De Boni | Christian | C | R-R | Pool 77 Bolzano/Bolzano BC |
16 | Francini | Daniel | P/IF | R-R | Baseball Chianti/Fiorentina Baseball |
17 | Pellegrini | Edoardo | P | R-R | Baseball Softball Verona |
18 | Giovanardi | Alex | P/OF | R-R | Poviglio Baseball/Reggio Rays Baseball |
19 | Lugli | Davide | C/P/1B | R-R | Reggio Rays Baseball/Poviglio Baseball |
20 | Marelli | Matteo | P/IF | R-R | Senago Milano United BC |
In addition, Charles Greene (Catalan Baseball Softball Society / Tigri Baseball Alghero) and John Escobar (Montegranaro ASD Society) have been called up as reserves.
The Team Italy U15 baseball squad staff includes:
1 | De Franceschi | Roberto | Manager |
2 | Martignoni | Luca | Pitching Coach |
3 | Costa | Luca | Coach |
4 | Corradi | Claudio | Coach |
5 | Da Re | Paolo | Coach |
6 | Tamburini | Stefano | Coach |
7 | Abbate | Graziano | Fisioterapista |
8 | Corallo | Stefano | Medico |
9 | Bonaccorso | Simone | Preparatore Atletico |
10 | Cappuccini | Alessandro | Team Manager |
Forza #Italia!
by Roberto Angotti
(Photo of Team Italy in the 2019 European Baseball Championship against Kingdom in the Netherlands by Carlo Marcoaldi)