After Italian fencing Olympic bronze medallist Mara Navarria threw out the ceremonial first pitch, Team Italy starting pitcher Alice Nicolini threw 118 pitches to defeat Venezuela 4-2 on day one of Softball World Cup Group Stage C in Castions di Strada and Buttrio on Saturday, July 22, 2023.
Team Italy got on the board in the bottom of the first inning when Erika Piancastelli singled and McKenzie Barbara followed with an RBI double off former Mississippi State University pitcher Cassady Knudsen. The Azzurre squad added three runs in the bottom of the fifth inning. A two-run single by Andrea Filler and an RBI single by Elisa Cecchetti put the Italians in front 4-0. Venezuela scored twice in the top of the sixth inning to make it a 4-2 game.
ITALY-VENEZUELA BOX SCORE
Team Italy returned the following day for a morning contest against New Zealand. Francesca Tubetti, the youngest Senator in the Italian Parliament Senator, threw out the ceremonial first pitch. Azzurre starter Ilaria Cacciamani took it from there and held her opponent scoreless in a 9-0 shutout. She only allowed four hits with eight strikeouts and three walks.
Back-to-back singles by Marta Gasparotto and Laura VIgna followed by two consecutive walks to Erika Piancastelli and McKenzie Barbara gave Team Italy a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning. The Italians added one run in the top of the fourth inning on an RBI single from Marta Gasparotto.
Team Italy used the long ball to put the game out of reach in the top of the seventh inning. A solo home run from McKenzie Barbara, an RBI single by Giulia Longhi, a two-run triple by Alessandra Rotondo, and a three-run bomb from Erika Piancastelli nailed the coffin shut 9-0.
ITALY-NEW ZEALAND BOX SCORE
With two wins over Venezuela and New Zealand, Team Italy now faces undefeated Canada on July 23, 2023 at 2 pm (ET). All games can be followed on the WBSC website through the play-by-play or watched on GameTime, the WBSC streaming platform, by purchasing the Tournament Pass or Group Pass.
WATCH LIVE ON GAME TIME
DOWNLOADABLE CALENDAR
WBSC SOFTBALL WORLD CUP GROUP STAGE C WEBSITE
Forza #Italia!
by Roberto Angotti
(Photo of Erika Piancastelli and Andrea Filler celebrating in the Softball World Cup game against Venezuela by Ezio Ratti FIBS)
