Unipol Bologna is the 2014 Italian Baseball League champion. They defeated ASD Rimini 8-1 and 4-0 this past weekend to erase a 2-3 deficit en route to a 4-3 win in the best-of-seven Italian Baseball Series.
On Friday Joey Williamson struck out ten in 8 2/3 innings to lead Fortitudo to an 8-1 win and the tie in the series. Guillermo Rodriguez and Daniele Malengo drove in two runs apiece. Giuseppe Mazzanti homered for the Pirates.
In game seven on Saturday evening Raul Rivero allowed just two hits and two walks in nine scoreless innings to pace Bologna to a 4-0 shutout. He struck out 12. His battery mate Guillermo Rodriguez hit a solo home run and drove in two of the four runs. Roberto Corradini took the loss.
Guillermo Rodriguez was named Finals MVP. It is the first national title for Bologna since 2009. Since then they had prevailed three times in Europe, but not in Italy. This year they missed out on the European Champion Cup Finals, but won at home.
Photo by Ezio Ratti