Coppa Italia: Danesi Nettuno starts with two Wins

With the four top teams in the Italian Baseball League battling for two championship finals spots, the teams from fifth to seventh after the regular season are hoping to clinch the second Italian European Cup berth for 2010 due to the Coppa Italia. Last weekend the first of three mini tournaments took place in Nettuno. Host DANESI NETTUNO kicked off the preliminary phase with two wins, MONTEPASCHI GROSSETO prevailed once.

Montepaschi Grosseto – De Angelis Godo 4-0

GOD 000 000 000  0 4 4
GRO 100 020 01X  4 8 1

Box score

Chris Cooper struck out eight in seven scoreless innings, allowing just three hits and two walks to lead GROSSETO to a 4-0 shutout over GODO. Gabriele Ermini scored two of the four runs. Panagiotis Sikaras took the loss after conceding two hits and an unearned run in two innings.

Danesi Nettuno – Montepaschi Grosseto 4-0

GRO 000 000 000  0 4 4
NET 000 003 10X  4 3 0

Box score

NETTUNO began the 2009 Coppa Italia tournament with a 4-0 shutout against the ORIOLES. Massimiliano Masin went the distance, allowing just four hits and three walks. He struck out nine for the win. 69 of his 105 pitches were strikes. Junior Oberto topped him with 13 punch-outs. However he also issued four runs on three hits and two bb in seven innings to take the loss. Leonardo Mazzotti had the big hit with a bases clearing double in the sixth to put DANESI up by three runs.

Danesi Nettuno – De Angelis Godo 5-3

GOD 000 020 001  3 7 3
NET 200 100 20X  5 7 1

Box score

NETTUNO picked up win number two with a 5-3 against GODO. They took a fast 3-0 lead thru four innings and held on to it, stopping two DE ANGELIS rallies right in time. Ennio Retrosi and Igor Schiavetti each crossed the plate twice. Ramon Tavarez drove in two. Giacomo Meriggi collected two RBI for GODO. The Spanish national team hurlers Joel Hernandez and Remigio Leal split time on the mound for NETTUNO. Leal earned the win with 4 1/3 solid relief innings. Matteo Galeotti suffered the loss after giving up three hits, three runs (2 ER) and three bb in four innings.

Schedule Round 2:
(all games in Grosseto)
August 1
15:30 De Angelis Godo – Danesi Nettuno
21:00 Montepaschi Grosseto – De Angelis Godo
August 2
10:00 Montepaschi Grosseto – Danesi Nettuno