Baseball season is over in Italy, almost all athletes are in that period of well-deserved rest before resuming the off-season workout. Almost all, but not quite all: a representation consisting of two Italian teams and thirty players will be committed to play, in the weekend October 17-19, in the 20th edition of the International Tournament “City of Barcelona” which takes place every year in Barcelona, at the Montjuic Stadium. Last year the tournament was won by the Catalan Selection, in the final against the French Rouen Huskies.
The Catalan Federation in the figure of the president Jordi Valles, a member of the Spanish Federation, has been involved since a couple of years ago with USSSA (United States Specialty Sports Association). It has therefore been extended an invitation to USSSA International Director, Andrea D’Auria, who has selected players with the help of some Italian coaches who in recent years have been involved in the program of the American organization, two teams that will contend the final victory against the Catalan Selection and Navarra Selection.
The two teams, called Italy All Star and Italy North, are made up of players who play or have played in the IBL, with the addition of some young athletes called to add experience.
Here are the rosters:
USSSA ITALY ALL STAR
Pitchers: Filippo Bertolini (Piacenza), Michele Meschini (Padova), Alessandro Norri (Rimini 2), Alessandro Petralia (Ronchi), Kevin Pittari (Brescia).
Catchers: Mattia Reginato (San Marino), Marco Sabbatani (Bologna).
Infielders: Andrea D’Amico (Bologna), Lorenzo Di Fabio (Rimini), Daniele Malengo (Bologna), Giuseppe Spinelli (Rimini), Alessandro Vaglio (Bologna).
Outfielders: Lorenzo Avagnina (San Marino), Mirco Bannini (Rimini 2), Andrea Vecchi (Modena), Leonardo Zileri (Rimini).
USSSA NORTHERN ITALY
Pitchers: Enrico Crepaldi (Padova), Luca Lomonte (Cairese), Alessio Paltrinieri (Modena), Erick Soto (Modena), Lorenzo Tua (Novara).
Catchers: Saul Angelotti (Modena), Gianluca Scerrato (Modena).
Infielders: Davide Bazzana (Brescia), Maurizio De Maria (Novara), Luca Gibertini (Modena), Luca Martone (Nettuno 2), Filippo Pacini (Padova).
Outfielders: Paolo Cetti (Piacenza), Luca Gregorini (Modena), Jordi Pizzorni (Novara).
The coaching staff will consist of Andrea D’Auria, Danny Gorrin, Pierpaolo Illuminati, Gianluca Marenghi and Pieraugusto Palazzina.
This is the schedule of the event:
Friday, October 17
- 17.00 Navarra Selection-Cataluna Selection
- 20:00 USSSA Italy All Star-USSSA Northern Italy
Saturday, October 18
- 10.00 USSSA Northern Italy-Navarra Selection
- 13.00 Cataluna Selection-USSSA Italy All Star
- 17.00 Navarra Selection-USSSA Italy All Star
- 20.00 Cataluna Selection-USSSA Northern Italy
Sunday, October 19
- 9.30 Final 3rd / 4th place
- 12.00 Final 1st / 2nd place
- 15.00 Awards