GROSSETO and BOLOGNA each won their games on Saturday and advanced into the finals of the semi-final round in the Coppa Italia. The best-of-three series to determine the finalist for the title series against the loser of the Italian Series is scheduled for September 4 to 6. The finals start on September 11.
Montepaschi Grosseto – Cariparma 6-0
PAR 000 000 000 0 3 1 GRO 004 000 20X 6 8 0
Junior Oberto, Yovany D’Amico and David Preziosi combined to throw a three-hitter and led GROSSETO to a 6-0 shutout against PARMA, winning the series 2-1. Oberto started and allowed just one hit and four walks in five innings, while striking out one.
The offense of MONTEPASCHI came through in the third. They loaded the bases and Antony Caracciolo hit a fly ball into right field for an inside-the-park grand slam homerun. They added two more runs in the seventh on a Davide Dallospedale sac fly and a wild pitch.
Mattia Salsi took the loss, giving up six hits, six runs (2 ER) and a walk in 6 1/3 innings. He struck out seven.
Unipol Banca Bologna – Telemarket Rimini 5-1
RIM 000 010 000 1 6 2 BOL 300 000 20X 5 9 0
BOLOGNA used a three-run first en route to an easy 5-1 win against RIMINI. Giovanni Pantaleoni had three hits and a run. Juan Angrisano scored twice. Manuel Gasparri went two-for-four with a RBI. Brian Orizzi got three hits for TELEMARKET.
Chris George allowed one run on five hits and two walks in six innings to pick up the win. Alfredo Lopez closed it out with three innings of one-hit relief. Buddy Bengel took the loss after 4 2/3 innings, seven hits, three runs and three base on balls.