by Riccardo Schiroli
The Italian Baseball Series so far have been a success. The ballparks in Parma and Bologna have been filled with fans and the baseball played on the field was first rate. For sure, the team that will claim the pennant will consider it a bigger success.
UGF Bologna was considered the weakest team amongst the 4 that qualified for the postseason. Actually, the defending champions were quite weak at bat, since they qualified for the final series batting only .210. But they for sure know what the term clutch means, either at bat (with Team Italy’s veteran DH Ramos and other azzurri like Infante and Mazzuca turning every little chance into runs) and while playing defense.
Cariparma has been the exact contrary of clutch, stranding runners early in the game in every game and running in a clumsy way (runners sent home with no one out and kept on hold at third with 2 outs).
Both teams have had pretty solid pitching, so the capability of turning chances into runs has made so far a difference. Both teams showed they can compete and they are not scared of a clash.
The 2 clubs will enter in the final weekend of the series with Bologna leading 3-2 and Parma playing on home turf at “Nino Cavalli” stadium.
Friday 9/10 the match up will be between the 2 pitchers of the Italian school of baseball: Fabio Betto, who in his younger years won 2 league titles pitching for Parma, will start for UGF and Roberto Corradini will have the ball on Cariparma’s hill.
The sensation is that we will have a game 7 on Saturday 9/11. In that case, both teams will rely on their import pitchers: Matos for UGF and Martinez for Parma.
Schedule Italian Baseball Series:
Friday, September 10:
21:00 Cariparma Parma – UGF Bologna
Saturday, September 11:
21:00 Cariparma Parma – UGF Bologna*
*if necessary
Live Play by Play available on FIBS.it
Photo: © Ferrini/FIBS