RIMINI HOLDS LEAD IN ITALIAN LEAGUE

Telemarket Rimini is on top of the Italian Baseball League standings with a 7-2 record after beating Danesi Nettuno twice in a three-game series. The series stood at one game apiece before Rimini won the rubber match, 4-3, thanks to an eighth-inning double by Ivanon Coffie that drove in Daniel Gonzalez with the winning run. Gonzalez scored twice in the contest, while Coffie had two RBIs. Reliever Michel Quattrini picked up the win for Rimini with four no-hit innings out of the bullpen, while Nettuno’s Carlos Richetti took the loss after giving up all four Telemarket runs.


Nettuno is now 5-4 for the season and in a four-way tie for second with Fortitudo Bologna, Montepaschi Grosseto and defending champion T&A San Marino. Bologna took two of three games against San Marino, including a 16-5 pasting in the third match of their series. Fortitudo racked up eight runs in the sixth inning of that one as Joseph Mazzuca went 3-for-5 with a homer and five RBIs. Juan Carlos Infante also slugged a grand slam homer for Bologna as six different players scored twice.

RIMINI BEATS PARMA TO TAKE ITALIAN LEAGUE LEADERSHIP

Telemarket Rimini defeated Cariparma Parma, 5-2, on April 18 to take the Italian League lead with a 5-1 record. Daniel Gonzalez notched an RBI single in the third to give Rimini the lead, and Eddie Rios blasted two homers to help seal the deal. Telemarket starter Sandy Patrone allowed one run on six hits over 6.2 innings for the win, while Parma’s Roberto Corradini pitched well in defeat, giving up two runs on five hits in 5.2 frames.

After starting the season by winning their first four games, defending champion T&A San Marino ran into a surprisingly tough De Angelis GODO team last week. GODO won two games of three against San Marino, including a 7-6 thriller on April 18. After taking a 4-0 lead, GODO gave up six unanswered runs to fall behind, 6-4, before scoring three times for the come-from-behind win. A two-run homer by Danilo Sanchez in the top of the ninth was the difference-maker for De Angelis.

Danesi Nettuno is tied with San Marino for second place at 4-2 following an 11-4 loss to Fortitudo Bologna April 18. Juan Carlos Infante, Giovanni Pantaleoni and Matthew Stocco each had three hits and two runs for Bologna, who is tied with Parma for fourth place with a 3-3 record.

SAN MARINO FIGHTING NETTUNO FOR EARLY ITALIAN LEAGUE LEAD

Defending champion T&A San Marino is off to a 4-0 start in the Italian League, but Danesi Nettuno is keeping pace with three impressive wins to kick off the 2009 season. Nettuno wrapped up a three-game sweep of DeAngelis Godo on Sunday, April 12 with a 13-4 win. Ramon Tavarez had three hits (including a grand slam) and drove in five runs for the winners, while Manny Alexander scored four runs. Lino Connell drove in four runs on a single and double for Godo. Nettuno starter Carlos Richetti was perfect for 2.1 innings, but the win went to reliever Massimiliano Masin, who went 4.2 innings out of the bullpen. Nettuno outscored Godo, 26-9, for the series.

Telemarket Rimini and Cariparma Parma are both a game out of first at 3-1. Rimini took three in a row from the Grosseto Orioles, including a 12-3 pasting on Sunday, April 12. Rimini scored all their runs between the fourth and eighth innings as Eddie Rios and Ivanon Coffie both homered. Rios ended the game with three runs scored and three RBIs.

ITALIAN FIRST DIVISION BEGINS PLAY THIS WEEKEND

The eight teams in the Italian League’s First Division were slated to open the season Thursday, April 9, with a full slate of action. Games scheduled for Friday, April 10, were postponed after the Italian government proclaimed a national day of mourning in the wake of Abruzzo’s fatal earthquake.

One feature in the Italian League this season is the reduction of players with visas from non-European Union countries from five per team to four. The move is hoped to give more game experience to domestic players. Five Italian products must be on the field each game.

T&A San Marino won the Italian pennant last year, and look to be the team to beat again in 2009. San Marino has added Venezuelan Luis Ramirez, a right-handed fireballer, to their already-strong pitching staff. Another Venezuelan import, Carlos Duran, is expected to add speed and power.

Danesi Nattuno figures to be the prime challenger after adding former MLB pitcher Jeff Farnsworth, infielder Manny Alexander and outfielder Abraham Nunez to the roster.