1988 Italian Series

The 1988 Italian Series was won by Ronson Lenoir Rimini. They swept Scac Nettuno in four games to retain the Serie A1 championship.

Neither team had been a regular-season power, each finishing third in their league. Nettuno upset San Marino in a four-game sweep in the quarterfinals then beat northern champion Parma in the semifinals, 4 games to 2. Rimini had also gone 25-17 in the regular season, also pulled off a round-one upset (needing six games to top Grosseto) then also needed six to topple a champion (southern champ Bologna) in the semifinals.

Nettuno had been led on offense in the regular season by DH Timothy Wallace (.422/.508/.839, 52 R, 19 HR, 49 RBI in 39 G), the league leader in average and home runs. 2B/3B Claudio Cecconi (.415/.486/.568) and SS/3B Ruggero Bagialemani (.351/.436/.571, 36 R in 38 G) provided plenty of support. Glen Cook (11-1, 1.27, 137 K in 106 IP) had finished one win shy of a pitching Triple Crown.

Rimini got much of their offensive contributions from 3B Julio Perez (.400/.541/.644, 43 R in 37 G) and C Elio Gambuti (.418/.484/.620). Former major leaguer Rick Waits (8-3, Sv, 2.19) and Maurizio De Sanctis (12-1, 3.07) led the staff, De Sanctis tying for the league lead in wins.

While the two teams came in with nearly identical seasons to that point, the Series was one-sided. Rimini swept, winning 12-3, 7-3, 5-4 and 5-1, scoring at least five runs a game while never allowing more than four. Waits (2-0, 1.06), De Sanctis (1-0, 2.57) and Paolo Ceccaroli (1-0, 3.00) stifled the Nettuno offense. Gambuti drove in 7, SS Michele Romano scored six and hit .438/.526/.563 and Ceccaroli was 6 for 13 with 3 RBI (playing 1B, DH or the OF when not pitching). Wallace was a bright spot for Nettuno (.471/.500/.706) while Cook (0-2, 5.40) lost more games than he had in the entire regular season.

Playoffs

1st Round

• World Vision Parma (34-8) beat Nuova Stampa Florence (19-23), 4-1
• Scac Nettuno (25-17) beat Vape San Marino (28-14), 4-0
• Meseta Bologna (34-8) beat BKV Milan (13-29), 4-0
• Ronson Lenoir Rimini (27-15) beat Mamoli Robinetterie Grosseto (31-11), 4-2

Semi Finals

• Ronson Lenoir Rimini 4-2 World Vision Parma
• Scac Nettuno 4-2 Meseta Bologna

Championship Series

• Ronson Lenoir Rimini 4-0 Scac Nettuno