2017 Italian Series
The 2017 Italian Series marked a return to a best-of-five format and a return of 2015 champion ASD Rimini to a title, their 13th.
Teams[edit]
- T&A San Marino, managed by Marco Nanni, were excellent in the regular season (24-10), outscoring opponents 179-115. Carlos Quevedo (10-3, 2.05, 113 K in 92 IP) led the league in strikeouts and wins, while Frailyn Florian (3-3, 2.88), Tommaso Cherubini (3-2, Sv, 2.80) and Junior Oberto (6-0, 2 Sv, 2.83) also pitched well. SS Erick Epifano (.370/.422/.610) was third in the IBL in OPS and slugging, while DH Mario Chiarini (.323/.384/.519) and RF Mattia Reginato (.314/.381/.490) also hit the ball hard. They swept Angel Service Nettuno in the semifinals.
- Rimini was guided by new skipper Paolo Ceccaroli. They were only 4th in the regular season (20-14) and outscored opponents 162-136. Federico Celli (.320/.437/.512) and Willie Vasquez (.333/.465/.439) were the top offensive performers for the team, while the mound staff was led by Carlos Richetti (4-3, 2.41), Jose Rosario (6-4, 2.56) and Ricardo Hernandez (1-2, 4 Sv, 2.94). They topped Bologna 3 games to 2 in the semifinals to make their 6th straight Series in upset fashion.
Games[edit]
- September 1: Rimini 2, San Marino 1. Quevedo and Rosario traded goose eggs for four. In the top of the 5th, CF Celli drew a 9-pitch walk from Quevedo and DH Lino Zappone bunted him over. 1B Daniele Malengo singled and C Riccardo Bertagnon hit a two-run single for the game-winning hit. Rosario left after 6 2/3 shutout frames (3 H, 2 BB, 4 K) and Hernandez closed it out. San Marino touched him for one in the bottom of the 8th. 2B Jose Ferrini singled, CF Sebastiano Poma bunted him over and RF Mattia Reginato hit a two-out RBI single.
- September 2: Rimini 15, San Marino 5. After game one'/s pitching duel, game 2 went to the visitors in a slugfest. SS Juan Carlos Infante hit a grand slam, 2B Freddy Noguera rapped four hits, RF Nicola Garbella had 3 runs and 3 hits and CF Celli was 3 for 3 with 3 walks, two steals, two runs, a RBI and a double. Richetti got the win despite allowing 10 hits and 5 runs in 5 innings; Carlos Teran tossed 2 2/3 shutout innings for the save. CF Poma had three hits, two doubles, a run and a RBI in a losing cause. Florian lasted only two innings and the bullpen wasn't much sharper.
- September 4: Rimini 2, San Marino 1. Back to the pitching dominance of game one, this matchup featured Hernandez (10 K, 3 H in 6 IP) for Rimini and Josh Kimborowicz for San Marino, neither allowing a run in the first three. In the 4th, Reginato homered off Hernandez for the lone San Marino run. Rimini tied it in the 5th off Kimborowicz when Celli singled and Zappone doubled him in. In the 8th, against Fernando Nieve, DH Chiarini reached on an error, stole a base and scored on another Zappone hit for the winner. After Hernandez came out, Rosario retired all nine batters he faced for the win. Celli (.556) was named Series MVP.
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