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On the second day of the European Massimo Romeo Youth Trophy tournament in Collecchio, Italy, the GB Under-13 London Cubs lost in the morning to a strong Italian team, but then came agonisingly close to their first win of the competition in the evening.

Brabant Bandits 4, London Cubs 3

In the evening game, against the Brabant Bandits from the Netherlands, the Cubs took a 3-2 lead into the bottom of the fifth and final inning and were one out away from holding the Dutch scoreless.  But a two-out bases-loaded single by Kris van Loon drove in two runs and gave the Dutch the victory.

The Cubs out-hit the Dutch team by 7-3 in the game, with shortstop Cara Edwards collecting three hits and Matilde Crapanzano two, and the British team committed fewer errors.  But the Dutch somehow found a way to win.

Brabant took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning against Cubs’ starter Casey Johnston, without the benefit of a hit.  The run scored on a walk, a stolen base, a passed ball and a wild pitch.

Georgia Wilson replaced Casey Johnston in the circle when the Dutch came to bat in the second inning, and neither she nor Dutch pitcher Eline Brandma allowed any runs over the next two innings, though the Cubs had more hits and more baserunners.

In the top of the fourth inning, the Cubs tied the score when Matilde Crapanzano singled, went to second on a wild pitch and scored on a single to centre field by Cara Edwards.  The Cubs went on to load the bases on a Dutch error and a walk to Campbell Lazar, but left the three runners stranded.

The Dutch then re-took the lead with a run in the bottom of the fourth inning, again without a hit, on two walks and a double steal of second and home.

But in the top of the fifth inning, the Cubs scored a pair of runs to take the lead again at 3-2.  Alexandra McGregor led off the inning with a walk, and an infield single by Matilde Crapanzano, a wild pitch and a single down the right field line by Cara Edwards brought in the two runs.

But the Cubs couldn’t quite hold on in the bottom of the fifth.
 

Italy 2 11, London Cubs 0

Italian teams are traditionally very strong in the Massimo Romeo tournament, and this year’s Italy 2 team is no exception. 

The Cubs managed only one hit in the game – a bunt single by Shinju Phalon in the bottom of the fourth inning – and their only other baserunners came when Shinju reached on an error in the second inning against Italian starter Delia Manera, and Chelsie White and Cara Edwards drew walks in the fourth inning off Italian reliever Chiara Pinardi.  Those walks, plus Shinju’s single, loaded the bases for the Cubs with two out in that final inning, but they were unable to push any runs across.

The Italians, after scoring three runs in the top of the first inning off starter Casey Johnston, took the game out of reach with eight runs in the second inning, during which Georgia Wilson came on in relief and shut down Italy 2 for the rest of the game.
 

Standings

Thursday’s games concluded the opening round-robin phase of the tournament, and the final standings in the tougher Sport Division of the tournament are:

Pool A
Italy 1 (3-0)
Kalita/Russia (2-1)
Moscovia 2/Russia (1-2)
Joudrs Orange/Czech Republic (0-3)

Pool B
Italy 2 (2-1-1)
Moscovia 1/Russia (2-1-1)
Brabant Bandits/Netherlands (1-2)
London Cubs (0-3)

The Cubs now move on to a playoff round-robin, Pool D, along with the Brabant Bandits, Moscovia 2 and Joudrs Orange.  The Cubs will bring their result against the Bandits with them and will play Moscovia 2 at 11.15 am on Friday Italian time and Joudrs Orange at 6.00 pm.  Depending on where they finish in the group, there will be a final game on Saturday.

The full schedule and results from the Massimo Romeo Youth Trophy can be seen here: http://competition.europeansoftball.org/2018/collecchio/schedule.php.


Photos by David Morris