Italy national baseball team

Infobox National baseball team

Name = Italy national baseball team
Country = flag|Italy
Federation =
Confederation = Confederation of European Baseball
Manager = Giampero Faraone
Olympic apps =
Olympic first =
Olympic best =
WBC apps = 1
WBC first = 2006
WBC best = 10
WC apps =
WC first =
WC best =
IC apps =
IC first =
IC best =
EC apps =
EC first =
EC best = The Italy National Baseball team is the team that represents Italy in international baseball competition. Along with the Netherlands, the Italian national team is viewed as the second strongest in Europe. Italy has beaten the US team (6-2) at the 2007 IBAF World Cup in Taiwan, the only game dropped by the US in in their route to win the World title.

2006 World Baseball Classic

The Italian national team competed in the inaugural World Baseball Classic in 2006, though with a much more Americanized roster than the team ordinarily uses in international play. Of the thirty players on Italy's WBC roster, at least 23 were born in the USA. According to the eligibility rules of the tournament, players who have at least one parent who is a citizen of Italy are allowed on the team, which explains the presence of Americans on the team. Italy played in Pool D, which included Venezuela, Dominican Republic, and Australia. All games during round one for Pool D were played at The Ballpark at Disney's Wide World of Sports in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. Italy secured an impressive 10-0 win over Australia in its first game, before dropping its final two games to Venezuela, 6-0, and the Dominican Republic, 8-3, and failing to qualify for the second round of the tournament.

Results (Round One)

March 7, 2006 - Italy 10 Australia 0 (7 innings)
March 8, 2006 - Venezuela 6 Italy 0
March 9, 2006 - Dominican Republic 8 Italy 3

Placings

Olympic Games
* 1992 : 7th
* 1996 : 6th
* 2000 : 6th
* 2004 : 8th

World Baseball Classic
* 2006 : 10th

Baseball World Cup

References

* [http://www.worldbaseballclassic.com/2006/teams/index.jsp?sid=t841 Italy Team Page]

External links

* [http://www.worldbaseballclassic.com World Baseball Classic Official Website]