For the first game of the Honkbalweek Haarlem event on July 16, Japan moved to 4-0 with an 8-2 win over Italy. This was closer than the final score would indicate, as Japan pulled away with a big inning late to continue their great run this week.
Hayato Takagi was the starter for Japan and went three innings with no earned runs, only one hit allowed, and four strikeouts.
Mattia Aldegheri started for Italy and had five innings of solid work, allowing three runs. The Japanese got their first run in the top of the first inning off Aldegheri thanks to a Seiya Watanabe double to right center.
Neither team would score again until the bottom of the fourth when Italy scored two runs to take the lead. Issei Watanabe had come in to relieve Takagi and gave up a double to Lorenzo Morresi for the first run. Morresi would then score the second off a Watanabe balk, leaving the score 2-1 Italy after four innings.
Japan came back with an immediate rally in the top of the fifth, aided by a Misho Nishikawa single and a wild pitch by Aldegheri that scored Nishikawa. That would be the last batter for Aldegheri, whose arm had worn down, as the Japanese regained the lead 3-2.
The eighth inning was full of fireworks as the Japanese put up five runs in what looked to put the game out of reach for the Italians. Marco Artitzu was attributed all five earned runs as he could not find his control, hitting two batters. He was relieved with the bases loaded by Francesco Pomponi, who immediately allowed a bases-clearing triple to Ayuto Matshuhita.
Hiromasa Takasu pitched a scoreless ninth, and the Japanese would get the win over Italy 8-2.
The Japan squad remained undefeated this week as they looked poised to hoist the trophy in an international event for the second consecutive week. Last week, they won the Prague Baseball Week in exciting fashion.
Japan will play the Netherlands tomorrow night. On the other hand, Italy is 1-3 and will play fellow 1-3 team Chinese Taipei tomorrow. The next game of Honkbal will be today at 1:30 ET as 3-0 Netherlands take on 0-3 Spain.
Follow World Baseball Network for great coverage of Haarlem Honkbalweek, and watch along at honkbalsoftbal.tv.
