HAARLEM, Netherlands — Sometimes one run is a landslide. On a night when nobody could hit, Italy scratched across the only run of the game and let its arms do the rest, blanking the host Netherlands 1-0 at Pim Mulier Stadion in the kind of taut, nerveless pitchers’ duel the Azzurri have made their calling card on the international stage.
Italy needed just a single mistake to win it, and the Netherlands handed one over early — an unearned run in the first inning, set up by a Dutch error, that turned out to be the entire ballgame. From there it was all pitching and defense, Italy protecting the slimmest possible lead across nine innings without ever letting the host breathe.
Bocchi was the story. The Italian starter spun six shutout innings, carving through the Dutch order and refusing to give an inch with the margin razor-thin. When his night was done, Bassani came on to nail down the save, closing out a shutout that says everything about where this Italy program is: disciplined, hard-nosed, and utterly comfortable in a one-run game against anyone in the world. The Azzurri managed just five hits themselves — this was never about the offense.
For the Netherlands, it was the cruelest kind of loss. Lars Huijer pitched well enough to win on almost any other night, but he wore the defeat, undone by the one first-inning miscue his own defense couldn’t take back. The host stranded what few chances it created — five hits, no runs — and paid for three errors in a game with zero margin for them.
The Azzurri move on, flag flying, exactly as their supporters back home would want it. Italy didn’t need much. It never does. Viva Italia.
Italy 1, Netherlands 0 · R-H-E: ITA 1-5-0, NED 0-5-3 · W: Alessandro Bocchi · S: Bassani · L: Lars Huijer · Att: 1,986 · T: 2:32
Honkbalweek Haarlem 2026 — Schedule & Results
All games at Pim Mulier Stadion, Haarlem. Streamed live on Honkbalsoftbal.tv.
Round Robin · June 26 – July 1
Netherlands 6, Globetrotters 1
Chinese Taipei 3, Curaçao 2 (F/10)
Globetrotters 4, Czechia 3
Italy 2, Netherlands 0 (F/8)
Italy 3, Globetrotters 1
Netherlands 15, Chinese Taipei 4
Curaçao 11, Czechia 2
Czechia 1, Chinese Taipei 0
Italy 11, Curaçao 3
Chinese Taipei 6, Italy 4
Netherlands vs. Curaçao — June 30 result
Italy vs. Czechia — June 30 result
Globetrotters vs. Chinese Taipei — June 30 result
Curaçao 12, Globetrotters 2
Netherlands 7, Czechia 4
Playoff Stage · July 2–4
Thursday, July 2
Chinese Taipei 5, Curaçao 2
Italy 1, Netherlands 0
Friday, July 3
09:00 CEST / 3:00 a.m. ET — Czechia vs. Globetrotters
13:30 CEST / 7:30 a.m. ET — Chinese Taipei vs. Netherlands
Saturday, July 4
Old Star Game & Championship — times TBA
