Haarlem, Netherlands — For seven innings, the Netherlands looked like they would finally solve Italy. Then Robel García took one swing, and the whole tournament turned with it.
García’s three-run homer to right field in the top of the eighth erased a 3-0 deficit in an instant, and Italy held on for a 4-3 win over the host Dutch on Saturday to claim the Honkbalweek Haarlem 2026 title before a sellout crowd of 3,895 at Pim Mulier Stadion. It was Italy’s third win over the Netherlands in this tournament alone, and it sealed a 5-1 run to gold.
The Dutch had every reason to believe this was their day. Closer-turned-starter Kevin Kelly was magnificent, carrying a shutout into the eighth with eight strikeouts over seven innings, and a lineup that led all tournament in offense had scratched out a 3-0 lead — Marnix Ruben, Shervyěn Newton, and Gedionne Marlin each driving in a run against Italy starter Mattia Aldegheri, who was otherwise brilliant across six scoreless.
But once Kelly departed, Italy pounced. Nathanael Batista walked and Ricardo Paolini singled to open the eighth against reliever Eric Mendez. After a sacrifice moved them up, García turned on a pitch and drove it deep to right — a three-run shot that put Italy ahead 4-3 and sent the traveling Azzurri support into delirium. García finished with all three of Italy’s RBI on the night.
From there, Italy’s bullpen slammed the door. Alex Bassani worked out of trouble for the win, and Gennaro Coviello came on to record the final out — retiring the Netherlands in the ninth with the tying run thrown out at the plate to end it, Delano Selassa gunned down at home on a relay to complete the celebration.
The Netherlands out-hit Italy 9-7 and stranded the game-tying run twice in the final two innings — a bitter end for a home side that went 4-1 in pool play and had the crowd roaring all week. Newton homered and reached base three times; Sem Kuijper and Darryl Collins kept the pressure on. It simply wasn’t enough against an Italy team that found its biggest hit at the biggest moment, as it had all tournament.
For Italy — the FIBS program that reached the World Baseball Classic semifinals a year ago and now adds a Honkbalweek crown — it is another marker of a nation that keeps punching above its weight on the international stage. Manager Francisco Cervelli‘s side built a culture of expectation from its first game in Haarlem and never let go of it. Under gray Dutch skies, with red-white-and-blue smoke rising over Pim Mulier and a WINNER banner unfurled across the infield, the Azzurri were the last team standing at the future of baseball.
Italy 4, Netherlands 3 · R-H-E: ITA 4-7-1, NED 3-9-0 · W: Bassani · L: Mendez · S: Coviello · HR: García (ITA), Newton (NED) · Att: 3,895 · T: 2:38
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
Italy 3, Czechia 1
Chinese Taipei 10, Globetrotters 0
Netherlands 6, Curaçao 4
Chinese Taipei 6, Italy 4
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
Czechia 6, Globetrotters 5 (F/10) — 5th/6th place
Netherlands 9, Chinese Taipei 1 — Gold-game semifinal
Saturday, July 4 — Gold-Medal Game
Italy 4, Netherlands 3 — CHAMPIONS
