Italian Softball League to open on 30 March
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<p>The 2024 Italian Women's Softball League will open on Saturday, 30 March. The nine participants will face each other twice, home and away. Each game day will consist of doubleheaders. Thus, each team will play a 32-game regular season. The top four finishers will advance to the semifinals.</p>
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<p>The defending champions, Forlì, will debut on home turf against Old Parma. Manager Juni Francisca confirmed the 2023 roster, adding pitcher Kelly Barnhill, a former collegiate All-American and WBSC Women's Softball World Cup winner.</p>
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<p>Old Parma first-year manager Filippo Colonna added New Zealand National team ace pitcher Tyneesha Houkamau to the roster.</p>
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<p>Bollate welcomed back veteran pitcher Greta Cecchetti. The international softball star returns to Italy after experiencing the Japanese Diamond League, Athletes Unlimited and the Dutch League. She is 12 strikeouts shy of the 2,000 milestone. Bollate also traded for Alice Nicolini and National Team Captain Giulia Longhi.</p>
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<p>They will open the season against Castelfranco Veneto Thunders, who added two imports to their roster: Japanese catcher Risa Soma, a Diamond League alum, and Dutch outfielder Babs De Jonge.</p>
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<p>The 2023 season finalists Caronno confirmed manager Argenis Blanco and infielder Sarah Edwards after her experience as <a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="a minor league hitting instructor (opens in a new tab)" href="https://www.fibs.it/it/news/comincia-la-serie-a1-softball-2024" target="_blank">a minor league hitting instructor</a> for the Philadelphia Phillies of Major League Baseball (MLB).</p>
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<p>Former Olympian Marta Gambella will manage Macerata, while Pianoro hired Cuban head coach Vladimir Caballero.</p>
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<p><a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="The official website (opens in a new tab)" href="https://www.fibs.it/it/events/2024-serie-a1-softball-2024/home" target="_blank">The official website</a></p>
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