Alice Nicolini goes the distance, Italy beat Venezuela

World No. 8 Italy defeated No. 22 Venezuela in front of excited fans, 4-2, to begin WBSC XVII Women's Softball World Cup Group C with a win.

Alice Nicolini became the first pitcher in Group C to go the distance. She used 118 pitches to complete seven innings, allowing two runs in the bottom of the sixth. Venezuela made the most of a walk and an illegal pitch with base hits by Yaruby Alicart and Michelle Floyd.

"We knew Venezuela was a strong team," said Nicolini after the game. "I was tense at first. I felt the responsibility to represent Italy at home, and then I got into the groove thanks to the run we scored in the first."

Venezuela had to come back from a 4-0 deficit. Italy got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the first when McKenzie Barbara hit an RBI double off former Mississippi State University star Cassady Knudsen and broke the score open in the bottom of the fifth thanks to a two-RBI single by Andrea Filler and a single by Elisa Cecchetti.

"I believe we won it in the first," head coach Federico Pizzolini commented. "The lineup is supposed to be our best asset, but at the end of this game, I want to congratulate Alice [Nicolini] for her great effort."

The game started with a ceremonial first pitch celebrated by Italian fencing Olympic bronze medallist Mara Navarria.