Following the success of the Open Days held in March, the University of Messina (UNIME), Italy, organized the first blind baseball tournament of the Strait of Messina.
Three teams participated in the event. Aurora Messina UNIME and the University of Catania are based in Sicily and were joined by Leonessa Brescia, who are one of the 11 teams of the Italian Blind Baseball League (LIBCI). Leonessa Brescia won the tournament, UNIME finished second and University of Catania finished third.
The initiative received the support of the Italian Blind Baseball Association (AIBxC, a WBSC Associate Member), who were able to train seven umpires and four scorers on the blind baseball rules.
Blind Baseball is growing at a steady pace in Southern Italy. The AIBxC also announced the birth of a new team, San Giorgio Reggio Calabria, on the continental side of the Strait.
