By BRETT R. CROSSLEY
It was all about the pitchers in the second International game as Europe-Africa took on Australia.
Australia’s Clayton Campbell toss five inning of no hit ball, while striking out seven batters. Italy managed to score a run in the sixth after Campbell was pulled, but it wasn’t enough as Australia came away with a 3-1 win.
Elia Sartini opened the game with consecutive strikeouts before forcing a pop fly out to left field.
Sartini struggled with control in the second inning, giving up an error and hit batter. Ryley Gonzalez quickly made Sartini pay with a single into right field to score Australia’s first run.
It was much the same for Campbell, who blanked Europe-Africa through the first two innings.
Europe-Africa continued to struggled in the top of the third, being retired in order for the first time in the game.
William Unitt opened the bottom of the third with a pinch-hit double. Campbell brought Unitt home a batter later with an RBI single into left field. A wild pitch moved Campbell to third with just one out.
It proved to be the final batter Sartini would face as Alessandro Ercolani came on to pitch. Ercolani struck out a batter and forced another into a pop out to third to end the inning.
Campbell continued his dominance over Italy, fanning the first batter he faced in the top of the fourth. He then forced Sartini to fly out to centerfield for the inning’s second out. The third out came by way of strikeout as Campbell pushed his total to seven through four innings.
An error opened the bottom half of the inning for Australia’s first baserunner. Two walks followed to load the bases for Australia.
The two walks forced a pitching change for Italy, who turned to Simone Ioli to end the inning.
A base hit from Harrison Wheeldon scored a run, but that would be it for Australia as a pop out to short and a line drive out to second ended the inning.
For a third straight inning Clayton Campbell retired Italy in order. He recored his eighth strikeout to go with a pop fly out and ground ball to first base.
Australia 3, Europe-Africa 1
EUA 000 001-1 2 1
AUST 011 10X-3 6 0
Elia Sartini, Alessandro Ercolani (3), Simone Iloi (4), and Samuele Gamberini. Clayton Campbell, Harrison Wheeldon (6), and Mathew Clements.
WP: Sartini. LP: Campbell.
Top Europe-Africa hitters: Gamberini 1-3, run. Top Australia hitters: William Unitt 1-1, 2B, run.
Records: Europe-Africa 0-1. Australia 1-0.
