A heartbreaking loss for the Redcoats. This was a game that the girls in red should have won with relative ease but they somehow found a way to lose it.

The Redcoats scored two runs in the top of the 1st inning as both the lead-off hitter, Shaniya Spiteri, and Thea Sultana got on base with Lara Buttigieg driving them home with a base hit.

Starting pitcher Clarissa Camilleri got off to a shaky start walking the first four batters she faced, but then went on to strike out the next three batters to limit the damage, but still La Loggia managed to even the score at 2-2.

After a scoreless 2nd inning, the Redcoats took the lead again. Thea led off with a single and once again Lara Buttigieg followed with another base hit. With the Redcoats leading 3-2 in the bottom of the 3rd inning a fielding error, a hit batter and a walk loaded the bases with nobody out. With the infield in and everyone shouting ‘plays to home’ the pitcher managed to get the batter to hit a ground ball. The fielder elected to go for the safe out at 1st base rather than throw to home, thus allowing La Loggia to tie the game at 3 each. Another walk loaded the bases again to set up another force out at home. This time the ground ball was hit to the pitcher and Clarissa promptly threw to her catcher, Thea Sultana, at home to prevent a run to score.

La Laggia still took the lead on a wild pitch to head into the 4th inning with a 3-4 lead for the girls from Turin. They added another two runs in the bottom of the 4th inning for 3-6 advantage heading into the final inning. The Redcoats put on a rally in the 5th inning. Clarissa registered a base hit and was driven in with a triple courtesy of the red hot Lara Buttigieg who went 3-for-3 in this game. Elizabeth Farrugia grounded out to 1st base to score Lara making the score 5-6.

That’s the closest the Redcoats came to a positive result in this tournament. A shaky start by the pitcher and three costly fielding errors meant that the Redcoats are still looking for their first victory at Castions Delle Mura.

Despite the heartbreaking loss the Redcoats showed that they belonged and were a match for these teams. Lack of experience and the jitters of competing abroad for the first time cost them dearly. Scoring 5 runs and losing by just one run provided a much needed boost for the players and the coaches as they headed to the third game of the day.