by InTrieste
After an eight-year absence, Junior Alpina, a historic baseball club from Trieste, has returned to Italy’s top baseball league, earning praise and support from regional officials. The team, founded in the aftermath of World War II, was formally introduced in a presentation attended by Fabio Scoccimarro, the Friuli Venezia Giulia Regional Councilor for Environmental Protection and Energy.
Speaking on behalf of Governor Massimiliano Fedriga and Deputy Governor Mario Anzil, who also oversees sports, Scoccimarro reaffirmed the region’s ongoing investment in athletic development. “Friuli Venezia Giulia is one of the Italian regions that invests the most in sports, in modernizing and improving sports facilities, and in nurturing young talent,” he said. “We are proud to have another team from Trieste competing at the highest level of Italian sports.”
The councillor also noted the regional government’s support for both professional and amateur sports initiatives through the “Io sono FVG” branding campaign, highlighting what he described as the area’s “extraordinary vitality.”
Junior Alpina, led by president Pasqualino “Lino” Izzo, will compete in Group C of the Serie A championship, facing teams from Rovigo, Padua, Verona, Buttrio, and Rochi. At the end of the first phase, the top two teams from Groups B, C, D, and F will enter a playoff round with the bottom two teams from Group A for a chance to qualify for the quarterfinals. The remaining teams will compete in a relegation round.
In recent years, the Prosecco baseball diamond—Junior Alpina’s home field—underwent a significant renovation. Now considered a top-level facility, it is scheduled to host two major sporting events in the near future.
Baseball has a longstanding, if niche, presence in Italy, with roots in cities like Trieste that date back more than 75 years. For Junior Alpina and its supporters, the return to the top league marks a significant milestone in the club’s storied history.
