Italy continued its historic run in the 2026 World Baseball Classic, defeating Puerto Rico 8-6 in a quarterfinal matchup at Minute Maid Park in Houston on Saturday, March 15. The victory secures Italy's first-ever berth in the WBC semifinals.
Key offensive contributions came from J.J. D'Orazio, who doubled and drove in three runs, and Andrew Fischer, who added two RBIs. The Italian team built an early lead and held off a late rally from Puerto Rico to secure the win.
The result marks a significant milestone for Italian baseball, which had never advanced past the second round in previous WBC tournaments. Italy will now face the winner of the quarterfinal between Japan and the Dominican Republic in the semifinals.
