Vinnie Pasquantino, Italy Beat Puerto Rico to Advance to WBC Semifinal as Fans Hype 'Cinderella' Run

Vinnie Pasquantino and Italy advanced to the World Baseball Classic semifinals with a gritty 8-6 victory over Puerto Rico on Saturday.

Pasquantino and Dominic Canzone each scored two runs and drove in a run, while J.J. D'Orazio added three RBI to power the Italian offense.

After stunning Team USA with an 8-6 win during pool play, Italy's Cinderella run continues as it remains undefeated in the WBC.

At the top of the lineup, Willi Castro wasted no time, blasting a 381-foot home run to give Puerto Rico a quick 1-0 lead in the first inning.

Italy answered right back with a four-run bottom half. Pasquantino, Canzone, Jac Caglianone and D'Orazio each recorded an RBI as Italy surged ahead 4-1 after the opening frame.

Puerto Rico chipped away in the second when Martín Maldonado was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, forcing in Heliot Ramos to cut the deficit to 4-2. 

Italy, however, was held in check in the bottom half after pitcher Eduardo Rivera escaped a jam, leaving the bases loaded to halt the threat.

After quiet second and third innings for Italy, the offense erupted in the fourth. Andrew Fischer ripped a double that brought two runners home and D'Orazio followed with a ground-rule double that plated another pair, capping a four-run inning and stretching Italy's lead to 8-2.

Italy's defense unraveled in the top of the eighth as tensions rose and the crowd came alive, opening the door for Puerto Rico to surge back with four runs in what had looked like a runaway victory for Italy.

A pair of walks, a fielder's choice, a hit batter and a wild pitch kept the rally alive before Christian Vázquez delivered the big swing, lining a single to right field that drove in two runs and cut the deficit to just two.

Italy was held scoreless in the bottom of the eighth and escaped the top of the ninth unscathed, allowing just one hit to close out the win. 

With the victory, Italy will head to Miami to face the winner of the Japan vs. Venezuela matchup in the semifinals on Monday.