Mary Louis Academys softball phenom finally experiences Italy trip of a lifetime

Rachele Iovine is living la dolce vita. A 2025 Easter trip to Italy to see family chanted the Floral Park native’s trajectory on the softball field for the better, giving the high school senior the opportunity of a lifetime to play with some of the game’s best overseas. “It was always a dream, but I never thought it would really happen,” the star of The Mary Louis Academy told The Post. The visit to see cousins in Milan and Naples became a softball world tour when Iovine’s father, Frank, reached out on a whim to the Italian American Baseball Foundation, which fellow Long Islander Chris Vaccaro helps run. Vaccaro, who was sipping dugout espresso with Team Italy during the World Baseball Classic, put the family in touch with a slew of teams over in the boot who were happy to have Iovine in.“I would put it on the same level as Division I softball over here,” said Iovine, a lover of Dario’s Pizza in West Hempstead and artichokes everywhere. “It’s a lot of competitiveness.They want to win,” added the 18-year-old, who is averaging a hit per game.The Northern Italian club Sarrono Team Inox softball, based near Milan, was greatly impressed by the true utility player who can take any position on the field, including pitcher and catcher.“Then they asked me if I wanted to come back to play in a 19-year-old-and-under game,” said Iovine, 17 at the time.“I said, ‘Of course,’ ” added Iovine, who will take the field for D-II Lake Region State College in North Dakota next year. Family commitments still mattered, and Iovine found herself traveling up and down Italy from Saronno to Naples during the one-of-a-kind family vacation.“We drove the seven hours down, then drove the seven hours back up two days later.”The road warrior’s grit paid off as Saronno invited her back for the summer. Iovine gained experience playing and practicing with girls and women from both the Italian and Czech national teams, as well as with other D-I American at...