Stuttgart's Blake Rossignol steps off second base to receive a throw as Ramstein's Jaxon Lundell slides during the first game of a doubleheader Saturday on the baseball field near Southside Fitness Center on Ramstein Air Base, Germany. (Matt Wagner/Stars and Stripes)
RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany – Stuttgart’s Brandon Eves had one thing on his mind Saturday afternoon standing on third base in the bottom of the fifth inning.
In a tied game against Ramstein with two outs, the time limit was up, meaning the Panthers had their final chance to get something from a doubleheader against Ramstein at the Southside baseball field on Ramstein Air Base.
“Coach (Justin Ray) told me if that ball goes past, ‘I want you there,’” Eves said.
So that’s exactly where the three-year Panther wound up. On a passed ball, Eves sprinted down the third baseline and slid under the tag to give Stuttgart the 12-11 victory.
The win came after Stuttgart (1-0-1) blew a six-run lead in an 8-8 tie in the first game and a nine-run advantage after three innings in the second part of the twin bill.
Still, Stuttgart’s coach praised his team’s ability to bounce back – first by the starting off strongly in the second game following the first, and then by coming back in the bottom of the fifth after the Royals (0-1-1) took the lead for the first time over both games.
“I just can’t say enough about the resiliency, the hitting that all of our players are showing,” Ray said. “That’s something we went back to the drawing board after last year.”
Stuttgart pitcher Tyler Blalock throws during the first inning of the doubleheader's second game on Saturday against Ramstein at the baseball field near Southside Fitness Center on Ramstein Air Base, Germany. The Panthers won, 12-11. (Matt Wagner/Stars and Stripes)
Ramstein pitcher Luke Seaburgh throws during the second game of Saturday's doubleheader at the baseball field near Southside Fitness Center on Ramstein Air Base, Germany. (Matt Wagner/Stars and Stripes)
Stuttgart's Blake Rossignol swings during the second game of a doubleheader Saturday against Ramstein at the baseball field near Southside Fitness Center on Ramstein Air Base, Germany. Catching for the Royals is Chuck Wheeler. (Matt Wagner/Stars and Stripes)
Stuttgart's Liam Bernhard crosses the plate as the ball slips under Ramstein catcher Chuck Wheeler during the first game of a doubleheader Saturday at the basbeall field near Southside Fitness Center on Ramstein Air Base, Germany. (Matt Wagner/Stars and Stripes)
Stuttgart brought the bats to opening day, combining for 20 hits over the two games.
The Panthers’ swings packed some punch, too, as evidenced in the first inning of the first game. Blake Rossignol and Josh Zipperer (3 for 3 with two walks over both games) slammed doubles into left field, hitting the fence on the fly.
Caiden Ray also had a double in the first game.
In the second game, Stuttgart didn’t have as much power as in the first, but it still got timely hits. Tyler Blalock, who stepped on the mound nine pitches in after starter Ryan Santana got hurt, hit a two-RBI single as part of a seven-run second inning that gave the Panthers an 8-0 lead.
Blalock was supposed to be the designated hitter, but because of the switch and the fact the junior couldn’t change his spot in the batting order, the player he was supposed to bat for, Eves, had to step into the four-spot.
The senior delivered. Eves went 3 for 4, with three RBI singles, including driving in the tying run in fellow senior Caiden Ray (4 for 5 with a double and hit by pitches in the doubleheader) during the fifth. Eves admitted he was motivated, as the designated hitter batted for him in the first game.
“I was a little upset that coach put a DH in for me because I love to hit,” Eves said. “I was trying to prove to coach that he made the wrong choice. It worked out for us.”
It almost didn’t for the team, though, in both games, though.
Game 1 starter Jamie Arnold and Blalock locked down the Ramstein offense early, the fourth inning proved to be a curse. Ramstein exploded for six runs in the fourth and what turned out to be the final inning, as the game reached the time limit. Arnold got the first two outs in the inning, but then a pair of hits by Conor McGinty (3 for 5) and freshman Luke Seaburgh (4 for 7) started the rally that included four straight walks. Even a pitching change couldn’t stem the tide.
Then, in Game 2, the Royals rallied again, dropping six runs in the fourth and another four in the fifth. A combination of singles, walks, hit by pitches and errors sparked that comeback.
Stuttgart pitcher Jamie Arnold points to first base after fielding a ground ball in the first game of a doubleheader Saturday against the Royals on the baseball field near Southside Fitness Center on Ramstein Air Base, Germany. In the background, from left, are Ramstein coach Alfredo Rios and Panther third baseman Ryan Santana. (Matt Wagner/Stars and Stripes)
Stuttgart second baseman Liam Bernhard throws to first during the second game of Saturday's doubleheader against Ramstein at the baseball field near Southside Fitness Center on Ramstein Air Base, Germany. (Matt Wagner/Stars and Stripes)
Ramstein's Liam Delp runs to second base to double up Stuttgart's Liam Bernhard during the first game of a doubleheader at baseball outside Southside Fitness Center on Ramstein Air Base, Germany, on March 18. Pointing to the bag, at left, is the Royals' Luke Seaburgh. (Matt Wagner/Stars and Stripes)
Ramstein outfielders Travis Ritz, left, and Christian Roy chase after a ball after it bounces off the fence during the first game of a Saturday doubleheader at the baseball field outside of Southside Fitness Center on Ramstein Air Base, Germany. The Royals tied the Panthers 8-8 after four innings. (Matt Wagner/Stars and Stripes)
Ramstein coach Alfredo Rios said the games were reminiscent of his team last year that won the Division I title. But he’s hoping to find a solution to the slow starts.
“Like I told the boys, they came out with their pillows and came to take a nap in the first few innings,” Rios said. “I don’t know why. That’s something I’m going to look into this next week, find out what they did the night before because I think that’s what did it.
“For whatever reason, even last year we started off slow. We would wait until about the second, third and maybe even fourth inning to actually start, and then once that happened, just like today, we’d rock it.”
These teams opened the season how their ended last year – against each other. The Royals had the upper hand in the 2022 final, and the two were matched evenly on opening day.
Justin Ray said Saturday’s results show the quality of both teams.
“I think it speaks a lot to both teams and how competitive Ramstein and Stuttgart are not just in baseball but in all sports,” Ray said. “It’s a testament to the program coach Rios has and to our boys for taking the beating that we did in the championship last year and not come in here nervous or feeling the pressure or anything.
“It would have been crazy for two ties, though.”
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