Ramstein senior Emma Inthavixay bunts during the second game of a doubleheader against Stuttgart on May 10, 2025, at the Stuttgart Reds Softball Field in Stuttgart, Germany. (Matt Wagner/Stars and Stripes)

STUTTGART, Germany – The Ramstein softball team had a single mission on Saturday morning: clinch the top seed for the DODEA Division I softball tournament.

To accomplish that, the Royals needed just one win during their doubleheader against the Stuttgart Panthers. Still, they wanted to take care of business early.

Four innings into the first game, however, it looked as though it might come down to a dramatic conclusion in the afternoon contest. Ramstein hadn’t been able to get to Panther pitcher Taryn Lockhart.

Then came a fifth-inning explosion of five runs, which powered the Royals to a 5-4 victory. That form carried over into the second game, as Ramstein completed the sweep with a 16-3 win.

“I think we were all just in our heads,” said Ramstein senior Arianna Chambers, who pitched a complete game in the afternoon matchup. “We needed the energy, but we just weren’t having it.

“Once we had an inning, we just kept it up.”

Saturday’s sweep clinched a perfect regular season for the Royals (14-0, 12-0), who are seeking a three-peat after winning European crowns the past two campaigns.

Getting the No. 1 seed will help with that quest. Ramstein will play one fewer game during pool play of the European championships, held in the Kaiserslautern Military Community on May 21-23.

“It’s super important so that we can have our confidence up going into Euros, knowing that we can beat any team that we play,” said Ramstein newcomer Kelsey Moya, who produced a complete-game, 11-strikeout performance in Saturday’s opener.

The Panthers (8-4, 6-4), though, gave Moya and the Royals all they could handle to start.

Stuttgart collected nine hits in the first game, eight of which came in the first four innings. And the home team made those hits count with runners in scoring positions.

In the bottom of the second inning, Kori Powell, Kaci Gruver and Sam Leon rattled off connective singles to bring in a pair of runs. Then, in the third, the Nos. 2, 3 and 4 hitters – Ell Soto, Brooklyn Gilcrest and Serenity Sampson put together another trio of singles, with the shortstop Sampson driving in Gilcrest.

Leon, who went 3 for 3 at the plate in the early contest, added a fourth run with a double into the left-center field gap.

Stuttgart was riding high into the top of the fifth, but that’s when things fell apart.

Lockhart walked the first two batters, Ramstein seniors Parker Ingram and Aspen Lindsey, and Chambers hit a single up the middle to give the away side its first run of the game. Then a quartet of errors helped four more Royals cross home plate to give them their first lead.

It was all Royals after that.

Ramstein pitcher Arianna Chambers catches an infield popup along the third-base line during the second game of a doubleheader against Stuttgart on May 10, 2025, at the Stuttgart Reds Softball Field in Stuttgart, Germany. (Matt Wagner/Stars and Stripes)

Ramstein runner Amaya Calderon reaches back to touch home plate after missing it during the second game of a doubleheader against Stuttgart on May 10, 2025, at the Stuttgart Reds Softball Field in Stuttgart, Germany. (Matt Wagner/Stars and Stripes)

Stuttgart second baseman Kori Powell catches a line drive during the first game of a doubleheader against Ramstein on May 10, 2025, at the Stuttgart Reds Softball Field in Stuttgart, Germany. (Matt Wagner/Stars and Stripes)

Ramstein senior Charlie Rhyne swings at a pitch during the first game of a doubleheader against Stuttgart on May 10, 2025, at the Stuttgart Reds Softball Field in Stuttgart, Germany. (Matt Wagner/Stars and Stripes)

Stuttgart outfielder Brooklyn Gilcrest catches a fly ball during the first game of a doubleheader against Ramstein on May 10, 2025, at the Stuttgart Reds Softball Field in Stuttgart, Germany. (Matt Wagner/Stars and Stripes)

Ramstein coach Kent Enyeart had seen that same scenario play out numerous times before. He pointed to matchups against Vilseck on March 22 and Lakenheath on April 26 where the Royals were pushed like Saturday’s opener.

“All it takes is that one spark, and it’s what we got,” Enyeart said. “Granted, we took advantage of a miscue, and it just kind of went from there.

“They just battled. It says a lot about our team.”

The Royals struggled to find the holes in the Stuttgart defense in the first game, connecting on plenty of pitches but hitting them to opposition fielders.

The afternoon game was a different story. Ramstein recorded eight hits – more than double its output in the morning – and jumped out to a 6-2 lead and never looked back.

One of the highlights was a fourth-inning double by designated hitter Emerson Moriarty, who launched the first pitch she saw into right-center field gap. That scored fellow senior Emma Inthavixay for one of eight runs in the frame.

“In the first game, we weren’t hitting in the right spots; they were catching all of our balls,” Inthavixay said. “That didn’t stop us in the second game from swinging hard and getting base hits.”

Despite things getting away from her team in the second game, Stuttgart coach Kelli Weinreich said Saturday’s opener gives her Panthers plenty of confidence heading into the European tournament.

“That’s the team we want to see every time,” she said of the first game. “Ramstein put up such a good fight. To play seven innings fully with them was incredible.

“We’ve got some minor things to tweak, and hopefully we’ll be ready to maybe turn the tables a little bit when we get to Euros.”

Stuttgart first baseman Jaylee Brown catches the ball for an out ahead of Ramstein batter Charlie Rhyne during the first game of a doubleheader on May 10, 2025, at the Stuttgart Reds Softball Field in Stuttgart, Germany. (Matt Wagner/Stars and Stripes)

Stuttgart third baseman Ell Soto fields a ground ball while pitcher Taryn Lockhart follows the play during the first game of a doubleheader against Ramstein on May 10, 2025, at the Stuttgart Reds Softball Field in Stuttgart, Germany. (Matt Wagner/Stars and Stripes)

Stuttgart's Sam Leon hits the ball during the first game of a doubleheader against Ramstein on May 10, 2025, at the Stuttgart Reds Softball Field in Stuttgart, Germany. (Matt Wagner/Stars and Stripes)

Ramstein's Kelsey Moya pitches during the first game of a doubleheader against Stuttgart on May 10, 2025, at the Stuttgart Reds Softball Field in Stuttgart, Germany. (Matt Wagner/Stars and Stripes)

Ramstein senior Isabella Chambers swings at a pitch during the first game of a doubleheader against Stuttgart on May 10, 2025, at the Stuttgart Reds Softball Field in Stuttgart, Germany. (Matt Wagner/Stars and Stripes)

Stuttgart pitcher Taryn Lockhart releases the ball during the first game of a doubleheader against Ramstein on May 10, 2025, at the Stuttgart Reds Softball Field in Stuttgart, Germany. (Matt Wagner/Stars and Stripes)