Ramstein pitcher Kelsey Moya winds up to deliver a pitch Thursday, May 22, 2025 at the DODEA-Europe Division I softball championshIps on Ramstein Air Base, Germany. (Kent Harris/Stars and Stripes)
RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany — Kaiserslautern reached the final of the DODEA-Europe Division I softball championships Thursday evening in workmanlike fashion.
“We talk about it all the time,” Raiders coach Darwin Bines said after his team downed Wiesbaden 10-4 in a semifinal game. “Don’t beat yourselves. Make the routine, routine.”
Unfortunately for Kaiserslautern, Friday’s championship game is against a team that’s far from routine. The Ramstein Royals continued to breeze through the tournament with an 11-0 victory over Stuttgart.
“They’re always our No.1 foe,” Bines said with a smile. “We’ll give it our best.”
It’s probably going to take the Raiders’ best against the Royals, who have won the title the last two years on Kaiserslautern’s home field.
And they’re in a mindset to do it again.
“It would be nicer to win on our own field,” Ramstein right fielder Emerson Moriarity said. “But we want to make it a third (straight title).”
The Royals have won their three tournament games by a combined score of 52-2. But coach Kent Enyeart said his team played a lot of close games during an unbeaten regular season and won’t be taking Kaiserslautern for granted.
Especially against a Raiders team that he said is playing its best at the end of the season.
Moriarity, who made a nice running catch to help keep the Panthers off the scoreboard, echoed those thoughts.
“We’re going to have to play Royals ball,” she said.
Wiesbaden celebrates a home run from Kyra Cole on Thursday, May 22, 2025, at the DODEA-Europe Division I softball championships at Ramstein Air Base, Germany. (Kent Harris/Stars and Stripes)
Kaiserslautern's Giada Taylor slides into third while Wiesbaden's Nicole Suh tries to grab the ball Thursday, May 22, 2025, at the DODEA-Europe Division I softball championships at Ramstein Air Base, Germany. (Kent Harris/Stars and Stripes)
Kaiserslautern's Alessia Garcia makes contact Thursday, May 22, 2025, at the DODEA-Europe Division I softball championships at Ramstein Air Base, Germany. (Kent Harris/Stars and Stripes)
Wiesbaden shortstop Evelyn Traugutt catches a popup Thursday, May 22, 2025, at the DODEA-Europe Division I softball championships at Ramstein Air Base, Germany. (Kent Harris/Stars and Stripes)
Kaiserslautern's Allison Monroe fouls the ball off Thursday, May 22, 2025, at the DODEA-Europe Division I softball championships at Ramstein Air Base, Germany. (Kent Harris/Stars and Stripes)
Kaiserslautern's Amanda Garcia goes through her delivery Thursday, May 22, 2025, at the DODEA-Europe Division I softball championships at Ramstein Air Base, Germany. (Kent Harris/Stars and Stripes)
Royals ball on Thursday involved steadily pulling away from Stuttgart until the game was called in the sixth inning when the score reached DODEA’s mercy-rule limit.
Kaiserslautern’s game with Wiesbaden was much closer.
The Raiders led 4-1 after three innings. But Wiesbaden tied it at 4-4 on a two-run single up the middle from Paige Welch. The hit eluded Kaiserslautern pitcher Amanda Garcia and both middle infielders.
Omara Butler followed with a double that put two runners in scoring position, but the Raiders got out of the inning. They then proceeded to score three runs in each of the next two innings to put the game away.
Division II/III played its semifinal games Friday morning. Rota was set to meet Alconbury in one matchup, while Vicenza and Sigonella square off in the other.
The two victors meet in the championship later Friday at Kaiserslautern High School after the Royals and Raiders square off for the D-I title.
Rota's Addison Kryger winds up to pitch Thursday, May 22, 2025, at the DODEA-Europe Division II/III softball championships at Ramstein Air Base, Germany. (Kent Harris/Stars and Stripes)
