Kaiserslautern starts slowly, but heats up in baseball opener

Kaiserslautern's Nick Sullivan slides into third base as Vilseck's Elijah Ardner is unable to grab the ball during the second game of a doubleheader on March 14, 2026, at Pulaski Park in Kaiserslautern, Germany. (Matt Wagner/Stars and Stripes)

KAISERSLAUTERN, Germany – It took a couple innings for Kaiserslautern to clean the cobwebs off its bats Saturday against Vilseck in both team’s season openers Saturday.

Once they did, the Raiders roared.

Kaiserslautern swept the doubleheader at Pulaski Park with 9-0 and 20-3 victories.

“Just knocking off the rust,” catcher John Leonard said of the slow start.

The senior mentioned how even the smallest spark can ignite the Raiders (2-0).

Last year’s Division I runner-up got it in the early game’s bottom of the third inning from an unlikely source: the bottom of the lineup.

The Nos. 7-9 batters – senior outfielder Andy Etchell, first baseman Liam Ferguson and Leonard – reached base to open the frame. Leonard drove in Etchell to break the deadlock.

What followed was a three-run inning where Kaiserslautern consistently had runners in scoring position. It could have been more, but Vilseck starter Parker Wayland got junior Jakob Bell to ground out to first base to strand two runners in scoring position.

Then, in the fifth inning, the Raiders blew open the contest with five runs – all with two outs. Singles by Bell and junior middle infielder Adrian Carrasquillo started a rally that saw seven consecutive batters reach base safely.

“We had made contact the whole game, but we hadn’t had any hits that really set us off,” senior Nick Sullivan said. “Those (hits in the third) were what set it off, and then we kept going from there.”

Sullivan, the lead-off hitter, connected on four straight hits over the two games, including a double into the left-center field gap to lead off the second contest.

Kaiserslautern starter Jonny Brown pitches during the second game of a doubleheader against Vilseck on March 14, 2026, at Pulaski Park in Kaiserslautern, Germany. (Matt Wagner/Stars and Stripes)

Vilseck starter Parker Wayland pitches during the first game of a doubleheader against Kaiserslautern on March 14, 2026, at Pulaski Park in Kaiserslautern, Germany. (Matt Wagner/Stars and Stripes)

Vilseck's Pablo Lopez swings at a pitch as Kaiserslautern catcher John Leonard lines up behind him during the second game of a doubleheader on March 14, 2026, at Pulaski Park in Kaiserslautern, Germany. (Matt Wagner/Stars and Stripes)

Kaiserslautern shortstop James Leonard catches a fly ball during the second game of a doubleheader against Vilseck on March 14, 2026, at Pulaski Park in Kaiserslautern, Germany. (Matt Wagner/Stars and Stripes)

Vilseck shortstop Brett Edelman flicks the ball to second base for a force out during the first game of a doubleheader against Kaiserslautern on March 14, 2026, at Pulaski Park in Kaiserslautern, Germany. (Matt Wagner/Stars and Stripes)

Vilseck's Shane Jones slides back to first base ahead of a tag by Kaiserslautern's Liam Ferguson during the first game of a doubleheader on March 14, 2026, at Pulaski Park in Kaiserslautern, Germany. (Matt Wagner/Stars and Stripes)

The offensive firepower didn’t come from one source, especially in the later matchup. Three other Raiders collected doubles from Leonard and Daniel Carroll and Noah Del Villano off the bench.

Carroll, a transfer from Vilseck, was inserted into the eighth spot in the lineup and launched a 2-1 pitch into left field. Del Villano pinch-hit for Sullivan and sent a ball down the third-base line to score Leonard and Aiden White.

Leonard’s double came during the nine-run third inning, where the first six batters crossed home plate. He finished with four RBI on the day.

“I wanted to get aggressive,” Leonard said of his approach at the plate. “I know in the past few years, I’ve been more of a watch-the-pitch-get-walks (player), but I’m looking to hit.”

The Raiders didn’t seem to have much rust defensively.

First-game starter James Leonard fanned nine Falcons (0-2) over five innings of work. Yet in the top of fifth, the senior found himself in a bases-loaded, no-out jam.

Vilseck’s Brett Edelman hit a ball to left field, where Kaiserslautern’s Andy Etchell snagged it for the out. The Raider senior relayed the ball to Carrasquillo, who then tossed the ball to the plate for John Leonard to tag Falcon Brayden Edelman.

“It gets in your head when it’s three people on base,” said Sullivan, who faced his own jam the next inning when he came on in relief before striking out three consecutive Falcons to end the game. “It’s a relief. It’s like, ‘OK, I just need to throw strikes.’”

Vilseck coach Michael Valenzuela’s squad is young, and many players haven’t played the sport in years or ever.

So, scoring three runs over the final two innings on Saturday could be a launchpad. Drake Neville’s sacrifice fly to right field allowed Edelman to get onto the scoreboard, while Shane Jones stole home after Wayland got into a rundown while running toward second base.

“That’s a huge boost for us,” Valenzuela said. “We’re so inexperienced that just the confidence that they (get) from a game like this is good.”