Spangdahlem pitcher Madison Roe catches a popup Wednesday, May 20, 2026, at the DODEA-Europe Divison II/III softball championships at Ramstein Air Base, Germany. (Kent Harris/Stars and Stripes)
KAISERSLAUTERN, Germany – Only half of the baseball and softball games on the opening day of the DODEA season-ending championships Wednesday were played on Ramstein Air Base.
It still seemed like it was pretty much the Royals’ world in Division I, no matter the location. Both Ramstein teams, the top seeds entering their respective tournaments, actually played at Kaiserslautern along with the rest of the large-school division.
While the Royals baseball team was only in the second inning of an eventual 16-0 win over Vilseck, their softball counterparts were already shaking hands with opening opponent Wiesbaden after a 15-0, three-inning mercy rule victory.
Royals assistant softball coach Katherine Enyeart laughed when asked if her team was off the field too quickly.
“I just like to see all the pieces coming together,” she said, adding that the game might have been the team’s best this season.
Not good news for the rest of the field as the defending champions only lost once during the year.
“I think every team wants to improve and be at their best at Europeans. And that’s where we are.”
Ace Kelsey Moya allowed one hit and struck out six in the three innings. Ramstein would go on to defeat Kaiserlautern 20-0 later in the day.
But the Royals baseball team ended up with a slightly higher run differential after routing SHAPE 29-0 in its second game of the day. That helped Ramstein keep the top seed heading into Thursday’s quarterfinals and semifinals, where teams were placed based on run differential from the opening day.
Ramstein was just ahead of Kaiserslautern in baseball, thanks to the Raiders’ 27-0 victory over Vilseck and a 14-0 win over Stuttgart.
And in a format where individual pitchers are limited by pitch counts, both appeared to have plenty left for their top hurlers over the last two days. Second-seeded Lakenheath was also in fine shape after an 11-6 victory over Wiesbaden and a 17-2 triumph over SHAPE.
The Lancers, also seeded second entering the softball tournament, won 24-4 against SHAPE and 13-4 against Kaiserslautern to join Ramstein in the two-win club. Stuttgart also got off to a perfect start with a 9-5 victory over SHAPE and a 16-8 win against Vilseck.
Ramstein's Michael Schmiedel pitches to Vilseck's Drake Neville in the opening game of the DODEA-Europe Division I baseball championships Wednesday, May 20, 2026 at Kaiserslautern, Germany. (Kent Harris/Stars and Stripes)
Vilseck's Shane Jones fires a pitch home Wednesday, May 20, 2026, at the DODEA-Europe Division I baseball championships in Kaiserslautern, Germany. (Kent Harris/Stars and Stripes)
Ramstein's Eiji Carpenter steps on home after a wild pitch Wednesday, May 20, 2026, at the DODEA-Europe Division I baseball championships in Kaiserslautern, Germany. (Kent Harris/Stars and Stripes)
Ramstein's Will Schmiedel singles in two runs Wednesday, May 20, 2026, at the DODEA-Europe Division I baseball championships in Kaiserslautern, Germany. (Kent Harris/Stars and Stripes)
Wiesbaden's Nathan Deich throws home in a game against Stuttgart on Wednesday, May 20, 2026, at the DODEA-Europe DivisionI baseball championships in Kaiserslautern, Germany. (Kent Harris/Stars and Stripes)
Stuttgart's Darius Canty came in for relief Wednesday, May 20, 2026, at the DODEA-Europe Division I baseball championships in Kaiserslautern, Germany. (Kent Harris/Stars and Stripes)
Kaiserslautern's Liam Ferguson waits for a pitch from Stuttgart's Jake Laundauer on Wednesday, May 20,2026, at the DODEA-Europe Division I baseball championships in Kaiserslautern, Germany. (Kent Harris/Stars and Stripes)
Lakenheath's Hunter Weekly pitches Wednesday, May 20, 2026, at the DODEA-Europe Division I baseball championships in Kaiserslautern, Germany. (Kent Harris/Stars and Stripes)
Lakenheath's Graham Arthaud is safe at second Wednesday, May 20, 2026, before SHAPE's Floyd Garcia receives a throw at the DODEA-Europe Division I baseball championships in Kaiserslautern, Germany. (Kent Harris/Stars and Stripes)
Stuttgart's Brooklyn Gilcrest makes contact Wednesday, May 20, 2026, at the DODEA-Europe Division I softball championships in Kaiserslautern, Germany. (Kent Harris/Stars and Stripes)
Stuttgart's Brooklyn Gilcrest gets to third Wednesday, May 20, 2026, before SHAPE's Grace Meidinger can apply the tag at the DODEA-Europe Division I softball championships in Kaiserslautern, Germany. (Kent Harris/Stars and Stripes)
Vilseck'sChloe Fowler pitches Wednesday, May 20, 2026, at the DODEA-Europe Division I softball championships in Kaiserslautern, Germany. (Kent Harris/Stars and Stripes)
Stuttgart rightfielder Ariya Brown stretches to make the catch Wednesday, May 20, 2026, at the DODEA-Europe Division I softball championships in Kaiserslautern, Germany. (Kent Harris/Stars and Stripes)
Kaiserslautern's Kennedy Donohue pitches to Lakenheath on Wednesday, May 20, 2026, at the DODEA-Europe Division I softball championships in Kaiserslautern, Germany. (Kent Harris/Stars and Stripes)
Lakenheath catcher Addison Brown fires home Wednesday, May 20, 2026, at the DODEA-Europe Division I softball championships at Ramstein Air Base, Italy. (Kent Harris/Stars and Stripes)
There was a bit more drama in the smaller schools tournaments held Wednesday at Ramstein.
In softball, top-seeded Sigonella topped Spangdahlem 10-0 in its only game of the day. But No. 2 seed Naples was upended by Aviano 20-14.
A 15-12 triumph over Rota earlier in the day had the sixth-seeded Saints at 2-0 after the opening day.
Third seed Vicenza won its only game of the day, 19-6 over Rota.
The smaller schools tournaments won’t play their semifinals until Friday morning. The championship will follow later in the day. So the daily pitching limitations in baseball were very high on coaches’ minds.
Sigonella coach Matt McKown, whose team is seeded second, used a strategy that most of the top teams appeared to be taking. Use less experienced pitchers against weaker opponents and try to save the team’s top pitchers as long as possible.
His message to those he sent out on the mound Wednesday? “Eat as many innings as you can and don’t walk anybody,” McKown said.
Aviano, the top seed of one pool, won its only contest of the day 18-9 over Alconbury.
Naples, No. 1 in the other pool, won 16-2 over Hohenfels.
Second seeds Sigonella and Spangdahlem won narrower victories over Rota (9-5) and Vicenza (5-4) respectively.
Alconbury pitcher Kylie Henson tosses a pitcher home Wednesday, May 20, 2026, at the DODEA-Europe Division II/III softball championships at Ramstein Air Base, Germany. (Kent Harris/Stars and Stripes)
Hohenfels catcher Bronson Jackson tags out Sigonella's Ryan Miniard on Wednesday, May 20, 2026, at the DODEA-Europe Division II/III baseball championships at Ramstein Air Base, Germany. (Kent Harris/Stars and Stripes)
Rota's Lucius Rentz is set to throw home Wednesday, May 20, 2026, at the DODEA-Europe Division II/III baseball championships at Ramstein Air Base, Germany. (Kent Harris/Stars and Stripes)
Sigonella's Cooper Harrison waits for a throw at first base Wednesday, May 20, 2026, at the DODEA-Europe Division II/III baseball championships at Ramstein Air Base, Germany. (Kent Harris/Stars and Stripes)
Spangdahlem's Ryan Roe winds to pitch home Wednesday, May 20, 2026, at the DODEA-Europe Division II/III baseball championships at Ramstein Air Base, Germany. (Kent Harris/Stars and Stripes)
Aviano's Nicco Noley scores after a wild pitch Wednesday, May 20, 2026, at the DODEA-Europe Division II/III baseball championships at Ramstein Air Base, Germany. (Kent Harris/Stars and Stripes)
Aviano's Brylee Hillis makes contact Wednesday, May 20, 2026, at the DODEA-Europe Division II/III baseball championships at Ramstein Air Base, Germany. (Kent Harris/Stars and Stripes)
Alconbury shortstop Lyla Adams gets set to throw to first Wednesday, May 20, 2026, at the DODEA-Europe Division II/III softball championships at Ramstein Air Base, Germany. (Kent Harris/Stars and Stripes)
Hohenfels second baseman Emily Burnside tosses the ball to first after fielding a grounder Wednesday, May 20, 2026, at the DODEA-Europe Division II/III softball championships at Ramstein Air Base, Germany. (Kent Harris/Stars and Stripes)
Hohenfels centerfielder Rhihana Quinones fields a single Wednesday, May 20, 2026, at the DODEA-Europe Division II/III softball championships at Ramstein Air Base, Germany. (Kent Harris/Stars and Stripes)
Sigonella pitcher Terra Love winds to pitch home Wednesday, May 20, 2026, at the DODEA-Europe Division II/III softbal championships at Ramstein Air Base, Germany. (Kent Harris/Stars and Stripes)
