DODEA-Europe’s diamond denizens headed into spring break this weekend with a flurry of baseball and softball doubleheaders. All but two teams will be idle until the season ramps up again the weekend of April 19.

SoftballRamstein splits with Naples, Vicenza: At Vicenza, both of Italy’s Division I teams earned splits with the visiting Royals.

Naples opened strongly in Friday’s opener with an 11-7 defeat of the Royals and fell just short of a sweep in a 16-15 loss later that afternoon.

Eliza Nations starred on the mound and at the plate for Naples in the early win, pitching a solid six innings and driving in three runs. Moriah Sherer led the Wildcats offensively with five hits and two RBI. Aubree Richardson, Anna-Marie Starkenburg and Abigail Hollenbeck each had three hits in the Royals’ late victory.

Ramstein made it two straight in Saturday’s opener, an 11-5 defeat of Vicenza, but the host Cougars stormed back to earn their own split with a late 12-6 victory.

Richardson’s pitching win was backed up a well-rounded Ramstein offense in the Royals’ win, while Chenoa Gragg struck out five to fuel Vicenza’s win.

Naples recorded a proper sweep on Saturday, handling Aviano 11-3 and 15-11.

Kaiserslautern 10/18, SHAPE 7/0: Friday at Kaiserslautern, the defending Division I champions swept the visiting Spartans.

Catherine SanMiguel picked up the pitching wins, striking out 11 over just shy of six innings of combined work. Abby Young led the Raiders at the plate, totaling five hits and four RBI across the two victories.

Stuttgart 10/12, Kaiserslautern 7/2: Saturday at Stuttgart, the Raiders didn’t fare quite as well.

Rachel Johnson delivered a two-run double in the bottom of the fifth to break a tie score and deliver the opening win, overcoming a six-run third-inning outburst by the reigning champs.

Faith Brown and Leona Claus knocked in two runs apiece in the late game to secure the sweep.

Division I Lakenheath picked up its own doubleheader sweep Saturday, handling small-school visitor Spangdahlem 18-3 and 19-3.

BaseballRamstein roars in Italy: At Vicenza, the visiting Ramstein Royals earned four wins in as many games Friday and Saturday, sweeping Naples 9-4 and 17-0 and the host Cougars 20-7 and 13-6.

Tieran Shoffner drove in four runs to fuel the Royals’ opening win, while Calvin Delp posted three hits and three RBI in the late game. Chris Guzaldo totaled four hits over the two games Friday.

Nathan Kranz, Ethan Smith and Kelty Hood each drove in two runs in Saturday’s opening rout, while John Odom led the late win with a pair of hits and three RBI.

Naples recovered Saturday with 15-1 and 8-2 wins at Aviano.

Kaiserslautern breaks even: The Kaiserslautern Raiders swept the SHAPE Spartans on Friday before suffering a Saturday sweep at Stuttgart.

Ronin Sherman powered the Raiders at the plate in the team’s 7-5 and 12-9 defeats of SHAPE. Sherman totaled four hits, including three doubles, and scored five runs. Tyler Otto and Justice Harper picked up wins on the mound.

Stuttgart pounced on the Raiders upon arrival Saturday, taking a 12-3 win in the day’s opener. The Panthers gritted out an 8-7 win later in the day to earn the sweep.

Jack Harris powered the early victory, pitching three innings of seven-strikeout ball and knocking in four runs with the bat. Cole Nelson notched two hits and two RBI in the late game in support of Panther pitcher Wesley Coglianese.

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