Hohenfels senior Jazlyn Campbell slides into home against Sigonella pitcher Alex Quintanilla during day one of the European championships on May 22, 2024, at Ramstein Air Base, Germany. Hohenfels won the game 20-6. (Bradley Latham/Stars and Stripes)
RAMSTEIN AIR BASE and KAISERSLAUTERN, Germany – The 2024 DODEA-Europe softball championships kicked off Wednesday with three teams in hot pursuit of defending champion Ramstein.
Ramstein began the day with a 9-0 victory over Lakenheath setting the tone for the rest of the competition.
The Royals put on a defensive clinic led by senior pitcher Madison Mihalic, holding the Lancers to only six hits.
The bracket seeding looked to remain the same early in the day with Wiesbaden winning over SHAPE (11-4), Kaiserslautern taking down Lakenheath (15-4), and Stuttgart delivering SHAPE its second loss of the day (23-6).
Ramstein routed Vilseck (31-1), but due to the 13-run cap per game, finished the afternoon with a 22-run differential.
In what was set to be the most competitive Division I game of the day, Wiesbaden sought redemption, hoping to win over Kaiserslautern after dropping two games to the Raiders during their regular season opener.
The game was an evenly matched, back-and-forth contest, but the Warriors were ultimately successful with tenacious fielding holding Kaiserslautern to five runs over five innings and securing a third-place seeding for day two’s bracket play.
First-year Wiesbaden coach Dougie Globke said his team is poised for a deep run in the tournament as they look to top last year’s one-run loss to Ramstein in the championship game.
“I am highly impressed with their comeback, because we’ve kinda had our ups and downs this season,” Globke said. “They were absolute Warriors today.”
Stuttgart needed a 10-run victory in the final game of the day to take the No. 1 seed from Ramstein. They did just that and more with a commanding 29-0 win over Vilseck.
The first day set up a single-elimination tournament that will determine the championship matchup Friday.
In the quarterfinals Thursday, Lakenheath takes on Kaiserslautern, SHAPE plays Wiesbaden and Vilseck squares off with Ramstein. Stuttgart gets the Lakenheath-Kaiserslautern winner in the semifinals.
Ramstein senior Madison Mihalic winds up for a pitch against Lakenheath during the first day of the European championships on May 22, 2024, in Kaiserslautern, Germany. (Bradley Latham/Stars and Stripes)
Lakenheath sophomore Audrey Young attempts a tag against Ramstein junior Ania Edwards during day one of the European championships on May 22, 2024, in Kaiserslautern, Germany (Bradley Latham/Stars and Stripes)
Hohenfels junior Zofia Hefflefinger scores a run against Spangdahlem during the European championships on May 22, 2024, at Ramstein Air Base, Germany. Hohenfels won the game 18-6. (Bradley Latham/Stars and Stripes)
Wiesbaden pitcher Valerie Fisher attempts at tag at home against Kaiserslautern freshman Kaleah Connor during the European championships on May 22, 2024, in Kaiserslautern, Germany. Wiesbaden won the game 10-5. (Bradley Latham/Stars and Stripes)
Sigonella freshman Briar Love jumps for a catch against Hohenfels during the European championships on May 22, 2024, at Ramstein Air Base, Germany. (Bradley Latham/Stars and Stripes)
Spangdahlem freshman Allie Adkins hits the ball during a game against Hohenfels during the European championships on May 22, 2024, at Ramstein Air Base, Germany. Adkins recorded a double on the hit. (Bradley Latham/Stars and Stripes)
Naples freshman Ariana Lopez throws a pitch against Alconbury during the European championships on May 22, 2024, at Ramstein Air Base, Germany. Naples won the game 13-1. (Bradley Latham/Stars and Stripes)
SHAPE freshman Emory Teta catches a line drive ball from Stuttgart sophomore Serenity Sampson during day one of the European championships on May 22, 2024, in Kaiserslautern, Germany. (Bradley Latham/Stars and Stripes)
Vicenza freshman Adysen Johnston scores a run against Aviano during day one of the European championships on May 22, 2024, at Ramstein Air Base, Germany. Vicenza won the game 14-7. (Bradley Latham/Stars and Stripes)
Aviano sophomore Jae'Lianny Rodriguez slides into home for a score against Vicenza during day one of the European championships on May 22, 2024, at Ramstein Air Base, Germany. (Bradley Latham/Stars and Stripes)
Aviano senior Stella Payan catches a fly ball during day one of the European championships on May 22, 2024, at Ramstein Air Base, Germany. (Bradley Latham/Stars and Stripes)
Alconbury junior Kalila Te'o forces an out at first base against Naples junior Anna Gose during day one of the European championships on May 22, 2024, at Ramstein Air Base, Germany. (Bradley Latham/Stars and Stripes)
Wiesbaden junior Roni Massey catches an infield fly ball against Kaiserslautern during the European championships on May 22, 2024, in Kaiserslautern, Germany. (Bradley Latham/Stars and Stripes)
Vilseck freshman Katelynn McMillan positions herself for a catch at first base during a game against Stuttgart on day one of the European championships May 22, 2024, in Kaiserslautern, Germany. (Bradley Latham/Stars and Stripes)
Stuttgart sophomore Ell Soto scores a run against Vilseck during day one of the European championships on May 22, 2024, in Kaiserslautern, Germany. Stuttgart won the game 29-0. (Bradley Latham/Stars and Stripes)
Division II/III
Pool play will continue Thursday for the smaller schools division, with defending champion Naples and Pool B top seed Rota appearing to be the teams to beat after 13-1 and 17-5 wins respectively.
But the Hohenfels Tigers may have something to say about that. Coming into the tournament without a division win during the regular season and a No. 8 seed, Hohenfels appeared to have a mountain in front of them.
The Tigers rose to the occasion with an 18-6 victory over Spangdahlem to start their tournament run.
“Hopefully we’ll keep this energy up, and we’ll use each win to build on the next,” Hohenfels coach Stephanie Schnabel said.
Tiger senior and team captain Jazlyn Campbell said her team was confident coming into the tournament knowing it had defeated two Division I teams this year.
That confidence paid off with Hohenfels recording its second win (20-6) over Sigonella, placing the Tigers in strong contention for a top spot in Pool B.
“We all put our trust in each other, and we all played the game we knew how to play,” Campbell said. “Don’t forget about Hohenfels. We may be the underdogs, but we can definitely play softball.”
Aviano and Spangdahlem may be out of the race after both teams dropped their first two games. With Naples, Rota, Sigonella and Vicenza each left with two games to play Thursday, the top two spots in each group remain wide open.
Rota second baseman Ilyssa Hagood goes to field a ground ball in a during a game against Spangdahlem at the Divisions II/III DODEA European softball championships May 22, 2024, on Ramstein Air Base, Germany. (Matt Wagner/Stars and Stripes)
Rota senior Mady Orlowski pitches against Spangdahlem during the Divisions II/III DODEA European softball championships May 22, 2024, on Ramstein Air Base, Germany. (Matt Wagner/Stars and Stripes)
Rota center fielder Maya Petty catches a fly ball against Spangdahlem during the Divisions II/III DODEA European softball championships May 22, 2024, on Ramstein Air Base, Germany. (Matt Wagner/Stars and Stripes)
