Ramstein pitcher Madison Mihalic throws a pitch against Wiesbaden during the DODEA-Europe softball championship semifinals May 23, 2024, on Ramstein Air Base, Germany. Mihalic recorded 11 strikeouts during the game. (Bradley Latham/Stars and Stripes)

Madison Mihalic has dabbled in other sports – cross country, volleyball, gymnastics, soccer and swimming, among others.

Yet the Ramstein senior has had just one love when it comes to athletic endeavors.

“Softball has always been my main sport,” Mihalic said. “My mom put me in T-ball as a kid, so it’s always been softball.”

The Ramstein softball program and coach Kent Enyeart were thankful she did.

Stars and Stripes’ 2024 DODEA-Europe softball Player of the Year led the Royals to a perfect season, with Ramstein going 17-0 and defending its 2023 title this spring with a European championship victory over crosstown rival Kaiserslautern.

Arriving in Germany two years ago after stints in South Korea and stateside, Mihalic didn’t know what to expect at Ramstein. What she found was a family atmosphere she credits with powering the Royals to the top in both campaigns.

“Thankfully I walked into a very welcoming program,” Mihalic said. “I’m just happy that our team has been so successful these past two years.”

The two seasons (and tournaments) couldn’t have been any more different.

In 2023, the Royals entered the tournament as the second seed and ended up facing a Wiesbaden squad powered by then-ace Lyndsey Urick in the final. Mihalic and the Royals ended up winning a pitchers’ duel in walk-off fashion, 3-2.

In 2024, the Royals outscored opponents 151-28 in the regular season and 95-6 during the championships. On May 24 at Kaiserslautern High School, though, the Ramstein bats roared in an 11-1 six-inning, title-game victory.

And Mihalic started it all.

The senior belted a two-run homer in the bottom of the third inning over the left field fence and the score tied 1-1. The Royals proceeded to score eight runs over the next two innings with seven hits off Raider pitcher Bevanie Cleark.

That was more than enough for Mihalic. The tournament’s Most Outstanding Player fanned eight Raiders, allowing one hit and one unearned run over six innings of work. This came one day after striking out 11 Warriors in a 15-3 semifinal victory over Wiesbaden.

Mihalic said the 2024 Royals had more talent, and it showed at the plate.

“Once we got confidence throughout the tournament, it really helped us get our bats out early,” Mihalic said. “I think that’s why we won by so much (in the title game).

“Last year, everybody was so nervous, the nerves just took a hold of all of us. That’s why it was close. And last year they did have [Urick], and she was really good.”

As is Mihalic.

Already one of the best pitchers in Europe her junior year, the Ramstein ace put in work to improve her skills. She hit the weight room and did some cardio work to increase her speed and add to her pitches’ movement.

Another strength of hers in the circle is her mental toughness, Mihalic said. She acknowledges pitchers can’t strike out every batter and they need to rebound after giving up runs.

“I have movement in my pitches; there’s some speed,” Mihalic said. “Mental toughness is incredibly important. … You have to have trust that your teammates are going to get the out, which I do have trust that my teammates are.”

Looking to the future, Mihalic will be attending the University of South Alabama in the fall. She said she might try to walk onto the team.

She attended a camp there before, but a big reason she chose South Alabama because her brother and sister-in-law live about 30 minutes away.

“It’s going to be nice to have family there,” Mihalic said. “And I like the weather.”