Ramstein catcher Becky Pletzer and pitcher Lindsey Jones collide going after a foul ball in the first game of a doubleheader against Lakenheath on Saturday. Pletzer held onto the ball, and Ramstein went onto win the close game 10-8. (Michael Abrams / S&S)
Ramstein parlayed 18 walks and four hit batters into a 10-8, 7-4 sweep Saturday of defending Division I champ Lakenheath.
“We weren’t hitting,” Ramstein coach Kent Grosshuesch understated by telephone Saturday, after his team collected just one hit in the opener and two in the nightcap. Right fielder Kaitlin Martin got all three on a 3-for-5 day.
Lindsey Jones, who gave up nine hits and struck out seven was the first-game winner; Maddie Byrd, who struck out seven was the second-game victor. Ramstein (12-0) drew 10 walks in the opener and eight in the nightcap.
Ali Parkerson was 4-for-4 for the day for Lakenheath; teammate Shannon Scott was a combined 3-for-5.
The Lady Royals bats were alive Friday, though, in a 16-0, 25-0 sweep of visiting Alconbury.
Byrd struck out five and faced just 12 batters in the three-inning opener; Jones also fanned five in her three-inning game. Megan Stubblefield was 4-for-6 for the doubleheader.
In other games:
Lakenheath 9-7, Kaiserslautern 6-6: On Friday at Kaiserslautern, Lakenheath’s Parkerson was a double winner.
She allowed nine hits, struck out eight and walked just one in going the seven-inning distance in the opener. Losing pitcher Lisa Domingo allowed just one hit and walked four in her seven innings, but had 10 errors behind her.
With the visitors batting as the home team in the nightcap, as is the custom in DODDS-Europe, Parkerson became a winner when Shannon Scott singled home the winning run in the bottom of the final inning.
Kaiserslautern 11-24, Alconbury 3-11: On Saturday at Kaiserslautern, the Lady Raiders’ bats came alive against their Division IV guests.
Domingo struck out seven and walked just one batter in her opening-game one-hitter. Amy Trostle, the hard-luck loser of Friday’s second game, went 2-for-3 with a triple and three RBI for K-town, which got three more RBI from Kat Jastrop’s 3-for-4 effort.
Trostle also won the second game, despite surrendering eight hits and walking eight in five innings. Tina Mamer and Kate Hesler each stroked triples and drove in three runs for Kaiserslautern (11-3).
Patch 20-21, Vilseck 4-2: On Saturday at Vilseck, the Lady Panthers’ big bats made winners of Alexa Lazar and Mariel Beesting.
Angel Roman drove in four runs with a double and single in the opener while Anne Wasson went 3-for-3, doubling twice and driving in two runs.
Beesting went 3-for 3 to lead the attack in the nightcap. Rachel Alessi and Sydney Moore each went 2-for-2, and Roman stroked a solo home run.
Heidelberg 20-10, Mannheim 0-0: Saturday at Heidelberg, Missy Guelle and Briann Joyner each pitched three-inning, run-rule shutouts for the Lady Lions (9-1).
Guelle fanned six and went 2-for-3 at the plate with an RBI in the opener. She was backed by Victoria Jackson, who registered a homer and three RBI, and Caitlin Donnelly, who drove in two runs on a 3-for-5 outing.
Courtney Milton and Celsey Little each homered and drove in three runs to support Joyner in the nightcap.
Baumholder 15-12, AFNORTH 1-8: On Saturday at Baumholder, Alexi Velazquez was the winning pitcher in both games, tossing a four-inning one-hitter in the opener.
She homered twice and drove in five runs in the six-inning nightcap, according to Baumholder coach Hope Matthews.
Micelle Zapata was the hitting star of Game 1 with a homer, triple, five RBI and a steal of home. Elizabeth Styles was 4-for-5 in the second game, and Veronne Clark drove in four runs with two triples.
Brenda Broadwater homered and drove in two runs for AFNORTH.