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by Robert Baldwin
contributing writer
On the softball diamond, the Royals and Raiders split with Ramstein winning 17-0 in the first game, which was called after four innings because of the blow out. Kaiserslautern won 5-3 in the second game.
In the opener, Ramstein sophomore pitcher Lauryn Szczygiel shut out the Raiders and gave up just three hits, singles by Abby Young and Becca Moon and a triple by Cat San Miguel. Szczygiel walked no one and struck out seven. Offensively, the Royals stole 18 bases, walked 16 times and pounded out 13 hits.
Outstanding junior catcher Mykal Taylor went four-for-four and Anna Marie Starkenburg and Jayda Roberts both went three-for-four to spearhead a 13-hit attack. Roberts had four RBIs while Madison Jarvis, Paige Nielsen and Chloe Culbertson each scored three times. The Royals led by double digits after their first at bat.
In the second game, it was as though Kaiserslautern’s players had awakened from hibernation and the Ramstein bats took their place. The Raiders picked up 12 hits and got very solid pitching from Young to take the second game 5-3. Skye Flanagan and Suzi Cox both went three-for-three.
The main story for the Raiders had to be Young. If one were to write a book about the doubleheader, it would be called “A Tale of Two Abbys” or maybe “Doctor Young and Mr. Hyde.”
In the first game, Young lasted just one-third of an inning. She threw 52 pitches, allowed three hits, walked six and gave up nine earned runs and when she did throw strikes, the Royals pounced. Young was replaced by San Miguel in the first, who faced a similar fate. She gave up 10 hits and walked 10 in her nearly four innings on the mound. The Ramstein hitters were so tuned in that they could have hit the ball blindfolded.
In the second game, the Raiders starting pitcher was also named Abby Young, but this one seemed like a completely different person. Young pitched seven very efficient innings, throwing just 76 pitches. She walked one, struck out six and scattered seven hits, an accomplishment against Ramstein’s powerful hitting attack. The only blemish was a solo home run from second baseman Sydney Smith.
The teams are currently involved in pool play in the European Championships in the KMC. The 2A/3A baseball final will be tomorrow at 11:15 a.m. and the 1A championship will be at 1:30 p.m. at the field behind the Southside gym on Ramstein. The softball finals will be on the Landstuhl base just inside the entrance gate.
The track and field championships are today and tomorrow at the Kaiserslautern track. The soccer championships were decided yesterday. Complete recaps on all the tournaments will be in the next issue of the Kaiserslautern American.
