Thanks to Sports Sniper Photography
The Great Britain U18s got back on track with a thumping 13-2, five inning victory over Israel on Wednesday, 23 July. The win is their first of the 2025 U18 Women’s Softball European Championship, and capped off GBR’s Opening Round play.
GBR got rolling early. Jenna Thompson led off the game with a walk, and scored on Abigail Chan’s RBI Triple, giving GBR a 1-0 lead through two batters. Chan then score on Sydney Teague’s RBI groundout, and GBR led 2-0.
Israel would come back to tie the game in the first against starter Kora Douglass, but the second inning saw GBR take the lead for good. Amelia Devonport walked to lead off the inning, advanced to second on a Georgia Storms sacrifice bunt, moved to third on Douglass’ single, and scored on Thompson’s groundout, giving GBR a 3-2 advantage.
In the bottom of the second, Douglass ran into trouble, but Kailyn Haig (1-1) entered in relief, striking out two to strand a pair of runners aboard and end the threat.
The third inning saw GBR’s offence explode. Teague led off the inning with a triple, the first of five consecutive batters to reach base. Amy Hartle followed with an RBI single, Devonport added a triple herself, and when the dust settled, five more Great Britain runs had crossed the plate, giving GBR an 8-2 lead. Two more runs would cross the plate in the fourth, with Teague reaching on an error, a Hartle triple, and an RBI groundout by Madi Bell, and three more in the fifth, with Haig doubling and scoring on an error and a Hannah Walker RBI single to score Chan. When all was said and done, Great Britain led 13-2.
In the circle, Haig stifled the Israeli offence through the final three frames, finishing the game with 10 strikeouts across 3.2 innings of work, walking two, and allowing no hits or runs to pick up Great Britain’s first victory of the tournament.
The U18s await the result of tonight’s game between Spain and Israel before continuing the tournament tomorrow. All games at the 2025 U-18 Women’s Softball European Championship can be watched at softballeurope.tv.
For updates, exclusive content, and more, follow the Great Britain Softball Junior Teams on Facebook, X and Instagram at @GBSoftballU18.