The Great Britain U22 Women’s National Team took on Germany in a must-win game at the U22 European Softball Championship 2024 on Wednesday, 7 August, and walked off with an 8-1, five-inning victory. Mackenzie Langan (1-0) pitched a complete game with 10 strikeouts for Great Britain in the win, while Cara Edwards and Jessica Chan provided a home run each.
Great Britain improves to 1-2 in Group X at the U22 European Championships with one remaining game in group play. They will face Austria tomorrow at 8 AM BST, followed by a game in either the Placement or Super Rounds tomorrow afternoon depending on the tournament results.
Mackenzie Langan started in the circle for GB and put down the Germans in short order in the first, striking out the game's first two batters. This gave Great Britain the opportunity to lead for the first time in the tournament, and they took it. Jessica Chan singled with one out but was caught stealing second before Katie Burge sent a double to left field. After Burge took third on a wild pitch, a throwing error by German catcher Amile Kuhler allowed her to score, and GB led 1-0.
The lead would not last long. Meret Willeke led off the second for Germany and launched a long home run to centre to tie things at one. Langan, however, would battle back by striking out the side to end the inning.
Jenna Thompson singled in the second, but couldn’t score, and Langan returned to the circle for the third, working another 1-2-3 inning and tallying her sixth strikeout of the game. After a Tia Warsop groundout to lead off GB’s half, Jessica Chan – batting in the 2 spot for the first time – lifted a ball to right past the outstretched glove of German right fielder Hanneke Bender, and sped around the bases for an inside-the-park home run to give GB the lead again. Burge followed up with her second double of the game, and Germany would go to the bullpen, replacing started Lina Schwippert with Amelie Roth. Burge stole third base on Roth’s first pitch of the outing, then trotted home as Morgan Salmon launched a double to left-centre. She would advance to third as Krueger grounded into a fielder’s choice but remained there as Thompson grounded out to end the frame.
Langan continued to deal in the fourth. Despite allowing a one-out single, and a walk to Meret Willeke, she continued to deal, strikeout out the side for the second time through four innings. With nine strikeouts through four, Langan kept Germany’s bats quiet, while Germany went to their third pitcher of the day, Kyrie Denny, for the home half of the inning. She would first face Amy Hartle, who walked on five pitches before Cara Edwards hammered a ball over everything in left, a two-run shot to give GB a 5-1 lead.
In the fifth, Langan got a groundout, her 10th strikeout of the game, and a flyout for another 1-2-3 frame. After Burge reached on an error, and Salmon Walked, Germany again swapped pitchers, with Denny giving way to Julie Helber, and Burge would scamper home on a steal and error combination for GB’s sixth run of the day. After Mia Krueger walked, an RBI single by Thompson scored Salmon to put Great Britain up 7-1, but Germany was able to get a double play with Hartle up for the first two outs of the inning. Thompson advanced to second on a wild pitch, followed by a walk to Edwards, bringing up Molly Blackwood. Germany brought starter Lina Schwippert back into the circle, Blackwood lifted an RBI doubleto left, and Great Britain walked off with the 8-1, run-rule victory.
On offence, Great Britain got a boost from the 2-3-4 spots in the order, with Jessica Chan, Burge and Salmon tallying five hits, five runs, four extra-base hits, and two runs batted in. Burge is tied for the tournament lead in doubles with three, while Morgan Salmon now leads all offensive players with four stolen bases.
In the circle, Mackenzie Langan was the star for Great Britain, striking out the side in the second and fourth, and finishing the afternoon with 10 punchouts. Of the 65 pitches she threw in her five-inning complete game, 26 were strikes, allowing just one walk and the lone run on Willeke’s homer in the second.
Great Britain will next face Austria in the final game of Group X tomorrow, 8 August, at 8:00 AM BST, followed by a second game in either the Placement Round or Super Round, depending on the rest of the tournament results. Tomorrow’s game and all games at the 2024 U22 European Softball Championships can be watched on baseballeurope.tv.
Follow the Great Britain U-22 Women’s Team on social media @GBWomenSoftball on Facebook, X, and Instagram, and on the British Softball Federation website, britishsoftball.org.