The third time proved to be a charm as Caravel defeated Sussex Tech 3-2 to win the 2025 DIAA Softball Championship.

The third time proved to be a charm as Caravel defeated Sussex Tech 3-2 to win the 2025 DIAA Softball Championship.


The 4-time defending champions thought they had won the game twice in the 7th inning, but Kenzie Hunter RBI liner to centerfield finally set off the meaningful celebration, keeping the dynasty going.

Caravel led 2-0 going into the 7th after Payton Losten’s second RBI single of the game brought in Hunter in the bottom of the 6th in what proved to be a very meaningful insurance run.

Sussex Tech would put runners on 2nd and 3rd with no one out in the 7th, getting their first run on a foul-out despite a slick sliding catch from right fielder Alyvia Harris. That allowed Chloe Warrington to score the Ravens first run on a sacrifice fly.

Now with 2 outs, Ravens pitcher Cierra Lewis kept the game alive at the plate, as her short liner dropped just in front of the shortstop, and beat the throw to first by a whisker to tie the game at 2, when Caravel was thinking the game might have been over.

In the bottom of the frame, Bella Mendez was on second base when Leah Richardon sliced a single to right field, Mendez was not even halfway home from 3rd when the throw reached home plate, and she made a nifty move to her left to elude the tag, with the home plate umpire initially ruling her safe, and Caravel setting off a celebration.

It was short lived, as after a lengthy discussion, the umpires ruled Mendez out of the baseline, keeping the game going.

The next batter was Hunter, and this time the Bucs had their victory.

Loston started the scoring with an infield RBI single in the 1st inning, in a well-pitched game that saw just six total hits going into the final frame.

It’s the 15th softball championship for Caravel, who has made all but one DIAA Tournament semifinal since 1999 in one of Delaware’s longest-standing dynasties.

Sussex Tech entered the tournament as the 12th seed, and were denied their second state title, after winning the 2012 crown.