Championship Recap: 2022 PGF Nationals 10U… 5-Run 1st Inning Puts Hustle National 2K11 in Cruise Control (Aug. 7, 2022)

The first game of the trio of National Championships held Sunday at Deanna Manning Stadium in Bill Barber Park (Irvine, Calif.) saw the Hustle National 2K11 explode out of the gates with five runs in the bottom of the first and never look back to take the 10U Premier title 6-1 over Beverly Bandits Premier – George.

After a 1-2-3 top of the first, Hustle kicked off bottom of the 1^st inning with centerfielder Kennidi Evans reaching on a dropped third strike and then moving to third on a double by left fielder Jay Garcia. Pitcher Alivia Ramon then plated the first run on the game on a single to left field with Evans scoring and Garcia advancing to third, before she scored on a passed ball making it 2-0.

With one out, Hustle third baseman Pina Garcia walked, and she and Ramon came home to make the score 4-0 on a two RBI triple to center field by first baseman Aubree Kitterman. Gaby Alcala singled to right to bring in Kitterman making the score 5-0 and leading to a pitching change by the Bandits.

After another 1-2-3 inning in the top of the first, the Hustle added to its lead in the bottom of the second inning when Evans singled to center, stole second, was sacrificed to third and scored on an infield ground out by Ramon to push the lead to 6-0.

In the top of the 4^th inning, the Bandits got on the board when centerfielder Aubree Minor singled to left field and went to third when pitcher Jaycee McCarter beat out an infield single to short and the throw went to first. Infielder Maya Melendez sacrificed to the pitcher and McCarter scored to make the score 6-1.

The Bandits threatened in the top of the 5^th when—with two outs— second baseman Lily George reached on an error and centerfielder Aubree Minor singled, but Hustle second baseman Kiki Cox made a nice play on an infield flair and made a diving catch to end the inning.

In the bottom of the 5^th, the Hustle looked to pad its lead when runners reached second and third with two outs but Bandits pitcher Melendez got a strikeout to close out the inning.

And that it as the teams remained scoreless including the top of the 7^th when Alivia Ramon gave up a two-out single but was able to get the final out via a groundout to shortstop.

The Houston, Texas-based Hustle team finalized the 6-1 win in which it had eight hits and, despite four errors, was able to keep the Bandits from mounting any type of scoring threat.

Alivia Ramon and shortstop Taylor Woitalevicz both had a team-best two hits while Aubree Kitterman and Ramon each knocked in two runs.

The big start made it easier on the team, Head Coach Tim Ramon agreed:

And here is the final pitch that gave Hustle it’s third PGF-related championship this year along:

— Brentt Eads, Extra Inning Softball