Event News (UPDATED): 2022 PGF Nationals Week 2 Continues… Scores From Friday’s Action, 14U Winner’s Bracket Recaps & How One Game Got “Skunked!”

And then there were four… undefeated teams in the Winner’s Bracket, that is.

There were some amazing games on Friday as we move into the weekend with the Platinum Championships to be played Saturday night and the 14U, 12U and 10U Premier titles to be awarded on Sunday.

The four that remain in 14U Premier are

• Beverly Bandits – Moran
• Birmingham Thunderbolts – Kemp
• Hotshots National 08
• Jersey Intensity

Here’s a look at how these four teams advanced to the weekend undefeated so far…

Game of the Day Halted by Skunk

The weather was great, the teams were competitive, the game was close, but for about 15 minutes the exciting Winner’s Bracket game between the Texas Riptide and Beverly Bandits – Moran had to be stopped.

Contests are commonly paused because of rain, injury, darkness, dispute of a call and other reasons, but Friday night at Field 4 of the Huntington Beach Sports Complex added another one to the list… skunk!

Actually, in the darkness under the lights as the exciting bracket game reached the 7^th inning, it wasn’t one skunk, it was two as another took a prime vantage point in left field while the first camped out in right field by the fence.

Ultimately, some brave coaches approached the creatures with caution and shooed them away allowing one of the best games of the week to finish.

First, though, a look at the “right-field skunk” making its exit off the field:

The Texas Riptide had beaten its three previous opponents by a combined score of 23-2 and looked like it was on its way to another win, albeit a much closer one, as Sam Campbell’s talented team was ahead at the end of the 6^th inning 1-0.

But it all changed with one crack of the bat, as Grace King, a 2026 catcher, smacked a two-run homer in the top of the 7^th to put the Bandits ahead and help them advance to Saturday mornings 10:15 am game.

Here’s what she had to say after the big win, skunk notwithstanding:

“That was like a Sunday Championship Game on a Friday night,” Coach Chad Moran said after the game. “The Riptide is a great team and I’d fully expect to see them there on Sunday, they’re definitely strong enough to get to the championship through the loser’s bracket.”

The Bandits players were pretty fired up themselves… here’s the team after the win:

KG Favors Turns It Up a Notch for Bolts

In the first game of the day for the Birmingham Thunderbolts in the Winner’s Bracket, Brandon Kemps’ strong team comprised of players from Alabama, Florida, Virginia and Mississippi put ace pitcher Kaylee Grace (“KG”) Favors on the mound and one of the top-ranked 2025 pitchers was throwing hard but was having issues locking in around the plate.

Favors went three innings and gave up four walks, three wild pitches, a hit bater and four earned runs but was aided by her team’s offense which had jumped out to a 6-2 lead against a strong Rogue FC – Mabrey team.

Thanks in large part to a big game by batterymate Ava Hodo, a 2026 catcher, who went 2-for-3 with three RBIs, the Bolts won 7-6 to advance to the 7:15 pm PST game.

However, in the second game of the day in the Winner’s Bracket, she locked in and was magnificent as she threw a complete seven inning no-hitter and was just one walk away from a perfect game as she blanked Finesse 4-0.

Unlike the first game, where she had a strike percentage of 52 percent, the incoming sophomore threw 67% of her pitches for strikes in the win against Finesse.

She was aided by Hodo who hit a two-run homer in the 4^th inning to score 2025 pitcher Kaileigh Byars, who also had a good day going 2-for-3.

Jersey Intensity “Shock the World” Approach is Working

Kevin O’Donnell’s Jersey Intensity National 14U team is led by his daughter, Brittany, who herself played for Notre Dame and you could say the luck of the Irish was working Friday night for the Intensity.

But they also played danged good softball and saw a lot of players step up and contribute as the team advanced to Saturday undefeated in bracket play by beating a strong Impact Gold – Taylor team 7-1 in the early game and then pulling off a stirring comeback in the nightcap versus NW Bullets to win 7-6 after once trailing 5-2.

In the circle against Impact was Angela “Ang” Sasso, a 2026 right-hander who threw a complete game win also helped her cause by going 2-for-4 with an RBI. The offensive output was spread around as five players had RBIs including 2026 middle infielder Dawson Blue, who 3-for-5 with two RBIs; 2026 MIF Zoey Clark, who batted 2-for-4 with a run driven in; 2026 OF Bella Maria who went 1-for-3 with an RBI and 2026 P/CIF Ava Snyder who went 2-for-4 with a run knocked in. EG Hatcher, a 2026 catcher, also went 2-for-4 and was solid behind the plate.

What makes this team special? 2027 pitcher Olivia Ricciardi says, “This team fights really hard and is good at fighting through adversity.”

Three of her teammates agree and say there’s one word that describes this Intensity team.

“Hatcher adds: “The energy of the team is unmatched and is synergistic.” 2025 C/IF Emily Richards agrees saying: “The energy of the team makes us a family.” And Maddie McDermott, a 2027 middle infielder explains: “Our cheering and energy brings our team together. We conquer and advance!”

In the thrilling nightcap, the Intensity claimed a 7-6 come-from-behind victory over the NW Bullets as the East Coast team used three pitchers—Avery Stutts, Maddie Coward and Ang Sasso—to pull out the win.

Bella Maria and Sienna Bocchino both went 2-for-4 with two RBIs and Stutts was 2-for-3 with an RBI.

Here’s what Coach BOD had to say after the second win:

And here’s a video of the Intensity which is looking to “Shock the World” here at PGF…

Hotshots Pitching Impressive in Pair of Wins

The Hotshots advanced to Saturday play undefeated courtesy of strong pitching as Lane Galloway’s team beat AM SD – Delamater 4-1 and USA Athletics 5-2.

In the first game, it was a nail-biter most of the contest as the score was 1-1 into the fifth inning before 2026 catcher Stevie South gave the Hotshots a 3-1 lead courtesy of a two-run single that would be more than enough for 2025 pitcher Brookelyn Taylor, a right-hander who went the distance and game up four hits and just the one run while striking out 10 and, perhaps most impressively, not giving up a free pass.

In the closing game, the pitching was once again the difference—this time it was 2026 Sara Wiggins who took the start and threw a strong seven innings as she gave up just four hits and two runs while striking out four.

Bayleigh Taylor, a 2027 shortstop, led the offense as she went 3-for-3 with a pair of RBIs.

— Brentt Eads, Extra Inning Softball

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Below are all the scores from Friday action at PGF Nationals Week 2…