Event News: Athletics Mercado-Tidd, Storm-Appel and Storm-Mathis Crowned Champions at AZ Last Blast ’23 (Jan. 29, 2023)

AZ Last Blast ’23 features many of the top club teams in the country from Friday-Sunday in Mesa/Queen Creek/Scottsdale, AZ. For some of Sunday’s highlights, scroll below:

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STORM-MATHIS TAKES DOWN BANDITS-CONROY IN 18U FINAL

Arizona Storm National-Mathis knocked off Beverly Bandits Premier-Conroy, 8-1, in the 18U championship game of AZ Last Blast ’23 on Sunday at Bell Bank Park in Mesa, AZ.

2025 MIF/OF Reagan Holtorf  hit .563 with two home runs, LSU-bound MIF Sierra Daniel hit .520 with a home run, Michigan-committed 2024 OF Lauren Putz hit .500 with seven home runs, UCLA-bound P Kaitlyn Terry hit .409 with a home run and Michigan-bound 3B/UT Alexis Dellamonica hit .375 with a home run, including a big three-run bomb in the final, to lead Storm-Mathis on offense for the tournament.

Terry pitched 28 innings, giving up four hits and one earned run (two total) with 69 strikeouts and New Mexico-committed 2024 Natalie Fritz allowed two runs and struck out 12 in eight innings to lead Storm-Mathis’ pitching staff,

Storm-Mathis, which finished tied for ninth at PGF 18U Premier Nationals last summer, beat Lady Magic-Boykin, 5-0, Turnin2 Premier-Gardner, 12-1, Tennessee Mojo-Fisher/Danley, 9-2, NW Bullets-Campos, 5-1, and Bandits-Conroy, 8-1, in bracket play.

Bandits-Conroy, which finished as runner-ups at PGF 16U Premier Nationals last summer, beat LTG-Henderson/Lively, 5-4, Firecrackers-TJ, 13-1, Arizona Hotshots Gold-Downes/Isaacson, 11-1, Athletics Mercado-Smith, 4-3, and lost to Arizona Storm, 8-1, in bracket play.

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STORM-APPEL KNOCKS OFF ATHLETICS MERCADO-HOVERMALE IN 16U FINAL

Arizona Storm-Appel came from behind to defeat Athletics Mercado-Hovermale, 7-5, in the 16U championship game of AZ Last Blast ’23 on Sunday at Bell Bank Park in Mesa, AZ.

2025 C Madison Sauni hit a three-run homer and 2026 SS Peyton Valentine connected on a go-ahead two-run blast for Storm-Appel in the finals.

2026 3B/OF Taylor Hampton hit .632 with three HRs and nine RBIs, Sauni hit .500 with three HRs and 10 RBIs, Valentine hit .400 with two HRs, six walks and six RBIs, 2026 OF Payton Westra hit .545 with seven RBIs and 2026 2B Amanda Benites hit .500 with six stolen bases and 9 runs scored to lead Storm-Appel for the tournament.

Storm-Appel, which finished tied for fifth at PGF 14U Premier Nationals last summer, defeated California Grapettes-Kapp, 12-0, Lady Magic-Walling, 9-2, Jersey Intensity National-BOD, 11-0, Iowa Premier National-Dickel, 7-2, and Athletics Mercado-Hovermale, 7-5, in bracket play.

Athletics Mercado-Hovermale, which finished tied for 33rd at the 16U Alliance Nationals last summer, beat Finch’s Aces National, 10-0, Arizona Storm-Garduno/Medina, 11-1, BSC Bengals-Gurule, 10-0, Firecrackers Premier-RTY, 6-5, and lost to Arizona Storm, 7-5, in bracket play.

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ATHLETICS MERCADO-TIDD DOMINATES BANDITS-BREER IN 14U FINAL

Athletics Mercado-Tidd concluded an excellent run at AZ Last Blast ’23 with a 15-0 win over ai Bandits-Breer in the 14U championship game on Sunday at Desert Mountain Park in Queen Creek, AZ.

2026 C/3B Macy Clark went 3 for 3 with two runs and four RBIs, 2026 MIF/UT Taylor Johns went 3 for 3 with three runs and two RBIs, 2026 SS Bailey Goldberg went 2 for 3 with three runs, 2026 1B Charli Calas went 1 for 1 with three runs and two RBIs, 2026 C/3B Gianna Flores went 1 for 3 with two RBIs and 2026 SS/3B Lianna Palacios went 1 for 1 with a run and three RBIs to lead the Athletics’ offense in the finals.

Athletics Mercado-Tidd, which finished as runner-ups at the 14U Alliance Nationals last summer, defeated Mojo AZ 08-Morales, 8-5, Arizona Storm National-Kobasew, 9-0, USA Athletics 2026-RML, 2-1, Lil Rebels-Vern/Koenig, 4-0, and ai Bandits-Breer, ?-?, in bracket play.

Bandits-Breer, which finished tied for 33rd at the 14U Alliance Nationals last summer, beat So Cal Pumas, 11-2, Beverly Bandits Premier-Chow/Hardin, 5-4, Jersey Intensity Premier-KOD, 7-0, Sorcerer-Kimura, 7-6, and lost to Athletics Mercado-Tidd, ?-?, in bracket play.

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AZ LAST BLAST ’23

AT MESA/QUEEN CREEK/SCOTTSDALE, AZ

(Sunday, Jan. 29, Results)

18U

THIRD ROUND

• Warrior Academy-R. McDonald 6, Newtown Rock Gold-Garvey 3
• Athletics Mercado-Smith 11, Sorcerer-Bigley/Everett 3
• Beverly Bandits Premier-Conroy 13, Firecrackers-TJ 1
• Arizona Hotshots Gold-Downes/Isaacson 6, Ohana Tigers-Quarles 4
• Arizona Storm National-Mathis 12, Turnin2-Gardner 1
• Tennessee Mojo-Fisher/Danley 11, Explosion Premier-Denio/Hagberg 7
• NW Bullets-Campos 9, Arizona Storm-Westover 0
• Select Fastpitch-Jones 2, So Cal Athletics-Richardson 1

QUARTERFINALS

• Athletics Mercado-Smith 2, Warrior Academy-R. McDonald 1
• Beverly Bandits Premier-Conroy 11, Arizona Hotshots Gold-Downes/Isaacson 6
• Arizona Storm National-Mathis 9, Tennessee Mojo-Fisher/Danley 2
• NW Bullets-Campos 4, Select Fastpitch-Jones 2

SEMIFINALS

• Beverly Bandits Premier-Conroy 4, Athletics Mercado-Smith 3
• Arizona Storm National-Mathis 3, NW Bullets-Campos 1

CHAMPIONSHIP

• Arizona Storm National-Mathis 8, Beverly Bandits Premier-Conroy 1

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16U

THIRD ROUND

• Warrior Academy-Jimenez 9, Rogue FC 2025/2026-Kaye 6
• Firecrackers Premier-RTY 5, AZ Sidewinders-Morales, 1
• Athletics Mercado-Hovermale 11, Arizona Storm-Garduno/Medina 1
• BSC Bengals-Gurule 7, Mountain West Softball 3
• Iowa Premier National-Dickel 14, Arizona Storm Premier-Captaon/Monte 0
• California Grapettes 06-McNair 8, Sorcerer-Gann 3
• Jersey Intensity National-BOD 3, Finnesse-Laglois/DePaulis 2
• Arizona Storm-Appel 9, Lady Magic-Walling 2

QUARTERFINALS

• Firecrackers Premier-RTY 6, Warrior Academy-Jimenez 2
• Athletics Mercado-Hovermale 10, BSC Bengals-Gurule 0
• Iowa Premier National-Dickel 8, California Grapettes 06-McNair 0
• Arizona Storm-Appel 11, Jersey Intensity National-BOD 0

SEMIFINALS

• Athletics Mercado-Hovermale 6, Firecrackers Premier-RTY 5
• Arizona Storm-Appel 7, Iowa Premier National-Dickel 2

CHAMPIONSHIP

• Arizona Storm-Appel 7, Athletics Mercado-Hovermale 5

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14U

FIRST ROUND

• Sorcerer-Kimura 3, Athletics Mercado 08-RC 2
• Athletics Mercado-Tidd/Bustamante 4, Athletics Mercado AZ 3
• Athletics Mercado 09-Hill 13, Team Hustle 09-Cundall 3
• Firecrackers Leles 2026-Enyart 18, Saguaro Slugger 2008 3

SECOND ROUND

• USA Athletics 2026-RML 7, Sorcerer-Ricks 3
• Athletics Mercado-Tidd 0, Arizona Storm National-Kobasew 0
• Lil Rebels-Vern/Koenig 8, Explosion AZ-Pacho 0
• Indiana Magic Gold 08-Moore 8, LTG-Carda 0
• ai Bandits-Breer 5, Beverly Bandits Premier-Chow/Hardin 4
• Jersey Intensity Premier-KOD 7, NW Vandals-Terry 3
• Sorcerer-Kimura 7, Athletics Mercado-Tidd/Bustamante 3
• Athletics Mercado 09-Hill 7, Firecrackers Leles 2026-Enyart 6

QUARTERFINALS

• Athletics Mercado-Tidd 2, USA Athletics 2026-RML 1
• Lil Rebels-Vern/Koenig 3, Indiana Magic Gold 08-Moore 2
• ai Bandits-Breer 7, Jersey Intensity Premier-KOD 0
• Sorcerer-Kimura 11, Athletics Mercado 09-Hill 1

SEMIFINALS

• Athletics Mercado-Tidd 4, Lil Rebels-Vern/Koenig 0
• ai Bandits-Breer 7, Sorcerer-Kimura 6

CHAMPIONSHIP

• Athletics Mercado-Tidd 15, ai Bandits-Breer 0

— Carlos Arias, Extra Inning Softball (Follow Carlos on Twitter @Los_Stuff)