Event Recap: Athletics Mercado-Smith Defeat Top 18U Field at AZ Last Blast ’22 (Jan. 30, 2022)

Athletics Mercado-Smith, the reigning Alliance 18U national champion, came into the Arizona Last Blast ’22, which featured one of the best 18U field of teams in the nation, with a massive target.

It didn’t bother the So Cal-based Athletics, who knocked off NorCal-based Lady Magic-Munoz, 7-4, in the 18U finals to win the prestigious tournament on Sunday at Desert Mountain Park in Queens Creek, AZ. The A’s pocketed $5,000 for the victory and won the tournament for the second straight year.

The Athletics had an impressive run to the championship on Sunday with an 8-2 victory over Warrior Academy-McDonald, the defending Alliance 16U national champion, in the quarterfinals, a 5-1 semifinal win over Arizona Storm-Mathis and the victory over the Lady Magic for the title.

The A’s got stellar efforts from 2024 P/1B Percy Llamas (.545, .583 OBP, 4 doubles, 3 HRs, 11 RBIs), 2024, 2B/OF Kaylynn Jones (.636, .652 OBP, 4 doubles, 2 HRs, 8 RBIs), UCLA-bound IF Jordan Woolery (.524, 2 doubles, 3 HRs, 10 RBIs) and Arizona State-committed 2023 1B Mya Perez (.647, .667 OBP, 2 doubles, 4 HRs, 6 RBIs).

2024 P Cambria Salmon (4-0, 1.53 ERA, 32 Ks) and North Carolina State-bound P Rylee Wyman (2-0, 1.56 ERA, 14 Ks) were outstanding in the circle for Dave Mercado and Mark Smith’s team.

“Great energy,” A’s coach Mark Smith said, “and every player has contributed when called on.”

*****

Beverly Bandits Premier-Conroy finished tied for third at the PGF 16U Premier Nationals last year and they certainly look like a top contender for a national title this summer after beating Athletics Mercado 2023-Hovermale, 5-0, in the 16U finals of the Arizona Last Blast ’22 on Sunday at Chaparral Park in Scottsdale, AZ.

Bill Conroy’s Bandits beat NW Bullets-Muir, 9-3, in the quarterfinals, Firecrackers Premier-Yuge, 6-4, in the semifinals and the Athletics in the finals.

2024 LHP/1B Audrey Lowry, Syracuse-committed 2023 2B/SS Makenzie Foster and 2024 CF/3B Addie DeLong all batted above .500, Penn State-committed 2023 SS/CF Michela Barbanente and Toledo-committed 2023 CF Maggie Roh both hit home runs, 2023 CF/UT Julia Larson had multiple RBI doubles and Tennessee Tech-committed 2023 C/3B Sophie Schoch and 2023 C/3B Livia Christopher both did a tremendous job behind the plate.

2023 RHP/UT Sage Mardjetko, Notre Dame-committed 2023 RHP/1B Kami Kamzik and Lowry did a solid job in the circle. Mardjetko had two shutouts in elimination games and only gave up three total hits.

*****

Beverly Bandits Premier-Moran rallied to beat Arizona Storm-Appel/Heffley, 6-4, in the 14U finals of the Arizona Last Blast ’22 on Sunday at El Dorado Field/Chaparral Park in Scottsdale, AZ.

The Bandits went 4-0 on Sunday,  beating Athletics Mercado 2025-Tidd, 9-2, Thundercats NXT, 2-1, Lady Magic-Walling, 9-2, and Arizona Storm to win the championship.

2025 P Lexie Hames, who previously played for Pittsburgh Passion 06,  carried the load pitching for the short-handed Bandits.  She got three of the wins on Sunday.

2025 SS Addy O’Dell went 3 for 3 with a home run and a walk in the championship game along with playing high level shortstop.

*****

ARIZONA LAST BLAST ’22
SATURDAY, JAN. 29, RESULTS
18U
AT DESERT MOUNTAIN PARK, QUEEN CREEK, AZ

SECOND ROUND

• Lady Magic-Munoz 12, Utah Fastpitch Club-Korth 2
• Tennessee Mojo-Fisher 5, Explosion-Denio/Hagberg 3
• Beverly Bandits Premier-Holloway 4, Arizona Hotshots-Georges 0
• Breakers Labs-Bobby 7, KC Peppers-Wallace 0

QUARTERFINALS

• Arizona Storm-Mathis 11, NW Bullets-Campos 2
• Athletics Mercado-Smith 8, Warrior Academy-McDonald 2
• Lady Magic-Munoz 14, Tennessee Mojo-Fisher 8
• Breakers Labs-Bobby 2, Beverly Bandits Premier-Holloway 1

SEMIFINALS

• Athletics Mercado-Smith 5, Arizona Storm-Mathis 1
• Lady Magic-Munoz 4, Breakers Labs-Bobby 3

FINALS

• Athletics Mercado-Smith 7, Lady Magic-Munoz 4

*****

16U
AT CHAPARRAL PARK, SCOTTSDALE, AZ
SECOND ROUND

QUARTERFINALS

• Firecrackers Premier-Yuge 8, Finesse National-Dreher/DePaulis 3
• Beverly Bandits Premier-Conroy 9, NW Bullets-Muir 3
• Athletics Mercado 2023-Hovermale 3, Arizona Storm-Captain 2
• Lady Magic-Boykin 5, Arizona Thunderbolts 2023-Walding 3

SEMIFINALS

• Beverly Bandits Premier-Conroy 6, Firecrackers Premier-Yuge 4
• Athletics Mercado 2023-Hovermale 6, Lady Magic-Boykin 1

FINALS

• Beverly Bandits Premier-Conroy 5, Athletics Mercado 2023-Hovermale 0

*****

14U
AT ELDORADO FIELD/CHAPARRAL PARK, SCOTTSDALE, AZ

FIRST ROUND

• Iowa Premier National 9, Breakers Labs-Gusman 1

SECOND ROUND

• Finesse National-Dreher/Langlois 6, Turnin2-Roberson 3
• Rogue FC-Mabrey 6, Cal Breeze 2025-Lopez 2
• USA Athletics 2025-Rogers/Mathis 10, USA Athletics 2025-RML 3
• Thundercats NXT 8, So Cal Choppers-Gurule 2
• Beverly Bandits Premier-Moran 9, Athletics Mercado 2025-Tidd 2
• Lady Magic-Walling 11, So Cal Choppers 13U-Fausett 7
• Iowa Premier National 9, So Cal Choppers 14U-Fausett 1

QUARTERFINALS

• Arizona Storm-Appel/Heffley 7, Finesse National-Dreher/Langlois 2
• USA Athletics 2025-Rogers/Mathis 13, Rogue FC-Mabrey 4
• Beverly Bandits Premier-Moran 2, Thundercats NXT 1
• Lady Magic-Walling 5, Iowa Premier National 3

SEMIFINALS

• Arizona Storm-Appel/Heffley 5, USA Athletics 2025-Appel/Heffley 2
• Beverly Bandits Premier-Moran 9, Lady Magic-Walling 2

FINALS

• Beverly Bandits Premier-Moran 6, Arizona Storm-Appel/Heffley 4

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