Event Recap: PGF Nationals Thursday Action in 18U Is a Doozy… Several Top Teams Eliminated

Wow.

That was our reaction after the wild play that took place on Thursday in the PGF Nationals 18U Premier division which is a double-elimination format in bracket play.

There are four teams left standing in the Winner’s Bracket and they will take the field at 10:15 am PST at the Huntington Beach (Calif.) Sports Complex with the following match-ups:

• Nebraska Gold vs. Birmingham Thunderbolts in Bracket A
• Northwest Bullets vs Select Fastpitch in Bracket B

At 8:00 am, the Final 8 of the Loser’s Bracket will face off with the winner’s to play at 10:15 to see who has the right to continue on:

• Lady Magic Munoz vs. Georgia Impact – Gusaeff/O’Neal in Bracket A
• AZ Storm Mathis vs. Empire State Huskies in Bracket A
• Illinois Chill vs. Lady Dukes in Bracket B
• So Cal A’s – Richardson vs. Carolina Elite in Bracket B

Remember, that if you’re coming from the Loser’s Bracket, you have to win twice against the unbeaten team from the Winner’s Bracket, i.e. beat them once and then again in the IF game.

There are some surprises, for sure, as few last week (other than the participating teams and their fans, of course!) would have expected NW Bullets and Select Fastpitch to be undefeated at this point. And kudos to the Empire State Huskies being able to suit up on Friday when so many good teams won’t be.

And there are a lot of them.

Former national champs and/or strong teams who had more than a fighter’s chance to make it to the Saturday title games went down, such as Bombers – Lewis (formerly Georgia Impact, coached by Patrick Lewis); Hotshots – Nelson; Tampa Mustangs – TJ; Mojo – Fisher; Beverly Bandits; So Cal Choppers – Fausett, Wilcats – Weil and Vipers Gold, all were finished as of the Thursday sunset.

And this isn’t a knock against them, it’s just that the field was competitive, balanced and strong this year at the 18U Premier level. Could Nebraska Gold repeat after winning it all last year? Sure… and the other Winner’s Bracket teams could go all the way too.

Could a Loser’s Bracket team run the table on Friday to make it to the title match on Saturday? Absolutely… any of the ones still in play could do it if they get hot offensively, defensively or both.

— Brentt Eads, Extra Inning Softball

*****

Final thoughts:

* The Game of the Day had to be the extra-inning win of Lady Dukes – Lamar over Beverly Bandits in the late afternoon.

Behind Extra Inning National High School Player of the Year Keagan Rothrock, the Florida-bound pitcher, the Lady Duke had a 4-1 and looked good in the 6^th inning but the Bandits, skilled and talented at playing the small ball game, loaded the bases and then a throwing error to home on a grounder plated two and suddenly the school was tied 4-4.

After a scoreless, 7^th inning, the game went into the 8^th inning when the Lady Dukes put two on the board, but the Bandits weren’t done yet, putting runners on the basepaths before Rothrock closed the door and got the 6-4 win.

There was a controversial play where the Lady Dukes had a runner at third who broke for home, but was chased back to the third base bag only to have the throw beat her. She turned and headed for home and it appeared she was tagged out initially, but the umpires initially ruled safe, then out, then safe again.

A big play in a big game for sure, but credit to the Lady Dukes who would go on to pull out the win.

* Though her Bandits team came up short, Chelsea Mack—the All-American speedy outfielder—is one of the best I’ve seen this year in putting the ball in the dirt and then beating it out. Game-changing skills and speed.

* The Northwest Bullets are a powerful team offensively. They just get hit after hit after hit and are a fun team to watch.

* Kierston Deal, the lefty pitcher headed to Oklahoma and the No. 1 ranked player in the 2022 Extra Elite 100, was another standout who shines although her team didn’t advance to Friday’s action.

The Tennessee-Mojo pitcher came up big in the 3-1 win over the powerful Hotshots – Nelson team as she went the complete seven innings and struck out seven while giving up just one earned run on six hits and seven strikeouts.

* Finally, one scene that brought a big smile in another-wise tough day (travelled in from Utah after my stepdaughter’s wedding yesterday and will see more family in So Cal this week) was in the So Cal A’s section of fans.

The younger siblings of three of the A’s players—2024 IF Bella Wellbaum; 2023 C/1B Heaven Oliva and 2024 OF Sam Estrada—were quite happy to be at the game but it had nothing to do with softball.

The young girls were playing on a spread-out blanket and had more toys, especially Barbie stuff, than most retail stores. They were quite content to play quietly and paid no heed to the softball going on just 30 feet away.

I stopped to say hi to their parents and the trio of girls were adorable… and after a week traveling on planes and at airport games with screaming kids, having three content and happy youngsters was particularly satisfying … here’s proof they were adorable and well behaved!

*****

Thursday, July 28, 2022 PGF Nationals 18U Premier Scores