The final game of the trio of PGF Premier championship games at Bill Barber Park in Irvine, California, on Sunday matched an East Coast power versus a rising Nor Cal presence.
The Unity had to run the gamut through the Loser’s Bracket after falling in its first game in bracket play, while the Grapettes were consistent and impressive in taking their bracket.
The question going into the game: Would the thrilling win in the IF game on Saturday take something out of Unity or give them the momentum to take the title on Sunday?
Here’s how the answer played out…
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The game kicked off with a bang as lefty outfielder Ramsey Walker of Virginia Unity smacked the first pitch down the left field line for a double and the visitors from the East Coast were off and running.
Yesterday’s hero, Destiny Harris, singled to center and Walker was waved home for the first run of the championship. On the relay to the plate, Harris scooted to second and just like like—two batters in—the Unity was ahead 1-0.
Grapettes pitcher Thomara “T” Drummer, however, settled down to get two consecutive strikeouts and a flyout to leave Harris stranded at second.
The Grapettes aggressively opened their half of the inning with a push bunt from Kailey Yahha who sprinted down the line to beat out the throw. The outfielder advanced to second on a wild pitch and shortstop Elysia Duarte worked a walk off pitcher Lilly Parrish before a sac bunt from third baseman Kelsey McNair put the runners on second and third with one out.
Parrish, however, was able to induce a pop out to third and ended the bottom of the 1st inning with a strikeout to escape with two runners in scoring position:
After one inning complete, the Unity held to the 1-0 lead.
The Unity got the leadoff batter on in the top of the 3rd inning on an infield hit by outfielder Rylie Johnson, who advanced to second on a wild pitch, but was erased on a soft flyout to the pitcher who then turned and doubled off Johnson at second to end the threat.
Parrish gave up a leadoff walk in the bottom of the 3rd but got the next three batters out to move into the 4th still ahead 1-0.
In the top of the 4th the Unity added to its lead with four runs starting with catcher Brinli Bain hitting a frozen line drive to center that the outfielder misplayed, allowing the ball to roll to the wall. Bain to make it to third and sub runner Haylee Whittlemore, who came in to run for the catcher, scored on a single by Emma Knight to left field to make the score 2-0.
Two defensive errors proved to be costly and combined with three more hits—including a two-run double by second baseman McCall Sims—and a fielder’s choice by Unity ended with four runs in the inning to make it a 5-0 lead after three and a half innings.
In the bottom of the 4th, Parrish was cruising and, despite a walk, looked to get out of the inning on a flyout to left field but the outfielders collided to put runners on the corners. Parrish buckled down and ended the threat with a strikeout to end the inning with the score still 5-0.
In the 5th, the Unity tacked another run on the board thanks to the speed of Destiny Harris, who got an infield single, moved to second with a walk to Bain and came all the around to score on an infield single to make it 6-0. The Unity extended the score to 7-0 in the top of the 6th inning courtesy of a sac fly by Kate Braden to bring in Rylie Johnson, who had singled with one out.
For the final three innings, Coach Johnson brought in standout 2025 pitcher Addisyn Linton for two innings in relief of Parrish, who in her four innings of work gave up just two hits, no runs or walks and had five strikeouts.
Linton gave up two hits in the 5th but no runs and also went 1-2-3 in the bottom of the 6th while Kaydn Camper closed out the game with a strikeout to give the Unity the PGF14U Premier championship:
Here’s a video interview after game with closer Kaydn Camper and Mia Brown, who knocked in a run for the champs:
