PGF 14U Premier National Championship: Scary Incident Interrupts Thunderbolts – Thompson’s Win vs. Atlanta Vipers – Tamborra

Earlier in the week, Extra Inning Softball predicted that the Thunderbolts – Thompson team would win the 14U Premier Championship although we didn’t have the Vipers – Tamborra team in the Top 10 so we missed on that one.

The exciting PGF 14U Premier National Championship game was shaping up to be a great match-up as, in the bottom of the 3^rd inning the Vipers were ahead 1-0 but the Bolts had the bases loaded and no outs.

Scary Incident

Then, everything took a dramatic and scary turn as a foul ball off the bat of Thunderbolts outfielder Corey Goguts was rocketed into the Bolts own dugout down the third base line and struck infielder Klara Thompson in the side of her head as she was unable to get out of the way of the line drive.

Play on the field instantly stopped as all coaches and those in the vicinity of the dugout rushed to help Klara. Viper infielders took a knee and the field was cleared, but, fortunately, medical personnel immediately entered the Bolts dugout and began treating middle infielder who is the daughter of Thunderbolts head coach Ryan Thompson.

According to one person in the dugout, the player fell backwards and was knocked out instantly. You could have heard a pin drop in Deanna Manning stadium as the surreal experience developed. The crowd in the stands knew something was wrong but not exactly sure what happened.

Fortunately, after a 15-to-20-minute break in the action, Klara was awake, alert and talking to the medical staff who quickly got on the scene.

“When she came to,” said one source close to the Bolts program, “Klara couldn’t understand why everything was looking at her. She was more embarrassed than anything but the way she was knocked out, it certainly looked like a concussion.”

The decision was made to take her to the hospital as a precautionary measure and Coach Thompson told EIS after the game that his daughter appeared to be fine.

“I hate that she couldn’t have been here with the team,” he said after the Bolts won the title by a score of 8-1 thanks to a tremendous pitching performance by Missy Odom, the right-handed 2026 pitcher from Jasper, Ala., who allowed just two hits and one run.

“I’m happy she appears to be OK and we had her FaceTimed in as her teammates received their trophies.This team supports each other and loves each other,” Coach Thompson concluded after the game.

“They are unified and feed off each other.”

On the Field

The Vipers led by Coach Stacy Tamborra jumped out to a 1-0 in the top of the first inning as right-fielder Laci Martinez walked to open the game, went to third on a sac punt and then—with two outs, came around to score on a hard bouncing ball to shortstop Aspen Boulware that caromed off her glove as an error and allowed the Vipers to get on the board first.

The Vipers threatened in the top of the second to extend their lead as second baseman Kylee Lawrence singled through the hole between shortstop and third and then first baseman Payton Tamborra singled to center putting runners on first and second.

A clean bunt by shortstop Jordyn Lewis was fielded cleanly by third baseman Katie Norgard and got the speed runner out just barely for the second out but put runners on second and third before Bolts pitcher Missy Odom closed the door inducing a fly out to the infield.

The Vipers led 1-0 still going into the fateful bottom of the 3^rd when the Bolts used their outstanding small game to effectively put the game out of reach.

Outfielder Saniyah Weaver slapped a to left field followed by leadoff hitter Haylen Ayers laying down a bunt that was an infield single. Aspen Boulware then placed a bunt perfectly between the pitcher and catcher that loaded the bases.

And then, what looked like just another foul ball, hit Klara Thompson and caused the immediate stoppage of play.

After Returning to Action, the Bolts Blow it Open

Eventually, play did resume and on the first pitch after the break, Corey Goguts singled to left field, scoring Weaver to tie it at 1-1 with Ayers advancing to third base and Boulware advancing to second.

That was just the beginning of the offensive onslaught that the Bolts would roll out.

Alxis Kierstead singled on a ground ball to right scoring Ayers with Boulware going to third and Goguts to second. That broke the tie as the score then was 2-1 but the inning was far from over.

After a flyout to second, the bases remained loaded and catcher Mcartney Harrington didn’t waste the opportunity as she singled, scoring Boulware with Goguts moving to third, Kierstead moving to second and Harrington taking first to make the score 3-1.

Kynlee Swain next reached on an infield error that allowed Goguts and Kierstead and quickly the lead was 5-1 Bolts but they weren’t done.

On an inning-ended double play, centerfield-to-catcher-to third base, sub runner Cydney LaFon was able to cross the plate before the third out was recorded to complete the six runs scored in the third inning.

The fourth and fifth innings were quite but, in the bottom of the sixth, the Bolts would score a final run as Haylen Ayers slapped for a single and then circled the bases two batters later on a bobbled grounder to second base that was picked up and thrown over the third baseman’s head.

That would be it for scoring as Odom closed out the Vipers in the top of the 7^th on a flyout ball in the infield.

This clip shows the final out recorded by the Bolts to secure their PGF 14U Premier Championship:

The 14U Premier win, coupled with the 10U Bolts win earlier today and the 14U Platinum runner-up finish on Saturday gave the team headed by Rocky Thompson a 2-1 record in the five total championships held at Bill Barber Park in Irvine over the weekend.

The biggest question now for the Bolts – Thompson team is how long can they keep Odom, who has offers from Power 5 schools such as Kentucky, Mississippi State, Texas A&M, Florida State, Ohio State, Northwestern and many others for basketball, In the softball world.

Coach Thompson, as he walked off the field, told EIS:

“I hope we can keep her as long as possible on our team and in the pitcher’s circle.”

Here’s Missy Odom interviewed after the title win… sorry it cuts off abruptly as my (Brentt) phone died!