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Coming into Saturday morning’s 18U Premier Championship game between Lady Dukes – Lamar and Nebraska Gold 18U National, it was pretty clear that runs would be at a premium.

Between Nebraska Gold’s Jordyn Bahl, an Oklahoma signee and Lady Dukes’ Keagan Rothrock, a Florida commit – the first of two National Championship games on Saturday at PGF Nationals would be a pitcher’s duel in every sense of the letter.

But nobody at Deanna Manning Stadium was expecting the wild ride that pitcher’s duel turned into in the late innings, leading to Nebraska Gold’s capture of the 18U Premier National Championship, 2-1, in nine frames.

“I’m just amazed and so proud with our team,” Bahl said. “All the energy and passion we had started when we lost to the Dukes in the winner’s bracket [on Thursday] and at that point, our backs were against the wall and that’s when we’re at our best.”

For six innings, it looked like it would be the Lady Dukes who would be celebrating a national title, thanks to some heroics in the fifth inning.

Rothrock singled through the 5-6 hole to set it up, then courtesy runner Anna Sawyer stole second after the throw down was dropped. Kyye Ricks dropped down a perfect bunt to third and reached safely to send Sawyer to third. Ricks went to second on defensive indifference during Jolie Adams’ at-bat.

Adams squared around to bunt and on a 3-1 count, dropped a bunt to third on a squeeze play as Sawyer slid into home and made it 1-0.

Rothrock did what she needed to do in the late innings and got a huge double play from her defense in the home fifth to keep Nebraska Gold from responding.

Ava Kuszak singled with one away, which would be erased on a bunt popup to third, just three pitches later. Duke commit Ana Gold caught the popup and doubled Kuszak off at first to keep the Lady Dukes in front.

On the other side, in front of future head coach Patty Gasso, Bahl kept throwing another great gem, striking out 15 in the first seven innings, allowing just a hit and a walk and the earned run.

“It’s awesome having her here,” Bahl said.

But the future OU Sooner needed some help.

It came in the bottom of the seventh.

South Dakota State commit Kaelan Schultz smacked a softball deep to left to lead off the frame.

“I thought it had a chance [to go],” Singleton smiled.

Instead, it bounced off the left field wall and Schultz found herself standing on second base. Ava Rongisch singled to put runners on the corner, then Kuszak laced a softball to center field, sending Schultz racing home to tie the game.

To extras we went.

Bahl’s 17th strikeout sent the Lady Dukes packing in the eighth. Bahl’s 20th strikeout sent the Lady Dukes packing in the ninth, erasing the lone error of the game that put runners on the corners with one down.

“My mindset was that I was going to spin the ball the best I could, I wasn’t going to give them anything easy, was going to make them earn it,” she said.

Ole Miss signee Lexie Brady stood on second to begin the home ninth. Rothrock got Schultz to look at a called third strike for the first out. Next at-bat, the Florida commit worked quickly, getting Rongisch to an 0-2 count on two foul balls.

In protect mode, the South Dakota commit swung at a pitch high and away from Rothrock. The softball dumped into fair territory in right. Brady – one of just two non-Nebraska players on the roster – barreled around third and scored standing up.

Rongisch was quickly embraced and pushed to the bottom of the dogpile.

“I did think it was going to happen,” she laughed. “I’ve always dreamt of it happening.”

Nebraska Gold had walked it off.

An absolutely surreal moment for Rongisch, who recently had a grandmother pass away, laying her to rest last week.

“Last week, we had her funeral and I knew this week was going to be tough,” the rising senior said. “I wanted to win a national championship and I knew she was with me every step of the way and that she was going to be there for me.”

2021 was a remarkable year for Nebraska Gold’s highest team, which went 84-9-1 dating back to March. Six of those games were against Lady Dukes – Lamar, ending in a 3-3 split.

“We knew it was going to be a dogfight…always super low scoring and we knew it was going to come down to a few things,” Bahl said.

But Gold had won the most important one.

“This is what it should be. That’s a great ballclub over there and it’s been a close game every time,” Singleton said. “We knew we were going to have to fight. It was good to match up with them, but I’m glad we got this one.”

— Will Turner, Extra Inning Softball Correspondent