PGF Nationals: Sorcerer – Gann Breaks Game Open Late to Capture Premier 16U Trophy

Saturday was championship day concluding Week 1 at the 2023 PGF Nationals with the 18U and 16U Premier titles on the line.

Here’s a look at how the latest PGF 16U National Championship was crowned as the first of the two title games at Bill Parker Park in Irvine, Calif….

*****

PGF 16U Nationals Premier Championship: Sorcerer – Gann 6, Select – Salazar 3 

The TV production was impressive: nine manned cameras and 12 total for broadcast on ESPN and FloSoftball.

The pressure was self-admittedly high—as one player told her coach, “I’ve never felt it (the pressure) like this.”

Admittedly, under the spotlight of championship trophies on the line, the play was spotty at times as both teams made three errors, but…

This was for all the marbles and there were brilliant plays too, including the first inning ending on both sides with catchers throwing out would-be base stealers. And there were double plays including one that closed out what could have been a nail-biting comeback to hammer home the win for the only California team in today’s Premier (18U and 16U) Final Four.

The combatants for the PGF 16U Premier Nationals saw Sorcerer – Gann and Select – Salazar from Kansas stay within one run all game long until a four-run explosion in the 6^th inning put the Sorcerers on top for good.

But even that started to look perilous as the Select got the bases loaded in the top of the 7^th and looked to draw within three on a probable sac fly to right… until 2026 right-fielder Madison Babasa decided to put an end to that thinking.

The right fielder caught the fly ball and threw a bullet to catcher Mia Pamplona who applied the tag and, suddenly within the blink of an eye, the Northern California team had won its first National Championships since 2009.

Here’s what Babasa had to say about her game-clinching catch-and-throw:

But let’s start at the beginning…

The Sorcerers got on the board first as 2025 third baseman Rylee Banks hit a double, moved to third on a bunt single and then came around to score to put her team ahead 1-0.

That score held until the top of the 4^th inning when the Select tied it up with a sac fly by Bailey Amezcua after Audri Youngblood walked against pitcher Mims Caratachea to open the inning, went to second on a sacrifice and to third on a wild pitch.

But its half of the 4^th, Sorcerer took the lead right back as Pamplona, the cleanup hitter walked and was replaced by courtesy runner Aubree Ganner. With two outs, 2026 middle infielder Mya Garcia singled up the middle to drive in Gann to put Sorcerer back up 2-1.

Select quickly tied the game up at 2-2 in its next inning as Kaelee Washington singled to shortstop, Alyssa McCoy advanced to second on an error by the Sorcerers and a second straight error put runners on second and third before Gabby Salazar singled to left field driving in Washington.

In the bottom of the 6^th inning for Sorcerer, Pamplona led off with a walk and was replaced by pinch runner Aubree Gann who advanced to second on a sac bunt attempt by Rylee Banks that became an error when pitcher Peyton Hardenburger and one of her infielder collided to put runners on second and first with no outs.

Hardenburger, though, got two strikeouts before a two-out flair single to left by Elisa Galli plated Gann to put the Sorcerer team back on top 3-2. Immediately after, pinch hitter Alana Hernandez’s soft single over the infield pushed the score to 5-2 as Banks and Galli scored and Hernandez made it safely to second on the throw.

Olivia Holtz, the leadoff hitter, then singled to left scoring Hernandez and suddenly what was a tie game entering the bottom of the 6^th quickly became a four-run lead by Sorcerer – Gann.

Select had a change get back into the game after loading the bases with one out in the top of the 7^th. Gabrielle Salazar, who walked to start the inning, came around to score on a fielder’s choice to narrow the Sorcerer lead to 6-3.

With two runners on and the tying run at the plate, Bailey Amezcua–a 2024 catcher headed to Kansas—hit a deep fly to right field that was caught by Babasa who nailed the runner trying to score at home to end the game.

Caratachea started in the circle for the victorious Nor Cal team as she went four innings giving up two hits and two runs.

Head Coach Kevin Gann was proud of his team and knew exactly how he and his family would celebrate after capturing the National Championship today… here’s what he said would be done to seal the celebration.

— Brentt Eads, Extra Inning Softball