PGF 2017 Premier Nationals 14U

14U PGF Premier: Georgia Impact & Texas Dirt Divas With Late Inning Upsets

14U PGF Premier: Georgia Impact & Texas Dirt Divas With Late Inning Upsets

Georgia Impact-Newland and the Texas Dirt Divas each notched late-inning upsets at PGF Premier Nationals in Fountain Valley, CA, on Thursday.

Aug 4, 2017 by FloSoftball Staff
14U PGF Premier: Georgia Impact & Texas Dirt Divas With Late Inning Upsets
Georgia Impact-Newland couldn't get anything going for the first five innings, but Sydney Carter's late home run led the offensive surge in the final two innings to give the Impact a 7-1 victory over Ohio Hawks Gold at the PGF 14U Premier Nationals in Fountain Valley, CA, on Thursday.

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The Hawks scored first with an RBI single from Josie Wefer that scored Jane Kronenberger, but that proved to be the team's only run. The Impact got their first hit of the game with two outs in the fourth inning with a single by Carter. Despite getting another base hit in the fifth inning, Georgia Impact was still down 1-0 heading into the sixth inning.

"We didn't panic," Georgia Impact coach Scott Newland said. "We felt good in what we were doing. The approach was right. [Tori McQueen] was doing a great job, but the third time into the lineup, we took off to get a lead. We kept swing, we kept swing, and kept grinding and we got the lead."

Michigan State commit Zaquai Dumas led off the sixth inning with a single to center field. Mackenzie Walker ran for Dumas and stole second. LSU commit Alison Newland's single moved Dumas to third, and Mississippi State-bound Zoe Laneaux's squeeze scored Dumas. Carter followed with a three-run home run over the center-field wall to give Georgia Impact a 4-1 lead.

Georgia Impact added some insurance in the seventh inning with back-to-back homers from Kiyah Garrett and Dumas and an RBI single by Carter.

"I had been struggling earlier in the day," Carter said. "I went in with a confident approach. I was seeing what she was throwing to my teammates. I went with a groove and confident swing that I had. I just to see the ball and take it where it goes."

Harlie Bickett and Kendra McKenna each went 2 for 3. Illinois commit Tori McQueen threw a complete game, striking out nine for the Hawks, who moved into the losers bracket to take on OC Batbusters-Campbell on Friday morning.

Laneaux went 2 for 4 with an RBI. Carter went 3 for 4 with four RBIs, including the go-ahead three-run homer. Dumas went 2 for 3 with a solo home run, and Tennessee commit Amber Linton threw a complete game, striking out six to get the victory for Georgia Impact, who moved on in the winners bracket to take on the Texas Dirt Divas on Friday.

"We have to keep doing what we are doing," Newland said. "We have to keep playing solid defense, keep swinging the bats. We feel confident in what we are doing. If our pitchers shut them down and if we keep swinging the bats, we should be fine."

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In other PGF 14U Premier games:

Texas Dirt Divas 3, Corona Angels-Tyson 2
The Dirt Divas scored two runs in the seventh inning to upset Corona Angels Tyson and move on in the winners bracket.

With one out and Caleigh Mullican at second base, Kyrsten Chandler hit a single to left field to knock in Mullican to tie the game. Chandler eventually scored on a bunt single by Kaicey Hagler to give the Dirt Divas the lead and the victory. Hannah Earls and Jaylyn Davis each went 2 for 4, and Kaci West threw a complete game to earn the victory for the Dirt Divas, who take on Georgia Impact-Newland on Friday.

Savannah Polamalu and Caliyah Thompson each went 2 for 4. Savannah Hooks had a double, and Auburn commit Sarah Willis threw a complete game, striking out seven for the Angels, who moved down to the losers bracket.

Indiana Magic Gold-Rudd 7, So Cal A's-Briggs 5
Vanessa Miller went 2 for 2 with a double and two RBIs to help send the Indiana Magic closer to the championship game. Sarah Goddard went 1 for 3 with three RBIs, and Erin Coffel and Grace Lorsung each drove in a run for the Magic, who face So Cal Choppers-Fausett on Friday.

"It took a team effort," Miller said. "It took the whole team. We can't go without each other. We just have to be a team. We need the bats to keep rolling while we get outs."

Anissa Ramos hit a two-run home run. Aliya Belarde went 1 for 4 with a two-run triple, and Brenna Begin went 1 for 3 with a double for the So Cal A's, who face Tampa Mustangs-TJ in the losers bracket on Friday.

So Cal Choppers-Fausett 1, ACES-Vargas 0
The Choppers held on to a low-scoring victory and stayed in the winners bracket. The Choppers take on Indiana Magic Gold-Rudd on Friday. ACES-Vargas moved into the losers bracket and take on Universal Fastpitch-Garcia on Friday.

Corona Angels-Tyson 7, OC Batbusters-Campbell 1
Auburn commit Sarah Willis threw six innings of four-hit softball and went 2 for 3 with a double and three RBIs to keep the Angels in the winners bracket. The Angels ended up losing their next game to the Texas Dirt Divas and will take on Firecrackers-TJ on Friday. The Batbusters defeated Diamond Sports Hotshots-Dumezich 5-1 and Ohana Tigers-Quarles 10-0 to stay alive in the losers bracket, where they will take on Ohio Hawks Gold with a chance for a rematch against the Angels in the losers bracket.

So Cal A's-Briggs 6, Universal Fastpitch 4
Sydney Hornbuckle went 3 for 4 with two RBIs and struck out seven en route to a complete game victory for the A's.

"We had to hit," Hornbuckle said. "That is really important. We had to have good defense. We had to communicate. My third baseman really helped me out. We have to keep playing as a team. We are doing a great job talking in the dugout and keeping our vibe on the field."

The So Cal A's ended up losing to Indiana Magic Gold-Rudd 7-5 and will take on the Tampa Mustangs-TJ in the losers bracket on Friday. Universal Fastpitch went to the losers bracket but defeated Texas Impact National Gold 7-6 and CCA Augustine 9-1 to stay alive. They take on ACES-Vargas on Friday.

Ohio Hawks Gold 2, Firecrackers-TJ 0
Illinois commit Tori McQueen threw a complete-game three-hitter with five strikeouts to keep the Hawks alive in the winners bracket. The Hawks lost their next game to Georgia Impact-Newland and will take on OC Batbusters-Campbell on Friday. The Firecrackers defeated Suncats-Jimenez 6-4 and Texas Aces Express 10-0 to stay alive in the losers bracket and will take on Corona Angels-Tyson on Friday.

Georgia Impact-Newland 3, East Cobb Bullets-Byars 2
South Carolina commit Leah Powell struck out nine en route to a complete-game two-hit shutout to keep Georgia Impact in the winners bracket. Georgia Impact also defeated Ohio Hawks Gold 7-1 and will take on Texas Dirt Divas on Friday. The Bullets were eliminated by Texas Aces Express 13-7 in the next game.

Indiana Magic Gold-Rudd 2, CCA Augustine 1
Sarah Goddard went 1 for 2 with a double and an RBI to keep the Magic in the winners bracket. The Magic would later beat So Cal A's-Briggs 7-5 and will take on So Cal Choppers-Fausett on Friday. CCA Augustine moved down to the losers bracket and beat Atlanta Vipers-Holbrook 5-2 before getting eliminated by Universal Fastpitch-Garcia 9-1.

So Cal Choppers-Fausett 3, Corona Angels-Rogers 0
Arizona commit Jessie Fontes struck out 12 in a complete-game victory for the Choppers. McKenna Gibson hit a two-run home run for the Choppers, who stayed in the winners bracket with a 1-0 victory over ACES-Vargas and will take on Indiana Magic Gold-Rudd on Friday. The Angels got eliminated in the next game by Texas Sudden Impact 5-2.

By Manny Alvarez
Follow him on Twitter @SoCalSidelines.

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