PGF Nationals

PGF All-American Game Makes SportsCenter

PGF All-American Game Makes SportsCenter

You know your inaugural event is big-time when it makes ESPN SportsCenter's No. 1 Play of the Day.That was the case Friday night at Deanna Manning Stadium i

Jul 30, 2016 by Brentt Eads
PGF All-American Game Makes SportsCenter
You know your inaugural event is big-time when it makes ESPN SportsCenter's No. 1 Play of the Day.

That was the case Friday night at Deanna Manning Stadium in Bill Barber Park (Irvine, California) when a play made during the PGF All-American Game matching top 2016 softball grabs from the East against the West made national headlines.

In the bottom of the first inning, which immediately followed four PGF National Championship contests held on the same field, UCLA-bound outfielder Aaliyah Jordan looked like she had a strong bet for a home run but at the last second Georgia signee Ciara Bryant snared the deep flyball in centerfield with a wall-crashing, ohhhh-inspiring grab as she jumped to the top of the 10-foot fence to keep the ball in the park.

The nearly 1,000 fans in attendance roared its approval.

The PGF All-American Game also took the drama to the last out as well as future Utah outfielder/infielder Alyssa Barrera slapped a single up the middle in the bottom of the 7th to give the West squad a 4-3 victory.

That punctuated a great day for Barerra and fellow All-American Nicole "Sis" Bates as both had just minutes before walked off the same field as National Champions when their Firecrackers-Rico team defeated the California Cruisers 2-0 to win the PGF 18U Premier title.

"Coming from that championship game, winning that one and then getting to be a part of this game and playing with all these great players was almost overwhelming to be able to do that," Barrera told Carlos Arias of SoCalSidelines.com. "It was a great feeling. I honestly went up there to look for a pitch, find a hole, put the ball in play and make things happen."

Bates went 2-for-3 in the game beginning with a leadoff single for the West.  She stole second and took third on a Jenna Holcomb ground out (Tennessee) before Jordan's deep fly that scored Bates to give the West a 1-0 lead.

nullArizona-bound catcher Dejah Mulipola added a two-run double that scored her future Arizona teammate, shortstop Jessica Harper (pictured), and UCLA-bound Madilyn "Bubba" Nickles, the only high school senior to make Team USA's national team this summer, to give the West a 3-0 lead after one inning.

James Madison-bound Madison Naujokas drove in Morgan McCallum with a single in the top of the fifth to help the East get on the scoreboard.

The East got two runs in the top of the sixth to tie it, 3-3, after Baylor-signee Taylor Ellis walked with the bases loaded to force in a run and McCallum drove in the tying run with a sacrifice fly.

The East had runners on second and third in the top of the seventh, but Nickles pitched her way out of the jam to set the stage for Barrera's heroics in the bottom of the seventh.

Along with the talent on the field, the coaches for each team were equally impressive.

Leading the winning West squad was head coach Jennie Finch with assistants Toni Mascarenas and Crystal Bustos. The East team was led by Jenni
Both teams were coached by softball royalty. The West was coached by Jennie Finch with assistants Toni Mascarenas and Crystal Bustos, while the East was led by Jennie Ritter with Garland Cooper and Suzy Brazney as assistants.

Player Thoughts on the PGF All-American Game:

  • "The All American game was a great experience for everyone involved!  It was so much fun being able to play with and against such incredible athletes and to be coach by amazing athletes! -- infielder Nicole "Sis" Bates (Washington)
  • "I definitely enjoyed playing with girls from all over the country as a team!"--outfielder Elissa Brown (Alabama)
  • "The All-American game was amazing! The competition was pristine! Aside from all of the great equipment and amazing coaching staff, the people I got to meet and interact with was the best."--infielder Shannon Rhodes (Oregon)
  • "My favorite part about the All American game was being able to play with the top players in the country in such a fun environment. Everyone was super great from the players to the coaches to everyone who made it happen."--outfielder/pitcher Nicole Mendes (Oklahoma)
  • "I loved being able to play with such a talented group of girls. It was fun to meet and be able to play against the best competition from each coast."--infielder Mackenzie Boesel (South Carolina)
  • "It was so fun to compete against and play with the best players in the country. The whole atmosphere was electric and extremely enjoyable."--outfielder Hannah Edwards (Pitt)
  • "The PGF All-American Game was an honor to be a part of! To be able to compete and play with the top players in the nation was a great opportunity! I loved the atmosphere and meeting all the girls and the coaches were great, definitely a game I will remember!"--infielder Jessica Harper (Arizona)  
  • "It was a dream come true, and it was amazing to play with the top competition in not only our class but our country! It was truly an honor to be selected to play and receive such 'royal' treatment for playing the game we love."--catcher Kayla Konwent (Wisconsin)
  • "I enjoyed the All-American All Star game because every girl there was a great athlete so the game was very competitive which made it fun!"--catcher Dejah Mulipola (Arizona)
  • "The All-American game was definitely something to remember. Playing with some of the best players in the nation and being able to compete at that level was such an honor that I wish I could do again next year."--infielder Amanda Doyle (LSU)
Carlos Arias of SoCalSidelines.com contributed to this story. Photos by Patrick Takkinen.