FloSoftball did a live blog from Day 1 of the Premier Girls Fastpitch National Championships on Saturday, July 25, at the Huntington Beach Sports Complex. Here’s how it all went down.

18U PREMIER BRACKET IS OUT

Below are the the 18U Premier pairings:

PREMIER GIRLS FASTPITCH NATIONALS – 18U PREMIER DIVISION

Monday, July 27: at Huntington Beach Sports Complex (HB), Fountain Valley Sportspark (FV) and Harvard Park (HAR))

PLAY-IN ROUND

WINNER’S BRACKET A

• CA KG Hitters vs. KS Kansas City Peppers at HB 1, 8 a.m.
• CA Batbusters-Fox vs. TX Blaze at HB 2, 8 a.m.
• CA Lady Magic Gold vs. CA Lady Hustle Gold at HB 3, 8 a.m.
• CA Bownet Gold vs. CA So Cal Choppers at HB 4, 8 a.m.

WINNER’S BRACKET B

• NY Conklin Raiders Gold vs. TX Impact Gold at HB 5, 8 a.m.
• RI Thunder Gold vs. GA Southern Force at HB 6, 8 a.m.
• AZ Firecrackers-Ewing vs. PA Krunch Gold at HB 7, 8 a.m.
• CA Grapettes-Olson vs. GA Impact-Medlam at HB 8, 8 a.m.

FIRST ROUND

WINNER’S BRACKET A

• CA OC Batbusters-Stith/Haning vs. LA Marucci Patriots Gold at HB 4, 10:15 a.m.
• MO Esprit Premier-Huecker vs. AZ Desert Thunder at FV 5, 8:30 a.m.
• CA USA Athletics Gold vs. CA KG Hitters-KS Kansas City Peppers winner at HB 1, Tuesday, 8 a.m.
• SC Carolina Elite Gold-Genovese vs. AZ Firecrackers-Kaye at HB 7, 10:15 a.m.
• CA So Cal Athletics-Quarles vs. OK Exclusive Gold at HAR 2, 8 a.m.
• CA Batbusters-Fox vs. TX Blaze winner vs. CA Firecrackers-Rico at HB 2, Tuesday, 8 a.m.
• IL Chicago Cheetahs vs. CA Cal Riptide at HB 5, 10:15 a.m.
• CA All American Sports Academy vs. GA Impact-Bass at HB 6, 10:15 a.m.
• TX Firecrackers-DFW vs. GA Atlanta Vipers-Kates at FV 4, 8:30 a.m.
• NC Challengers-Renzi vs. Diamond Sports Hotshots Gold at HB 8, 10:15 a.m.
• CA OC Batbusters-Briggs vs. CA Lady Magic Gold-CA Lady Hustle Gold at HB 3, Tuesday, 8 a.m.
• KS Originals Gold-Koop vs. NJ Jersey Intensity-KOD at FV 1, 8:30 a.m.
• CA Cal Thunder vs. CA Corona Angels-Howard at FV 2, 8:30 a.m.
• CA Bownet Gold-CA So Cal Choppers winner vs. FL Power-Black at HB 4, Tuesday, 8 a.m.
• TX Glory-Shelton vs. CA Irvine Sting at FV 3, 8:30 a.m.
• IL Beverly Bandits Gold-Conroy vs. TX Glory-Adkins at HB 3, 10:15 a.m.

WINNER’S BRACKET B

• CA Corona Angels-Tyson vs. CA Fresno Force Gold at HB 2, 10:15 a.m.
• CA Grapettes-Gomes vs. NC Lady Lightning Gold Premier at FV 6, 8:30 a.m.
• NC Lady Lightning Gold-Team Miken vs. NY Conklin Raiders Gold-TX Impact Gold winner at HB 5, Tuesday, 8 a.m.
• CA Explosion-Morgan vs. IL Sparks Softball at FV 7, 8:30 a.m.
• CA Sorcerer Gold vs. CA Cal Cruisers-Sievers at FV 1, 10:45 a.m.
• RI Thunder Gold-GA Southern Force winner vs. CA Firecrackers-Blanco at HB 6, Tuesday, 8 a.m.
• PA Newtown Rock Gold vs. VA Legends-Paul at FV 2, 10:45 a.m.
• CA Firecrackers-Brashear vs. AZ Storm Gold at FV 3, 10:45 a.m.
• AL Birmingham Thunderbolts vs. CA Minor’s Gold at FV 4, 10:45 a.m.
• IL Chill Gold vs. VA Team Glory Gold at FV 5, 10:45 a.m.
• GA Outlaws-White vs. AZ Firecrackers-Ewing vs. PA Krunch Gold winner at HB 7, Tuesday, 8 a.m.
• WA Ladyhawks Gold-Miller vs. TN Fury ’97 at FV 6, 10:45 a.m.
• CA Explosion-Denio vs. CA Firecrackers-Kevin at FV 7, 10:45 a.m.
• CA Grapettes-Olson vs. GA Impact-Medlam winner vs. NE Nebraska Gold at HB 8, Tuesday, 8 a.m.
• WA NW Bullets Gold vs. NV Las Vegas Rage Gold at HAR 1, 8 a.m.
• CA So Cal Athletics-Richardson vs. ID Lids Indiana Dreams at HB 1, 10:15 a.m.

TOP FOUR SEEDS IN 18U PREMIER ARE …

The 18U Premier bracket hasn’t been completely filled out on the PGF website, but the top four seeds have been penciled in and they appear to be No. 1 OC Batbusters-Stith/Haning (Calif.), No. 2 So Cal Athletics-Richardson (Calif.), No. 3 Corona Angels-Tyson (Calif.) and No. 4 Beverly Bandits-Conroy (Ill.).

10U AND 12U PREMIER BRACKETS

• CLICK HERE FOR 10U PREMIER BRACKET
• CLICK HERE FOR 12U PREMIER BRACKET

WHAT THEY’RE SAYING

The PGF Nationals kicks off with 18U Premier, 18U Platinum, 12U Premier and 10U Premier pool play games today and all day Sunday. The pool play games amount to practice games because they have no effect on the brackets, which were put together this morning by the coaches. More on the brackets later when we get ahold of them.

The PGF 18U Premier Division is the marquee division in all of club softball. This is the division I will be paying the most attention to when double-elimination bracket play begins on Monday.

Here’s what some of the players were saying heading into PGF:

For many players in the 18U Premier Division, this will be their final travel bal tournament before they head off to college.

“Heading into PGF, I am so excited for the best tournament and final test of the year,” South Carolina-bound 2B/OF Alexis Mack of the Beverly Bandits said. “It’s anyone’s game at PGF and all the teams are always playing their best lineup and are at full force. I love the intense and competitive atmosphere and this tournament will especially be special for me because it’s my last travel ball tournament ever. Although I am sad it’s my last tournament, I rather it not be any other tournament than PGF, because it is my favorite to play in.”

Bill Conroy’s Beverly Bandits placed third at last year’s PGF Nationals and they’ve looked strong this summer, claiming the title at the Boulder IDT.

“For the Bandits to make a run I think it’s going to come down to two things: our pitchers being at full force in the circle and our offense producing the way we did at IDT,” Mack said. “All the teams are capable of winning a national championship because the best players in the country are all here. Everyone is playing their best game and because of that it’s anyone’s tournament to win.”

Oklahoma-bound infielder Shay Knighten helped Marty Tyson’s Corona Angels (Calif.) reach the championship game last season, and the Angels are top contenders once again.

“For us, it’s all about executing the plan and not letting the moment get bigger than us,” Knighten said. “We just have to play together as a team and stay relaxed at all times.”

Jeff Blanco’s Firecrackers (Calif.) placed 25th at last year’s PGF and they are comng off a 13th place finish at the TC/USA Nationals in Reno, Nev.

“Well, I think that any team that is competing to win the national title needs to come outwith one mindset/goal,” Arizona State-bound SS Taylor Becerra of the Firecrackers said. “If every player comes out with the approach to give it their all and play for one another, not for themselves, I think that any team has the capability of taking the title. At this point in everyone’s season, it’s so important for teams to have good chemistry, because, in my opinion, I think that a strong team relationship is one of the most powerful connections that a team can have. If a team bonds well, each player will do all that they can to win that national title.”

Consistency is a big key to making a run at a national title. It is a double-elimination tournament, but falling into the loser’s bracket creates a hug up-hill climb for teams.

“I think what it’s going to take to make a run in PGF is good pitching, strong defense, and timely hitting,” South Carolina-committed infielder Mackenzie Boesel of Bruce Richardson’s So Cal Athletics (Calif.) said. “We need to come together as a team and play consistent softball all week long.”

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