If you had a vested interest in the So Cal A’s-Myers/McNee 16U team playing in Friday’s PGF National Championship, you had to be worried.

The defending champion Beverly Bandits Premier slapped and singled three of the first four batters on base and with only one out a run was in. A pair of baserunners were more than ready to make it a 3-0 game with just another hit or two.

But those hits never came as A’s pitcher Makayla Martin (2015, Auburn) struck out the next two batters and the threat was over.

“That was the key to the game right there,” Coach Steve McNee would reflect after the A’s would go on to win one of the most exciting games of the Nationals, 2-1.

“Makayla settled down and showed her poise. She had her dropball really going today, it was devastating.”

Martin ended up with nine strikeouts and would allow only one more hit the rest of the game, a sixth inning two-out single that didn’t do any damage.

The Bandits countered with a top pitcher of their own, Alexis Holloway (2017, Notre Dame) who had pitched a no-hitter on Wednesday and entered the game with a 0.90 ERA.

She threw a great game again in the title game, allowing only three hits and striking out three, but both runs Holloway surrendered game on unfortunate plays for the Bandits.

With two outs in the bottom of the first leadoff hitter Chloe Melanson (2015, Miami-OH) scored when a ball hit by Sarai Niu (2015, uncommitted) was mishandled in the infield for an error.

The deciding run came in the bottom of the fourth after Priscilia Martinez (2016, uncommitted) singled to left with one out. As she was stealing second the throw from the catcher hit Martinez’s helmet and rolled into left-center.

She bounced up and quickly sprinted around the bases making it all the way home to give the A’s the 2-1 lead that Martin made stand up although the Bandits didn’t go down without a fight.

With one out in the top of the seventh, Lynsey Meeks (2017, James Madison)hit a deep fly to right-center that kept drifting and suddenly looked like it could tie the game. Centerfielder Kora Wade (2015, Boise State) retreated and caught the ball just as she backed into the fence to preserve the lead.

One batter latter Martin finished with a flourish, recording her ninth strikeout and giving the A’s the 2014 PGF 16U National Championship.

“I didn’t know it at first,” she laughed after the player posed for pictures with their trophies. “The ump didn’t signal an obvious strike and then I saw my catcher stand up and the team rush in from the dugout and I knew it was over, that we had won.”

“What an amazing feeling,” she marveled. “I’ll remember this the rest of my life.”