PGF 2019: Championship Sunday and Top Finishers
The championship is set! After a week of incredible play from the teams in 14U Premier field, it has come down to two powerhouse teams: the Tennessee Mojo and the AZ Storm. Both teams are well-balanced. They have maturity and talent in the circle, explosive offensives, contagious team chemistry, and more. Let’s take a look at the final showdown and a few of the top finishing teams from this year’s tournament.
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Central Cal Dirtdogs
Let’s talk about the Dirtdogs’ pitching staff for a moment here. Not only are they deep, they have been incredible. Ryan Maddox (2023) has been the talk of the tournament and carried the load for the Dirtdogs but Kelly Zybura (2022) and Kelsey Tadlock (2022) have also played an instrumental role in the success of this Dirtdogs squad during PGF.
Maddox, a lefty, has compiled an impressive slash line of allowing only four earned runs, fanning 23 batters, and sprinkling 16 hits through 26.2 innings of work.
Zybura has contributed as well and in two appearances (nine innings) she struck out four, surrendered eight hits, and allowed four earned runs.
Tadlock, another lefty, has also been strong in the circle this week at PGF. In her 14.1 innings of work she allowed only two earned runs, issued one walk, and pieced out 14 hits. More of a “to contact” pitcher, the defense has been great behind all pitchers but especially Tadlock.
The Dirtdogs have simply been sound and solid through bracket play; making a hard road look easier than it should. Their first matchup came against perennial and storied power, Sorcerer. Gracyn Coleman (2022), Audie Ruiz (2022), and Maddox were great offensively, leading the team to the 8-2 first round victory. From there the road only got more challenging as the Dirtdogs faced off with the Suncats in an absolute battle. Maddox was phenomenal in the circle, shutting out the Suncats while striking out eight. Elizabeth Moffitt (2022) played hero as she picked up the only credited RBI on the day.
The first bump in the road came at the hands of the Mojo when Keagan Rothrock pitched a perfect game, sending the Dirtdogs to the losers’ bracket. The Dirtdogs regrouped and went on a tear eliminating Beverly Bandits futures (2-1), Rhode Island Thunder (8-4), OCBB Campbell/Stith (3-1), and Hotshots Premier. How about that for a “murders’ row” of teams to go through?
Their masterful week at PGF came to a close following a 6-5 nail biting heart breaker to the AZ Storm. Though they fell just short of the championship final, the Dirtdogs have much to be proud of and have clearly cemented themselves as a team to watch and for college coaches to put on their “priority” list.
OK Hotshots
The OK Hotshots were also dominate in this year’s PGF bracket play! They drew into playing that first round of bright and early games on Wednesday, adding an extra contest to their road, but it didn’t seem to tire them much as they rolling through the bracket showing off that signature #BangBang the Hotshots organization is known for.
Coach J.C. Yeatts’ squad rattled off victories over GA Impact Bare, SO A’s Medina, Gainesville Gold, Lady Dukes, and OCBB Campbell Stith before falling to the Mojo and the Dirtdogs in the final games of Saturday.
What may be the coolest thing about the Hotshots run was how much time was split in the circle between Ashanti McDade (2022), Bethaney Noble (2022), and Ariel Kowalewski (2023). Every one of the Hotshots’ bracket games saw a combined effort in the circle. I, for one, think that is pretty fantastic and is why it’s important for teams to have a staff.
But again, it was the Hotshots offense that shined and while they have the power to hit home runs, that’s not how they won here at PGF. Coach Yeatts’ entire lineup hit and the production from every player, 1-9, was something to marvel. Everyone took advantage of their opportunities on the biggest stage. Pretty cool.
Some standouts included McDade who went 2-for-4 with three RBI versus Gainesville Gold and drew four walks versus the Lady Dukes. Taryn Martin (2022) and Bella Cabral (2023) both contributed multi-RBI games for the Hotshots. Chloe Yeatts (2022) put together one of the most consistent showings at the plate of anyone at PGF posting a 1-for-4 day with a RBI versus the Batbusters; 3-for-4 with a RBI versus the Lady Dukes; 2-for-3 with RBI versus Gainesville Gold; and 2-for-4 with a RBI versus Gerogia Impact Barfield. Jordan Ramsay (2023), Lily West (2022), and Brooklynn Bockhaus (2022) were also “studs” offensively during the Hotshots’ week in California.
In the end, it seemed like they may have just run out of steam but there is nothing for this Hotshots team to hang their heads about. We cannot wait to watch them and their student-athletes compete for years to come!
Texas Bombers HTX
There was no “easy” for the Texas Bombers HTX who drew a true first round game against a strong Corona Angels team, a matchup that never should have been a first round affair but delivered one of the best game of the tournament, in my opinion. The nail bitter went the Bombers’ way in walk-off fashion and of the Bombers went.
Bombers program can hit, they are properly named on that front and HTX is no different. Some of their victories included defeating the USA Athletics (10-0), Indiana Magic Gold (7-1), Beverly Bandits (11-3), California Breeze (15-0), and OC Batbsters (6-2). Those run totals are insane, that isn’t something that really happens at PGF.
Seleste Compian (2022), Amiah Burgess (2023), Aiyana Coleman (2022), Katie Lott (2022), Kayden Henry (2023), Victoria Valdez (2022), Shelby Frazier (2022) were all phenomenal at the plate but all of Coach James Burgess’ lineup stepped up when needed.
While it’s easy to get lost in the dazzling offensive numbers, the Bombers’ pitching staff deserves a lot of credit. Hallie Pappion, Analisa Soliz (2022), and Bella Mitchell (2022) all contributed with Mimi Sandoval (2022) leading the way. As a staff they only allowed 11 earned runs in ten games. Sandoval pitched a complete game in the anticipated rematch with the Corona Angels. She shut out and one hit the big swing Angels while striking out six. She also picked up the victory against the Angels in the opening around of PGF play posting a slash line of five hits, two runs (one earned), three strike outs, and no walks.
The Bombers’ PGF run came to a close in the bracket championship versus the Mojo who ran away with the game, 7-1. Keep an eye on this group of student-athletes and Bombers’ team for years to come, expect to see them continuing to enjoy a lot of success while placing recruits at big programs across the country.
THE CHAMPIONSHIP MATCHUP: Mojo vs. AZ Storm
The 14U Premier National Championship is set and it should be an incredible seven innings of ball!
For the AZ Storm they’ve reached today’s final defeating the Illinois Chill (7-2), Ohio Hawks (6-3), Bombers Gold (1-0), Bandits Rich (2-1), OCBB Flores (11-5), and the Dirtdogs (6-5). Through it all the Storm has shown a ton of grit, calm, patience, and tenacity en route to punching the first PGF Championship ticket for any AZ Storm team in program history!
The AZ Storm is a team that simply finds ways to “get it done’. It doesn’t always have to be pretty and they adapt well to the contest at hand; rather that means the bats are firing or they have to manufacturer runs for example. They make adjustments and just get it done. Sienna Solis, Kate Vance, Sierra Daniel, Alexis Dellamonica, Alexa Wohr, Krista Martinez, and Jaclyn Ibarra have all contributed at the plate while Jocelyn Briski has anchored the circle.
For the Mojo their path included victories over Rhoda Island Thunder (4-0), Texas Glory 05 (10-1), Hotshots Premier (12-0), Dirtdogs (2-0), FC Brashear (6-5), OK Hotshots (6-0), and Texas Bombers HTX (7-1).
What have we learned over the past week? It’s Keagan Rothrock’s (2023) world and we are just livin’ in it. If there was an MVP of the PGF Tournament she’d have the resume to run away with the award. Through the Mojo’s seven games Rothrock has thrown 38 innings; including an 11 inning marathon versus Firecrackers Brashear. Oh! And check out this stat line: in those 38 innings she has sprinkled 15 hits, allowed zero earned runs, has only issued 10 walks, and struck out 70 batters. Seventy strike outs. She’s thrown a perfect game and a few shutouts to boot. Excuse us while we pick our jaw up off the floor and please remember these are talented teams with talented hitters, it’s unreal what Rothrock has done over the past week.
The Mojo’s offense has also shown up lead by Jaydyn Goodwin, Mia Williams, Maci Bergeron, Taylor Pannell, Jolie Adams, and Rothrock but at the end of the day, Rothrock’s performance in the circle may be one of the best PGF 14U has ever seen.
FPN 14U Championship Prediction: Advantage Tennessee Mojo
Given how strong Rothrock has been and that she’s proven she can go deep into extra inning play if needed until her talented offense comes through, I just don’t see a team being able to put up enough runs against her to beat the Mojo. The defense does have to show up though and play soundly behind her; that’s where a chink in the Mojo’s armor can be found.
What serves the Storm well is that maturity and patience they have to their game. They don’t seem to ever “freak out” and simply take the game as it comes to them. That will work in their favor as I expect this championship final to be a low scoring affair that may require the teams to get crafty when trying to pushing runs across. The ability to keep with it and not get frustrated will be huge and this is what the AZ Storm shows they can do time and time again: grind it out.
All this to say, it should be an intense game! I cannot wait!
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