The USA Softball JO Cup started bracket play in the double elimination format at the event held in Chino Hills, Calif. The bracket games go Wednesday through Friday and then the title will be decided on Saturday at Mt. SAC in Walnut, Calif.

We’ll be blogging daily with news and notes around the event, so be sure to check in periodically!

Below you’ll see the results of all 20 games today!

CLICK HERE to sign-up/log in to see all the JO Cup games running today through Saturday!

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TEAMS THAT WENT 2-0 ON WEDNESDAY

Only four teams went 2-0 on the first day of bracket play and, interesting, three of the quarter were Texas teams.

Here are all four:

1. Wichita Mustangs
2. Aces Express
3. Texas Sudden Impact
4. Texas Blaze Gold-Blimp

You can get more details on these teams in the game recaps below…

ONE COACHING CHANGE GOES PUBLIC

Guess it’s not surprising when you have a lot of coaches together, like at Nationals, that you get some major coaching news including big news impacting large programs, but one we alluded to yesterday has now gone public.

Dennis Gomes, who has been with the California Grapettes organization for 22 years, is now teaming up with Kevin O’Donnell of the Jersey Intensity program to create a West Coast Intensity group.

Here’s the release Coach Gomes has authorized FloSoftball to publish:

Softball Friends & Family

After 22 years of successful coaching, recruiting, and assisting academic athletes obtain scholarships for the 18 Gold California Grapettes, I’ve decided to set out on a new adventure!

Please help me welcome West Coast Intensity Fastpitch to Northern California!

My new team will continue to play in the most competitive events and be placed on some of the most sought-after fields.

(I will be) sponsored by Kevin O’Donnell and Diamond 9 Events, “Where the story begins with Family.”

Here’s a list of our tryouts:

First Try Out: Wednesday August 5, 2015 @ Arnaiz Fields

• Pitchers & Catchers @ 5:00 – 6:00pm
• All other positions @ 6:00 – 9:00pm

Second Try Out: Saturday August 8, 2015 @ Arnaiz Fields

• Pitchers & Catchers @ 8:00am – 9:00am
• All other positions @ 9:00am – 12:00pm

Third Try Out: Sunday August 9^th 2015 @ Arnaiz Fields

• Pitchers & Catchers @ 8:00am – 9:00am
• All other positions @ 9:00am – 12:00pm

Coaching Staff:

• Dennis Gomes
• Kim Fabian
• Paul Hackbarth
• Shawn Ching
• Tony Fernandez

Other West Coast Intensity tryouts

• 14U / Charlie Hawkins (same time as the Gold team)
• 16U/TBA – interested head coach applicants can email bio to dandsports@aol.com

— Dennis Gomes | West Coast Intensity Fastpitch, Head Coach & Manager

UPDATED BRACKET PLAY

It’s Show Time at the JO Cup as it’s win or drop to the Loser’s Bracket today. Lose a second time and you’re done so the stakes are high these next few days.

Here’s a look at the games as they’re taking place Wednesday…

ROUND 1:

Gametime Stars 4, Gold Coast Hurricanes 1

One of the best of the first-round match-ups featured the strong pitching of Oklahoma signee Jayden Chestnut versus the strong hitting line-up of the Hurricanes and in this game, the arm beat the bats.

Chestnut worked out of several jams as she gave up seven hits, but struck out six and gave up just the one earned run.

Macy Fisher hit a two-run double in the first and that was enough for Chestnut. The Hurricanes pulled within a run in the 4^th inning courtesy of an RBI single by Jordan Roberts (2016, Florida).

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Louisiana Voodoo 4, Rock Gold 2

The most exciting game of the morning took place on Ebbets Field as the Voodoo scored first in the 6^th inning and then Rock Gold answered with a run in the bottom of the 6^th. The game went to the 8^th inning when the ITB was implemented; the Voodoo scored three runs to win despite only having five hits for the game.

Angelica Gutierrez (2015, Southeastern Louisiana) had an RBI single in the top of the inning to lead the Voodoo attack.

Pitcher Jensen Howell (2017, Ole Miss) went all eight innings and gave up eight hits but only one earned run while striking out three.

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Wichita Mustangs 11 DeMarini Athletics 0

Our pick to win it all didn’t do anything to dispel our confidence as the Mustangs scored four runs in each of the first two innings and cruised to a 5-inning run rule game.

Pitchers Sydney Smith (2015, LSU) pitched three innings and only gave up one hit while the offense was paced by Elise LeBeouf (2015, Houston) who went 2-for-3 with two RBI and Taylor Satchell (2015, LSU) who went 2-for-2 with an RBI.

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Wagner’s 3n2 3, Indiana Magic Gold 2

Our JO Cup blogger Delaney Elling (2016, Penn State) played a big part in the Wagner’s win a she went 2-for-3 at the plate and turned a big double play in the 7^th inning.

The Magic trailed by a run with baserunners on third and first with no outs. A hard grounder was hit to third and the throw got the force at first and Elling then tagged the runner out as she apparently was unsure if the ball was caught or not.

Pitcher Scottie Todd (2016, uncommitted) scattered eight hits over seven innings for the win and Cana Davis (2016, Virginia Tech) had a double and RBI and came up huge on defense as the left fielder threw out a runner at home.

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Aces Express 2, New Lenox Lightning 0

The story of the game was the great pitching by Alyssa Denham (2016, UT Arlington) who gave up only four hits while striking out seven.

Middle infielder Baylee Klinger (2018, Texas A&M) went 2-for-4 with a pair of singles and a fifth inning RBI in the fifth to help the Aces advance.

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TXFC Fastpitch 6, 3n2 Strike Zone 3

The arm of Ariana Adams (2017, Texas) was the difference as the future Longhorn held the 3n2 to only three hits and she struck out three to win the first round game.

The Houston-based TXFC exploded for five of their runs in the second inning to put the game away early.

Infielders Breanna Russell (2017, uncommitted) and Demi Janak (2015, Houston Baptist) each had two-run doubles in the game-clinching inning.

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Texas Storm 6, Michigan Finesse 2

The Finesse jumped out to a 2-1 lead, but the Storm tied it in the fourth and added two runs in each of the fifth and sixth innings to put the game away.

Still, it got a bit interesting when the Finesse loaded the bases with two outs and All-American and Michigan signee Alex Sobczak on deck, but Alex Heid (2015, Holy Cross) came in with one out and shut down the potential rally.

Amber Langston (2017, Idaho State) sparked the offense going 3-for-4 with an RBI.

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San Jose Sting Gold 11, D-Bat Tulsa Shootout 5

The Sting used two big innings: three runs in the 2^nd inning and six runs in the 5^th to pull away from Tulsa Shootout who managed 12 hits to the Sting’s 12.

The Nor Cal team had nine batters have a least one hit to spread the wealth including outfielder Sabrina Nunez (2017, Cal) who went 2-for-4 with two RBI and a pair of runs scored.

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Aces Express 4, Wanger’s 3n2 2

Outfielder Janae Jefferson (2017, Texas) was the offensive star for the Aces Express as she singled in the 1st inning and doubled in the 5^th while pitcher Casey Dixon (2017, Louisiana-Lafayette) struck out four and gave up just one hit in her three innings of work.

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EC Bullets-Schnute 2, Gametime Stars 0

It was a great pitchers’ dual through six innings until the Bullets busted through for a pair of runs in the bottom of the 6^th inning.

Parker Conrad (2016, Missouri) went seven innings for the Georgia team as she gave up five hits with no runs allowed and struck out four in the win.

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Wichita Mustangs 10, Louisiana Voodoo 2

The Mustangs continue to look like the team to beat as the pitching is strong with Sydney Smith (2015, LSU) gave up only three hits in the run-rule five inning game and the offense is clicking as seven batters had at least one hit.

Miranda Rohleder (2016, Fresno State) went 3-for-4 with two RBI for the Mustangs while Ryleigh Buck (2016, Central Florida) and Reagan Hathaway (2015, Texas) hit home runs.

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Texas Sudden Impact 4, Ohio Outlaws 2

The Sudden Impact trailed 1-0 before scoring three runs in the bottom of the 5^th to secure the win.

Pitcher Katelyn Boles (2015, Northwestern State) was solid, giving up no hits in 3 1/3 inning while striking out three, although she did give up six walks.

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Louisville Sluggers 10, Houston Power 6

Trailing by three going into the top of the 3^rd inning, the Sluggers exploded for seven runs over the next two innings before building a 10-3 lead.

The two teams combined for 22 hits including a pair of hits and two RBI by Lillie Goetz (2015, Louisville)

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Texas Blaze Gold-Slimp 6, Texas Bombers 0

The top first round matchup was between two teams who are only 30 miles apart and it was surprisingly one-sided.

The strong Bomber bats were quieted by Makenzie Carpenter (2016, uncommitted) gave up just five hits and only two earned runs while Chelsea Seggern (2016, Tennessee) set the table going 3-for-5 with one run scored.

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American Pastime Gold 11, SJ Sting 7

In one of the biggest shootouts of the day, the Pastime scored five in the first and jumped out to a 11-4 lead before holding on for the win despite committing four errors.

Brittany Galvez (2016, Cal Baptist) went 3-for-4 with a double and two RBI and three other players went 2-for-3 with a pair of runs knocked in as well.

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San Diego Power Surge 5, TXFC Fastpitch 3

The Surge, a late replacement when Florida Power couldn’t make it, overcame two deficits to push ahead three runs in the last two innings to steal one away from TXFC, which outhit the Surge 9-7.

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Texas Sudden Impact Gold 3, Firecrackers DFW Gold 1

Texas Sudden Impact jumped to a 3-0 lead after three innings and pitchers Shelby McGlaun (2016, Baylor) and Jessica Vlasek (2016, uncommitted) combined to give up only three hits and one walk in the victory.

Demi Janak (2015, Houston Baptist) went 3-for-4 and leadoff hitter Cedrina Landrum (2018, uncommitted) hit a home run.

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Firecrackers Gold 10, California Raiders 0

The Firecrackers scored in every inning except two but the story of the game was the pitching of Sidney Holman (2016, Abilene Christian) who gave up only two hits in the complete contest victory.

The scoring was lead by Lauren Graves (2016, Idaho State) who went 2-for-4 with a pair of RBI.

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St. Louis Chaos 4, Louisville Sluggers 2

The Chaos jumped out to a 4-0 lead and never looked back as Danielle Baumgartner (2015, Missouri) shined at the plate and in the circle.

The SEC-bound standout hit a three run homer in the top of the 1^st inning and got the complete gave victory giving up six hits and a walk and allowing only two earned runs.

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Texas Blaze 8, Texas Storm 3

The last game of the day saw the Blaze jump out to a 6-0 in the 5^th inning and cruise from there as Chelsea Seggern (2016, Tennessee) again went 3-for-5 at the plate (she was 6-for-10 for the day).

Makenzie Carpenter (2016, uncommitted) had her second strong outing of the day going the distance while allowing just two runs to go 2-0 on the first day of bracket play.