Most of the top travel ball teams in the nation are headed to Southern California for the the next two weeks for the Premier Girls Fastpitch National Championships.

PGF kicks off with the 18U Premier Division, which is the marquee division, 18U Platinum, 12U Premier and 10U Premier Division championships from Saturday, July 25, to Friday, July 31, in Huntington Beach and Irvine.

The OC Batbusters, who are coached by Mike Stith and Gary Haning, enter the event with a giant bullseye on their backs after winning the PGF 18U Premier national title last summer.

“I think that in order for us to win we need to stay focused and just play to the best of our ability,” said OC Batbusters ace Taylor McQuillin, who carried the load in the circle last summer. “Each of us as a player has to play and perform for one another in order for us to come out with another win.”

When you are the reigning and defending champion, you have to keep your head on a swivel for all challengers.

“I think teams to look for are (Marty Tyson’s) Corona Angels, (Bruce Richardson’s) So Cal Athletics, (Bill Conroy’s Beverly) Bandits, and (Birmingham) Thunderbolts,” McQuillin said. “Some under radar (teams) might be (Bret Denio’s) Explosion, Sorcerers, AASA and Jersey Intensity.”

The coaches draws come out on Saturday morning followed by pool play games on Saturday and Sunday. There will be bracket games on Monday from 8 a.m.-1 p.m. before the opening ceremonies at 5 p.m. at Central Park (7111 Talbert Ave., Huntington Beach, CA.), which is located directly across from Huntington Beach Sports Complex.

US Olympic gold medalist Jennie Finch, UCLA Hall of Fame coach Sue Enquist, actor Ethan Wayne, the son of John Wayne, will be guest speakers and IM5 will be performing on stage at the opening ceremonies. The event also features food trucks and sponsor booths.

Bracket play continues Tuesday-Friday. All the championship games will be played on Friday at Bill Barber Park in Irvine, Calif. Here’s the schedule for the championships:

• 12U Premier championship game, 11 a.m. (Nationally televised on Fox Sports West, Prime Ticket and Comcast)
• 18U Premier championship game, 2 p.m. (Nationally Televised on Fox Sports West, Prime Ticket and Comcast
• 10U Premier championship game, 5 p.m. (Nationally Web Streamed on PGF YouTube Channel)
• 18U Platinum championship game, 8 p.m. (Nationally Web Streamed on PGF YouTube Channel)

FIVE TEAMS TO WATCH

OC Batbusters-Haning/Stith (Calif.): The Batbusters are the defending PGF 18U Premier Division national champions and they are the favorites to repeat. A big reason the Batbusters are favored is Arizona-signee Taylor McQuillin, who was the Gatorade national player of the year last year after leading Mission Viejo High (Calif.) to a CIF-Southern Section Division II title, then she was the Batbusters ace in the circle during their PGF national championship run. The Batbusters also have Oklahoma-commit Mariah Lopez and Flordia-commit Natalie Lugo in the rotation. Offensively, the Batbusters are loaded with Florida-bound Amanda Lorenz, Washington-signee Morganne Flores and Washington-bound Tannon Snow, who were all selected to the Louisville Slugger Hit Club.

Beverly Bandits-Conroy (Ill.): The Batbusters might be the favorites, but Bill Conroy’s Bandits handed them a loss in the semifinals of the Boulder IDT earlier this month. The Bandits play an exciting brand of softball and are very aggressive on the base paths. South Carolina-bound Alexis Mack, a first team FloSofball All-American, is the catalyst of the Bandits offense. Mack, a four-time all-state player from Ohio, set the single-season state record (79) and career state record (234) for stolen bases in Ohio. The Bandits have solid pitching with Notre Dame-commit Alexis Holloway, ranked No. 1 on the 2017 Hot 100, and Oregon-commit Miranda Elish, ranked No. 2 on the 2016 Hot 100, trading off in the circle.

So Cal Athletics-Richardson (Calif.): The So Cal A’s have a lot of tradition at the PGF Nationals, winning national titles from 2010-13. Some observers have said don’t have the same kiFaraind of strong pitching they’ve had in the past, but Tennessee-bound Matty Moss, Ohio State-signee Katya Duvall and Arkansas-commit Autum Storms have been solid in the circle this summer. The So Cal A’s have plenty of dangerous hitters in their lineup with Michigan-bound Faith Canfield, Tennessee-signee Brooke Vines, who was selected to the Louisville Slugger Hit Club, South Carolina-commit Mackenzie Boesel and South Carolina-bound Kennedy Clark.

All American Sports Academy (Calif.): AASA has team with a lot of potential at the PGF Nationals. Offensively, they are led by Oregon-signee Cherish Burks, Cal-commit Mikayla Coelho, Arizona State-bound Missy Eisen, Oregon State-bound Jessica Garcia and Fresno State-signee Dominique Jackson. Oregon State-committed pitcher Nerissa Long has shown she can hold down top teams in the circle. AASA owns a controversial 9-inning win over Corona Angels-Tyson (Calif.) from earlier this month at the Boulder IDT.

Corona Angels-Tyson (Calif.): The Corona Angels have the potential to make a deep run at PGF. The Angels have a loaded lineup that features Tennessee-bound power hitter Abby Lockman, a first team FloSoftball All-American, Oklahoma-signee Shay Knighten, who was selected to the Louisville Slugger Hit Club, Nebraska-committed power hitter Tristen Edwards and UCLA-commit Aaliyah Jordan. The Angels will need to rely on Megan Faraimo, ranked No. 2 on the 2018 Hot 100, in the circle if they are going to make some noise. Faraimo carried Marty Tyson’s 14U team a national championship last summer, but this year she’s up with the big girls in the 18U Premier Division.

CLICK HERE FOR SATURDAY AND SUNDAY’S PGF 18U PREMIER DIVISION POOL PLAY SCHEDULE

FIVE PLAYERS TO WATCH

Brittany Finney, Explosion-Denio (Calif.): If Explosion is going to make a run at PGF, it will need a strong effort from the Oklahoma-signee in the circle. Finney’s size and strength make her an imposing figure in the circle. The 6-foot, right-hander was the Gatorade state player of the year for Kansas afer leading Bishop Carroll High of Wichita, Kan., to its fifth straight Class 5A title. Finney, ranked No. 13 on FloSoftball’s 2015 Hot 100 players, also owns state records in career home runs (38) and RBI (140).

Reagan Dykes, Birmingham Thunderbolts (Ala.): The Alabama-signed C/1B/3B has been one of the hottest hitters in the nation during the summer club season, which landed her one of the 10 spots on the Louisville Slugger Hit Club. Dykes’ big bat helped the T-Bolts place fifth in the PGF 18U Premier Division last summer.

Kourtney Shaw, Firecrackers-Rico (Calif.): Shaw, who signed with Cal, is a proven big-game pitcher as she showed last year when she stepped in for injured Firecrackers ace Tera Blanco and helped the Firecrackers grab seventh place at the PGF Nationals. Shaw, who led Poway High to a CIF-San Diego Section Open Diviion championship in the spring, is ranked No. 58 in FloSoftball’s 2015 Hot 100 players list and she made Cal-Hi Sports first team All-State team.

Kayla Konwent, Illinois Chill Gold (Ill.): The Wisconsin-committed catcher put up monstrous numbers during her junior year, batting .627 with 21 home runs, 46 RBI and a 1.470 slugging percentage to lead Central High of Westosha, Wisc., to a state championship. Konwent, a first team FloSoftball All-American, was also named the Gatorade state player of the year for Wisconsin.

Kelsey Oh, Jersey Intensity-KOD (N.J.): The Boston College-commit led Mount St. Dominic High (N.J.) to a Non-Public A state title as a freshman and the 6-foot-1, right-hander went 26-2 with a 0.25 ERA and 310 Ks in 170 innings as a sophomore. Oh, who was a first team FloSoftball All-American, will be key to Jersey Intensity’s chances at PGF.

PARTICIPATING TEAMS IN 18U PREMIER DIVISION

• All American Sports Academy coached by Bryan Merrida
• Atlanta Vipers-Kates coached by Ben Shelnutt
• AZ Desert Thunder coached by Shannon Woolridge
• AZ Storm Gold coached by Kara Brun
• Batbusters-Fox 18U coached by Michael Fox
• Beverly Bandits Gold-BC coached by Bill Conroy
• Birmingham Thunderbolts 18 Premier coached by Richard Shea
• Bownet 18 Gold coached by John Ashley
• California Cruisers-Sievers coached by Don Cone
• California Grapettes-KO coached by Kelly Olson
• California Riptide coached by Darryl Simon
• California Thunder coached by Valerie VanKirk-LeVier
• Carolina Elite Gold-Genovese coached by Tony Genovese
• Chicago Cheetahs coached by Brian Bowman
• Conklin Raiders 18 Gold coached by Dale Cook
• Corona Angels-Howard coached by Kim Howard
• Corona Angels Gold-Tyson coached by Marty Tyson
• Diamond Sports Hotshots Gold coached by Tammie Davis
• Esprit Premier-Huecker coached by Jim Huecker
• Explosion-Denio coached by Bret Denio
• Explosion 18-Morgan coached by Chris Morgan
• Firecrackers-Brashear coached by Sean Brashear
• Firecrackers-Kevin coached by Kevin Ellebracht
• Firecrackers-Rico coached by Tony Rico
• Firecrackers AZ-Ewing coached by Stefanie Ewing
• Firecrackers-Blanco Gold coached by Jeff Blanco
• Firecrackers DFW 18U Black coached by Mark Murphree
• Firecrackers-AZ Kaye coached by Randy Kaye
• Florida Power Black coached by Jeff Lantz
• Fresno Force Gold coached by Jeff Jennings
• GA Outlaws-White coached by Rodney White
• Georgia Impact-Bass 18 Premier coached by Buster Bass
• Georgia Impact-Medlam coached by Vance Medlam
• Glory Gold coached by Suzy Willemssen
• Grapettes Gold coached by Dennis Gomes
• Illinois Chill Gold coached by Gerry Quinn
• Impact Gold-Jackson coached by KC Jackson
• Irvine Sting coached by Blair Ota
• Jersey Intensity-KOD coached by Kevin ODonnell
• Kansas City Peppers coached by Dan Eakin
• KG Hitters coached by Kiko Garcia
• Krunch Gold coached by Colin Christiansen
• Lady Hustle 18G coached by Julie Marshall
• Lady Lightning Gold Premier coached by John Garner
• Lady Lightning Gold-Team Miken coached by John Corn
• Lady Magic 18 Gold coached by Rick Havey
• Las Vegas Rage Gold coached by Chris McDonald
• LIDS Indiana Dreams-Mont coached by Tony Montgomery
• Marucci Patriots Gold coached by Darrell Landry
• Minors Gold coached by Lena Lovelace
• NC Challengers-Renzi coached by Adam Renzi
• Nebraska Gold coached by Travis Unzicker
• Newtown Rock Gold-Garvey coached by Joe Garvey
• NW Bullets Gold coached by Tony Campos
• OC Batbusters-Stith/Haning coached by MIke Stith and Gary Haning
• OC Batbusters-Briggs coached by Ken Briggs
• Oklahoma Exclusive Gold coached by Donnie Hughes
• Originals Gold-Koop coached by James Koop
• Rhode Island Thunder Gold coached by Dave Lotti
• So Cal Athletics-Richardson coached by Bruce Richardson
• So Cal Athletics-Quarles coached by Ron Martinez
• So Cal Choppers coached by Gary Fausett
• Sorcerer 18G coached by Pete Aguayo
• Southern Force coached by Dale Palmer
• Sparks Softball coached by Joe Tholl
• Texas Blaze 18U-Bonola coached by Rebecca Bonola
• Texas Glory coached by Kevin Shelton
• TN Fury 97 coached by Keith Perry and Randy Coppinger
• TX Glory-Adkins 18U Gold coached by Keith Allen
• USA Athletics Gold coached by Mike Rogers
• Virginia Legends-Paul coached by Barry Paul
• Washington Ladyhawks Gold-Miller coached by Wayne Miller

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