It was a showdown of two juggernauts, one from each coast, and on Thursday night at the TC/USA Nationals in Cummings, Ga., the West Coast team pulled off the exciting walk-off win.

For the second time in 11 days, the Corona Angels (8-0) captured a major championship as they won a thrilling 5-4 win over the East Cobb Bullets (8-1) in a game that was aired live on CBS Sports Network in front of a raucous sold-out crowd at Fowler Park.

On July 6, the Southern Calif. team won the prestigious Boulder Tournament and last Sunday made it to the final of the Champions Cup in Irvine, Calif. but couldn’t play the title game because the coaches and players had to catch flights to head cross-country to play in the TC/USA Nationals.

Looks like the trip was well worth it.

The Bullets, based in Georgia and the natural home-crowd favorite, jumped out to a two-run lead in the first, but the the Angels answered quickly with three runs of their own in the bottom of the inning.

Angel pitcher Rachel Garcia (2015, UCLA), who pitched an outstanding game in the 7-5 semifinal against the Firecrackers-Rico team—the two-time defending champion of the event— relieved Alexis Osorio (2014, Alabama) in the top of the fourth.

“That was a good momentum change,” said Corona Angel Head Coach Marty Tyson.

Each team added another run as the championship entered the last inning with the Bullets trailing 4-3.

Infielder Taylor Dupree (2014, College of Charleston) hit a double that brought in teammate Morgan Walters (2014, Missouri) tying the game at 4-4.  The Bullet crowd erupted and teammates mauled Walters after she crossed the plate.

In the bottom of the seventh, however, the battle-tested Angels mounted a big response for the second time in the game.

Pinch-hitter Marina Ili (2014, UNLV) got on with a single and Kinsley Washington (2017, UCLA) was put in to run for her.  Garcia then showed her prowess at the plate as she moved her to third on a double.

Taylor White (2014, Ohio State) then ended the game on a perfectly executed squeeze play that scored Washington and sent the Angels team chasing White down the first base line to congratulate her for the run-scoring walk-off bunt.

“All tournament long, we have been finding ways to win,” said Coach Tyson.  “’Who’s going to step up and make a play when we need it the most?’  This time it was Garcia.”

The Angels came up big against Bullet pitcher Kelly Barnhill, who had struck out 11 hitters in the 2-0 semifinal win over the Gold Coast Hurricanes and, like Garcia, is ranked as a top 10 player in the 2015 class.

“I think Barnhill is one of the best in the country, bottom line,” said Tyson.  “We have faced her in tournaments each of the last three weeks and knew it wasn’t going to be easy.”

 

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In the 16U Platinum Bracket, the Georgia Elite-Hoover team defeated the Tulsa Elite – Galvan team 8-0 in the championship game.

Georgia Elite defeated the NC Lady Lightning 6-4 in one semi-final game while the Tulsa Elite won a pitcher’s dual 1-0 against Florida Power – Lantz.

 

— Marissa Beasley contributed to this article