Article/Photos By Manny Alavrez

TEXAS SUDDEN IMPACT MAKE THEIR RUN

Texas Suddent Impact continue their dramatic run through the 12U Premier Division with a 3-2 victory over Tennessee Fury in the third round of the winner's bracket at the PGF Nationals on Wednesday at Harvard Park in Irvine, Calif.

Kelsie Kelso delivered a walk-off infield single to score Sam Graeter, who went 4 for 4 with an RBI, with one out in the bottom of the seventh for the game-winner. Kelso hit a grounder to the 5/6 hole and Fury's shortstop made a diving stop, but she couldn't get up in time to make a play on Graeter at the plate.

Erna Carlin, who got the win against Power Surge 03-Bachtell, ranked No. 1 in the nation by FloSoftball, on Tuesday, got the win again, allowing three hits and striking out nine in the complete game win.

"Our pitcher backed us up pretty well," Graeter said. "We got the clutch hits when we needed them. Our infield did really good. Our pitchers need to hit their spots and we'll come through in the clutch. Our defense needs to deliver. If we can do that, we can get there Friday."

Sudden Impact took an early 1-0 lead on a single by Graeter. The Fury scored both of their runs on errors in the third inning for a 2-1 lead.

"We just couldn't execute the bunt," Tennessee Fury coach Jeremy Newcomb said. "We just need to hit the ball a lot better. We hit the ball, we score. That's how it's done. We have to hit. We have to lay down the bunt."

Amanda Allen went 2 for 4 with an RBI and Amanda Skivington went 2 for 3 with an RBI, but it was Kelso who delivered the hit they needed to move on in the winner's bracket.

"I want to move on to the championship," Kelso said. "All I thought was 'I have to get this runner in to get on to the next one."  

Pitcher McKenzie Newcomb threw 6.1 innings with six strikeouts in the loss. She also went 2 for 3 at the plate. The only other player that got a hit was Shelby Radford in the second inning. The Tennessee Fury will face another Tennessee team in the Mojo in an elimination game on Thursday at 8 a.m.

"Hopefully, we can believe that we can still do this," Newcomb said. "Everybody knew us as an organization, but nobody believed in us as a team. For us to get this far is probably going to be a big shocker for everybody. I'm very proud of my girls. I'm very proud of our parents."

Sudden Impact takes on Georgia Impact-Gusaeff in a fourth round game on Thursday at 10:15 a.m.

"We just have to keep our mental mindset," Carlin said. "Hopefully, my team backs me up."

In Other PGF Nationals 12U Premier Division Winner's Bracket games:

Panthers Gold 1, Ohana Tigers Sanchez 0 (9 innings)

Ohana Tigers ace Lauren Narvaez threw a no-hitter and still lost as Panthers Gold scored in ITB in the bottom of the ninth to advance in the winner's bracket. Justine Bergara knocked in the winning run, scoring Gizella Vargas who got on base on an error. Desiree Hernandez allowed one hit and recorded 12 strikeouts to get the shutout for Panthers Gold.

"At the end of the day, I think both pitchers threw a heck of a game," Panthers Gold coach Yvette Hernandez said. "I think at the end of the day, I gotta say that luck plays a factor and it really came down to who was going to make the error, either pitching or defensively. It took one pitch to make a play happen. It kind of just fell on our side to have that luck to go ahead and push that run to win that game."

Narvaez struck out 13 on one walk, while Alyssa Vasquez got the lone hit in the first inning for Ohana Tigers.

Tennessee Mojo 5, Power Surge 03-Bachtell 2

After losing to Sudden Impact on Tuesday, Power Surge went 3-0 today in the loser's bracket before running out of juice against Mojo in the final game of the day to get eliminated. Elena Escobar had a two-run double and Savannah Jones threw 5.1 innings to get the huge win for the Mojo. Angelina Allen and Angela Ramos knocked in a run each for Power Surge. 

So Cal A's Angulo 2, So Cal Choppers Graphite 1

Emily Leavitt threw a complete game to lead the A's to a one-run victory. Leavitt struck out four, while Maranda Rivera knocked in a run with a double in the fifth inning. Marissa Caballero also knocked in a run with 2 outs, scoring pinch runner Izzy Rivera. Leavitt took care of the rest, shutting the Choppers down. The A's beat Impact Gold-Applebe, 5-3, in the next game. They will play in the winner's bracket tomorrow at10:15 a.m. against Panthers Gold. 

"We just stayed calm," Leavitt said. "We tried to not do too much and just be ourselves. We just need to push our hardest and leave everything out on the field. We just have to do what we do." 

Hannah Glad went 2 for 3 and Leah Essary scored the only run for the Choppers. Giselle Farless threw a complete game four hitter in the loss. The A's move on to the next round. The Choppers were eliminated by Diamond Sports Hot Shots North, 1-0, in their next game.

So Cal Dirt Dogs-Romero 5, OC Batbusters Maroon 1

Alyssa Rubalcava threw a complete game with six strikeouts to help the Dirt Dogs advance in the winner's bracket. Rubalcava also went 2 for 4, Kaylie Williams went 2 for 2 with a walk and Ashlyn Zermano went 2 for 3 with two RBIs. Pinch hitter Sam Recinos drove in a run in the seventh. MacKenzie San Pedro knocked in two more runs in the seventh inning to put the game away. The Dirt Dogs lost to Georgia Impact-Gusaeff, 3-1, in their next game. They play in the loser's bracket tomorrow at 8 a.m. against Impact Gold-Esparza. 

"We needed team work and had to work together," Rubalcava said. "I had to believe in my teammates and my coaches. We have to block out everyone, just play our game and concentrate on hitting or whatever it is you are doing at that moment."

Desi Marin knocked in the only run for the Batbusters as Reanne Miranda threw a complete game in the loss for the Batbusters, who got eliminated by Power Surge, 6-1, in their next game. 

Impact Gold-Applebe 3, Corona Angels 03 0

Hannah Benavides threw a one-hit shutout to lead Impact Gold to victory. Kaydeun Wooley went 2 for 3 with a triple and Oilivia Johnson had an RBI double. Margherit Herdejurgen went 2 for 3 with an RBI. Isabella Guerrero threw six innings, while getting the lone hit for Corona Angels, who lost their next game to Diamond Sports Hot Shots North, 4-1, to get eliminated. 

More PGF Nationals 12U Scores:

Birmingham Thunderbolts 5, OC Batbusters/Team Mizuno 4
Panthers Gold 2, Birmingham Thunderbolts 1
Georgia Impact Gasaeff 2, Tennessee Mojo 0
Georgia Impact Gasaeff 3, SC Dirt Dogs Romero 1
Texas Sudden Impact 7, So Cal Future 2
Tennessee Fury 1, Impact Gold Esparza 0
So Cal A's Angulo 5, Impact Gold Applebe 3