Despite giving up the games first two runs, Central Florida-commit Madison Droz wasn’t rattled. She knew her offense would have her back.

And in the fourth inning, they did thanks with a solo home run from Kayleigh Roper to start a four-run, fourth-inning rally to lead Tampa Mustangs-Maguire to a 6-2 victory over Texas Glory-Naudin in the PGF 16U Premier Nationals on Wednesday evening at the Fountain Valley Sports Complex in Fountain Valley, CA.

pic.twitter.com/kAvJNCNdt0

— Kayleigh Roper (@kayleighroper93) July 24, 2019

The victory leaves the Mustangs, last summer's 16U Platinum champion, one of the 16 teams left in the winner's bracket. They take on the Corona Angels-Rogers, after a 5-1 winner over Tennessee Fury-Sargent, on Wednesday at 5 p.m.

“Everyone is playing as a team,” Droz said. “Everyone is having our pitcher's back and so is our defense. I knew I had to stay calm because if I didn’t, I get rattled and I’ll get taken out of the game. I knew my offense would have my back.” 

Texas Glory jumped on the scoreboard first in the third inning thanks to an RBI double from Oklahoma State-commit Brianna Evans that sent Sami Hood home.

Hood scored again in the third inning thanks to an RBI single from Kansas-commit Toni McInnis.

Droz's and reliever, Kaitlyn Felton, kept Texas Glory off the scoreboard after that.

The same could not be said for the Mustangs, who got on the board in the third inning on an RBI single from Droz.

Roper tied the game in the fourth inning with a solo home run to center field. It started an offensive surge in the fourth inning, including an RBI single off the bat of Riley Sanders.

South Carolina-commit Maddie Gallagher sent Sanders home with a two-run home run to right field to extend the lead to three.

The Mustangs added another run in the fifth inning on an infield error that sent Droz home.

“I was going to the at-bat to drive the ball and it happened,” Roper said. “I knew the people behind me were just going to get it going. Maddie Gallagher with the other home run was awesome. We just kept it rolling. It was awesome.”

Despite the early momentum, Texas Glory couldn’t get the offense back on track after the Mustangs took the lead. Texas Glory left nine runners stranded.

“We had momentum early,” Texas Glory coach Ed Naudin said. “We didn’t score enough or build a big enough lead. We knew they would bounce back because offensively that is a very strong roster. One through nine they can do some things. I knew they would bounce back, but we just didn’t out-hit them or out-score them.”

McInnis went 2 for 2 with an RBI, Evans went 2 for 4 with an RBI double and North Texas-commit Karsyn Lltis threw 3.2 innings while striking out two for Texas Glory, which takes the day off on Wednesday, but returns on Thursday at 8 a.m. with the possibility of playing four games on Thursday.

“In these conditions, we are fine,” Naudin said. “We are built to play for a while. That’s what I look forward to and that is the discussion I had with them. We played three or four games a day in Tulsa. If we can do what we did there facing similar competition one game at a time, we can get the right outcome.”

Droz threw four innings while going 1 for 2 with an RBI and Gallagher went 2 for 4 with a double, including the two-run home run for the Mustangs, which looks to stay in the winner's bracket with their short-handed roster.

“We were here last year,” Mustangs coach Kevin Maguire said. “We won the Platinum last year. This group is very battle-tested. We know what it takes to stay in the winner's bracket. We only have 12 kids on the roster, so we are not real deep. It is all hands on deck for us. We win on defense and if we score six runs a game, we feel like we have a good shot.”

Athletics Mercado-Greg 5, Locomotion 0

Emily Leavitt struck out nine en route to a two-hit complete-game shutout victory for Athletics Mercado.

Makenna Gibson went 2 for 4 with a two-run double and Bella Flexen went 4 for 4 with an RBI for Athletics Mercado, which takes on EC Bullets CA, a 6-5 winner over AZ Storm-Mathis, on Wednesday at 5 p.m.

Samantha Simons and Jenna Pappas each went 1 for 3 for Locomotion, which plays on Thursday at 8 a.m.

OC Batbusters-Lara 12, Colorado Angels Gold 3 (5 innings)

Jaelene Kapu went 3 for 4 with three RBIs and a two-run home run to lead the Batbusters to a five-inning victory.

Kiana Blake went 1 for 3 with a double and two RBIs, Concordia Irvine-commit Rylie Rohr hit a two-run double and Morgan McConnell threw five innings and struck out three for the Batbusters, which faces Beverly Bandits-Conroy, an 11-2 winner over So Cal Athletics-Jendro, on Wednesday at 5 p.m.

Reese Waggoner went 1 for 2 with an RBI double and Chloe Valdez went 1 for 2 with an RBI for the Angels, which playsy on Thursday at 8 a.m.

Corona Angels-Slye 3, Santa Fe Inferno-Humphrey 2 (8 innings)

Iowa State-commit Angelina Allen's walk-off single in the eighth inning drove in San Diego-commit Mika Lee, sending the Angels to the next round.

Arizona State-commit Kylee Magee threw seven innings of relief with seven strikeouts while only giving up four hits and Louisville-commit Korbe Otis went 1 for 3 with an RBI double for the Angels, which takes on So Cal Choppers-Fausett, a 1-0 winner over Illinois Chill Gold, on Wednesday at 5 p.m.

Central Florida-commit Kennedy Searcy went 3 for 4 with a double, Keeli Zingaro hit a solo home run and Jacksonville-commit Alissa Humphrey threw 7.2 innings with 12 strikeouts for Santa Fe Inferno, which returns on Thursday at 8 a.m.

Iowa Premier Gold 4, Lady Lightning Gold Elite 1

Jordy Bahl struck out eight en route to a three-hit complete-game victory for Iowa Premier. Bell also went 2 for 4 with an RBI for Iowa.

Brooke Dumont went 1 for 3 with an RBI double, Margaret Tobias went 4 for 4 and Mia Jarecki went 2 for 4 for Iowa Premier, which takes on Firecrackers-Brashear, a 5-4 winner over Impact Gold-Jazz, on Wednesday at 2:45 p.m. 

Tennessee Mojo-Lewis 11, Birmingham Vipers 7 

Auburn-commit Denver Bryant went 4 for 4 with a solo home run, two doubles and three RBIs and Ohio-commit Emya Munford went 2 for 4 with two RBIs and a solo home run to lead Mojo to victory.

REPLAY

UAB-commit Makalah Mitchell went 2 for 4 with a double and four RBIs for the Mojo, which returns to action on Wednesday at 5 p.m. to take on Aces Express, a 2-0 winners over Aces-Ashley.

Jacksonville State-commit Lindsay Richardson went 3 for 4 with a double and a two-run home run, Lipscomb-commit Jessica Bush went 2 for 3 with a two-run home run and Lipscomb-commit Katelyn Belding went 2 for 4 with an RBI for the Vipers, which plays Wednesday night at 7:15 p.m.

OK Athletics Premier-Madden 8, NorCal Firecrackers-Miller 1

North Texas-commit Janie Worthington threw six innings and struck out eight while giving up four hits to lead the Athletics to victory.

Noa Dodson went 2 for 3 with an RBI double, McKenna Johnson went 1 for 3 with an RBI double and Grace Anderson went 3 for 4 with two RBI for the Athletics, which takes on Indiana Magic-Rudd, a 5-4 winner over NW Bullets-Muir, on Wednesday at 5 p.m.

Angelina DeLeon went 1 for 3 with a double and Chloe Wong went 1 for 2 with an RBI for the Firecrackers, who play on Wednesday at 7:15 p.m.

Firecrackers-Brashear 5, Texas Blaze United 4

A passed ball sent Maryland-commit Marissa Borkowski home in the bottom of the sixth inning was the difference as the Firecrackers advanced to complete the comeback victory.

Sydney Soto went 2 for 2 and Borkowski got a single in the inning she scored to winning run for the Firecrackers.

“That was a good game,” Borkowski said. “Their pitcher kept us off balance. We stayed within ourselves and we didn’t put too much pressure on ourselves. We managed to put the ball in play. It was a good win for us.”

Following a 5-4 victory over Impact Gold-Jazz, the Firecrackers will continue in the winner's bracket on Wednesday at 2:45 p.m. against Iowa Premier.

Annika Litterio hit a two-run home run in the first inning while throwing six innings of work for the Blaze. Nana Martinez and Missy Muras each got a hit for the Blaze, which takes on the winner of the Birmingham Thunderbolts vs. Team North Carolina on Wednesday at 12:30 p.m.

NW Bullets-Muir 8, Breakers-Labs 5

Down 5-1, the Bullets scored seven unanswered runs, including five in the seventh inning, to finish the comeback victory.

Abigail Jankey went 2 for 3 with a solo home run and a two-run double, while Taylor Ebbs went 2 for 4 with a solo home run and Ashlynn Allen went 1 for 3 with a two-run home run. Grace Walters threw 4.2 innings of relief work, while striking out seven, to get the win for the Bullets.

“I’ve only been playing for this team for a while,” Walters said. “I have so much confidence in them. When I pitch, I pitch for them. I like to win and all these girls can hit and they did. We told each other that we got this, we can win. We cheered and got up. We were positive about it. We all knew we can come back. Hit after hit and home run after home run and shutting them down was so much fun.”

The Bullets lost their next game 5-4 to Indiana Magic-Rudd and will play in the losers bracket on Wednesday at 5 p.m. 

Arizona-commit Paige Dimler went 1 for 4 with a two-run triple and Utah State-commit Ariel Lopez went 2 for 4 with an RBI for the Breakers, who take on the winner of the Texas Dirt Divas National vs. Beverly Bandits-Allen on Wednesday at 12:30 p.m.

So Cal Athletics-Jendro 12, Diamond Sports Hotshots Premier-Dumezich 9

Despite letting go of a six-run lead in the bottom of the sixth inning, the So Cal A's collected themselves and came away with a three-run victory.

REPLAY

Jessica DeWitt went 2 for 4 with an RBI, Abby Hoesman went 2 for 4 and Austin Comstock went 1 for 2 with a three-run home run for the So Cal A's.

“It took teamwork and energy,” Comstock said. “It took a lot of energy. We tend to go up and down, but when we are at the end, we are right where we need to be. It all comes together with teamwork and picking each other up when we are down. That was pretty much the key. Hard work and being a team, that’s what it’s all about.”

The So Cal A's would lose their next game to Beverly Bandits-Conroy, 11-2, and will play on Thursday at 8 a.m.

Mississippi-commit KK Esparza went 2 for 4 with four RBIs, including a solo home run in the sixth inning, and Katie Cimusz went 1 for 4 with a two-run single for the Hotshots, who play Firecrackers-Hagberg on Wednesday at 10:15 a.m.

Texas Bombers Gold-Jones 6, Georgia Impact-Guaseff 0

Sophia Simpson threw a two-hit complete-game shutout to lead the Texas Bombers to victory. 

Teagan Whitley went 1 for 2 with two RBIs, Ashlee Larue went 3 for 3 and Maggie Herdejurgen and Olivia McFadden each got an RBI double for the Bombers, who take on Beverly Bandits-Helbling on Wednesday at 5 p.m.

“We had to make key hits,” Simpson said. “We have to always get on and always move the runners. We had to make great defensive plays and not let anyone on.”

Abby Ota and Scout Jennings each went 1 for 2 for Georgia Impact, which plays Wednesday night at 7:15 p.m.

WINNER'S BRACKET A

Firecrackers-Brashears 5, Texas Blaze United 4

Iowa Premier 5, Corona Angels-Howard 0

Aces Express 2, Carolina Cardinals 0

Birmingham Vipers 5, Diamond Sports Hotshots Falterman 3

Bandits Demarini-Helbling 2, Diamond Sports Hotshots Premier-Shaw 1

Georgia Impact-Guaseff 8, Ohana Tigers-Quarles 0

NorCal Firecrackers-Miller 7, Ohio Hawks-Hutchinson 0

NW Bullets-Muir 8, Breakers-Labs 5

Firecrackers-Brashear 5, Impact Gold Jazz 4

Iowa Premier 4, Lady Lightning 1

Aces Express 2, ACES Ashley 0

Tennesse Mojo-Lewis  11, Birmingham Vipers-Standifer 7

Bandits DeMarini-Helbling 2, Cal Nuggets-Woods 0

Texas Bombers-Jones 6, Georgia Impact-Guaseff 0

OK Athletics-Madden 8, NorCal Firecrackers-Miller 1

Indiana Magic-Rudd 5, NW Bullets-Muir 4

WINNER'S BRACKET B

So Cal Athletics-Jendro 12, Diamond Sports Hotshots Premier-Dumezich 9

Texas Glory-Naudin 7, Premier Fastpitch-Paulson 1

Corona Angels-Rogers 2, EC Bullets-Byers 1

AZ Storm-Mathis 1, SoCal Athletics-Briggs 0

Athletics Mercado-Greg 3, Lady Magic 2

Santa Fe Inferno-Humphrey 5, Firecrackers-Sewell 1

So Cal Choppers-Fausett 2, Cal Breeze-Birch 1

OC Batbusters-Lara 4, Fury Platinum-Bloomer 2

Beverly Bandits-Conroy 1, Aces Express 0

Tampa Mustangs-Maguire 4, Impact Gold National-Rodriguez 3

Tennessee Fury-Sargent 3, American Athletics-Peterson 1

EC Bullets CA 6, Easton Preps 2

Locomotion 2, Indiana Magic Gold-Lamar 0

Corona Angels-Slye 3, Santa Fe Inferno-Humphrey 2

So Cal Choppers-Fausett 1, Illinois Chill Gold 0

OC Batbusters-Lara 12, Colorado Angels Gold 3 (5 inn.)

Beverly Bandits-Conroy 11, SoCal Athletics-Jendro 2

Tampa Mustangs-Maguire 6, Texas Glory-Naudin 2

Corona Angels-Rogers 5, Tennessee Fury-Sargent 1

EC Bullets CA 6, AZ Storm-Mathis 5

Athletics Mercado-Greg 5, Locomotion 0