Athletics Mercado, AZ Rising claim 16U, 18U PGF Premier National Championships

The PGF Premier National Championship games gave us two vastly different contests. Athletics Mercado Hovermale/Tidd completed an incredible run in Huntington Beach, completing an undefeated tournament to win the PGF Premier 16U National Championship via a walk-off. While Arizona Rising Appeal continued their dominance with a run-rule win over Lady Dukes Lamar.

PGF Premier 16U Championship Game Recap

Athletics Mercado Hovermale/Tidd 3, Hotshots National- Galloway 2

Championship heroics were on stage in the bottom of the seventh as the Athletics utilized fundamental softball to push across the walk-off game winner. Tiffany Villegas (2027) led off with a base hit to left and was sacrificed to second base by shortstop Jenna Caldera (2027). With one out, lefty pinch hitter and star in the making Teuila Jaelynn Eteaki (2028) hit a bouncing base hit up the middle, scoring the game winner in the 3-2 championship victory.

The game began as a pitcher’s duel as both pitchers were limiting the opponents’ offenses the first time through the order. Sara Wiggins (2026- Wichita State) started on the mound for the Hotshots while Daniella Boccanfuso (2027) was in the circle for the Athletics. Both offenses struggled to get comfortable the first time through the order as each side traded outs, changing speeds at will. 

The Hotshots got on the board first when Bayleigh Taylor (2027) broke open the scoring in the top of the third. Rhilynn McCoy (2026- LA Tech) singled to left and came around to score on a pop fly single by Taylor between the shortstop and left fielder that kicked away, allowing the first run of the game. 

In the bottom of the inning, the Athletics Mercado squad answered back. Caldera led off with an infield single, was bunted over to second by Leighton Gray (2027) before leadoff batter Hayden Huerta (2027) doubled to left to bring in the tying run. Charli “Chuck” Masingale (2027) stepped to the plate and singled through the left side to bring in the go-ahead run. A pop-out and ground-out ended the inning. 

The Hotshots looked to have something brewing in the fourth when Daniela Villarreal (2027) connected on a line drive single to center, but was cut down stealing to end the threat. 

The Hotshots tied the game in the top of the fifth when Gracee Brewer (2026- McNeese State) singled and advanced to 2^nd on an errant throw. A sacrifice bunt sent her to third and the next batter hit a hard shot on the infield that wasn’t handled, scoring the tying run. 

The bottom of the inning proved to be a showcase on defense for the Hotshots. Taylor, an elite fielding shortstop, retired all three batters on two ground balls and a lineout. 

After several loud outs by both teams, the Athletics nearly pulled away in the bottom of the sixth. Masingale led off with a walk, Bree Carlson (2027) sacrificed the courtesy runner to second, setting the stage for Eva Bustamante (2027). Bustamante ripped a line drive single that nearly drilled the runner leading off at second, causing her to stumble and hold up at third. With runners at first and third, the Hotshots were able to induce a groundout to third to end the threat. 

Nevertheless, Athletics Mercado Hovermale/Tidd came out on top an inning later.

PGF Premier 18U Championship Game Recap

AZ Rising- Appel 19, Lady Dukes Lamar 2

The second game on Championship Saturday featured the AZ Rising, champions of Bracket A, facing the Lady Dukes Lamar. The Lady Dukes showed a ton of grit to get to the Championship game as they battled against a tough Birmingham Thunderbolts squad, which had forced the “if” game in Bracket B before falling to the Lady Dukes. 

The 18U Premier game is always littered with talent already committed to several collegiate rosters, and this year followed suit. The matchup featured a battle between two starting pitchers that had carried their teams as the Lady Dukes’ Jordynn Parnell (2026- Duke) faced AZ Rising’s star Goose Goodwin (2026- Northwestern). 

Parnell came out firing in the first inning, showing her ability to use the top and bottom of the zone. Her arm-side rise and off-speed combo proved to be on display early in the game. Goodwin blazed her own trail, establishing her rise and curve early that trailed away from the lefties and simply slid off the table.

Both teams traded outs and stranded baserunners in the first inning before the AZ Rising broke through with two outs in the top half of the second inning. With two outs, Kaelyn Moffit (2026- Boston College) and Peyton Valentine (2026- Auburn) walked before Karsyn Norton (2026- NC State) singled to left and came around to score on a throwing error that escaped past the outfielder, clearing the bases. A strikeout ended the inning, but not before the Rising took an early 3-run lead.

The AZ Rising blew it wide open in the top of the third, scoring thirteen runs. Torynn Slaughter (2026- Alabama) led off the inning with a deep double to right field off the 220 ft fence setting up a RBI single by Madi Sauni (2025- Texas A&M). Taylor Hampton (2026- Texas A&M) singled and Emma Ford (2026- Clemson) tripled to center scoring two prompting a pitching change for the Lady Dukes. 

The AZ Rising bats proved to be too hot to tame as an infield error and walk loaded the bases. Another walk plated one before Peyton Westra (2026- Oklahoma) delivered a big blow that got past the diving left fielder for a bases-clearing triple, pushing the score to 11-0. A second pitching change didn’t seem to phase the Rising as Slaughter, hitting for the second time in the inning, recorded an RBI groundout. Consecutive hits by Sauni and Hampton placed runners at first and second before a foul pop out, and a walk loaded the bases once again. Valentine stepped to the plate and hit a towering grand slam to center to the deepest part of Deanna Manning Stadium. 

A fourth-inning homerun by Alex Williams (2026-South Carolina) for the Lady Dukes showed some fight, but wouldn’t be enough to stave off the run-rule.

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