Triple Crown P5 Patriot Games was held June 26-28 in Fort Collins, CO (All rankings are Line Drive Hot 50 Club National Rankings):

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18U: ACES FASTPITCH 5, TEXAS GLORY 2

#6 Aces Fastpitch knocked off #17 Texas Glory, 5-2, in the 18U championship game on Sunday at Triple Crown Sports Campus in Fort Collins, CO.

Missouri-bound 1B/UT Sidney Forrester, #22 in the 2025 Line Drive Hot 100, had two hits, a three-run home run and four RBIs to help the Aces in the final.

“Winning the Patriot Games provides us with a shared sense of accomplishment for sure, but it also represents our hard work, our commitment to push through when some of us are on or off a game, it definitely boosts our confidence and hopefully motivates us to continue this momentum for future success starting next week in the Super Cup and IDT,” Forrester said.

“Many of us are going to college soon, so we are cherishing these last moments together and winning makes it that much sweeter. Go Aces!”

Aces Fastpitch defeated #22 Firecrackers Select-Rico/Brashear, 10-1, #32 Select Fastpitch-Jones, 12-1, and Texas Glory, 5-2, in bracket games.

“Excellent team effort all day,” Aces coach Ryan Taylor said. “They controlled all facets of the game.

Texas Glory defeated #38 Epic National-Smith, 7-2, #5 Texas Bombers Gold-Smith, 8-7, and lost to Aces Fastpitch, 5-2, in bracket games.

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16U: ATHLETICS MERCADO-HOVERMALE/TIDD 10, IMPACT GOLD-JAZZ 9

2027 MIF/OF Hayden Huerta, #16 in the 2027 Line Drive Hot 100, hit a walk-off home run in the bottom of the 5th inning as #1 Athletics Mercado-Hovermale/Tidd pulled out a 10-9 win over #25 Impact Gold-Jazz in the 16U championship game on Sunday at Rolland Moore in Fort Collins, CO.

“My swing felt good and I was seeing the ball well,” Huerta said. “I wasn’t trying to do too much. I just wanted to hit the ball up the middle to get on base and give my team a chance. I was fortunate enough to be able to get lift on the ball and drive it opposite field. My slaps weren’t finding holes today, so I went back to my hitting. This means a lot for our team because we were able to defend our title from last year. This also gives us momentum going into the (Triple Crown) Sparkler next week.”

Huerta went 3 for 4 with to runs and two RBIs, 2027 1B Bree Carlson, #29 in the 2027 Line Drive Hot 100, homered and drove in four runs and 2028 OF Teuila Jaelynn Etiaki went 2 for 2 with a run to help AM-Tidd/Hovermale.

AM-Hovermale/Tidd defeated #13 Firecrackers Select Brashear, 4-1, #22 Louisville Lady Sluggers-Huecker/Norwood, 5-4, and Impact Gold-Jazz, 10-9, in bracket games.

Impact Gold-Jazz defeated #20 Georgia Impact-O’Neal, 5-4, #4 Texas Bombers Gold-Serie, 11-4, and lost to AM-Tidd/Hovermale, 10-9, in bracket games.

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14U: ATHLETICS MERCADO 2010-TIDD 5, BIRMINGHAM THUNDERBOLTS PREMIER 2028-BRASHEARS/PARKER 3

#1 Athletics Mercado 2010-Tidd pulled out a 5-3 victory over #7 Birmingham Thunderbolts Premier 2028-Brashears/Parker in the 14U championship game on Sunday at Rolland Moore in Fort Collins, CO.

2029 3B/C/OF Paityn Miller went 2 for 3 with two RBIs, 2028 Alofania “Nia” Talataina, #6 in the 2028 Line Drive Hot 100, went 2 for 3 with a home run, 2028 OF Kendra Nelson went 1 for 3 with a run and an RBI and 2029 MIF Audrey Iwai, #3 in the 2029 Line Drive Hot 100, went 1 for 4 with an RBI to lead AM-Tidd in the final. 2028 MIF/OF Sophia Hernandez, #5 in the 2028 Line Drive Hot 100, and 2028 CF/MIF Makayla Encinas, #11 in the 2028 Line Drive Hot 100, each had two hits in the finals.

P Destinee Herrera, #14 in the 2028 Line Drive Hot 100, and 2028 C Laney Sweeney, #16 in the 2028 Line Drive Hot 100, were co-MVPs of the tournament. Herrera closed out the semifinals and pitched the championship game. She allowed six earned runs in 20 innings for the weekend. Sweeney batted .500 and picked off a number of baserunners in the tournament. 

AM-Tidd defeated #6 Corona Angels-Tyson, 7-3, Fury Platinum X-Higdon/Huckabay, 8-7, and Thunderbolts-Brashears/Parker, 5-3, in bracket games.

Thunderbolts-Brashears/Parker defeated Arizona Rising-Appel/Kobasew, 13-3, #17 Oklahoma Athletics National 2010-Madden, 13-12, and lost to AM-Tidd, 5-3, in bracket games.

— Carlos Arias, Line Drive Media (Follow Carlos on Twitter @los_stuff)