Week 1 at PGF Nationals is getting serious as Wednesday’s action saw action that has narrowed the field to the Sweet 16 at 18U Premier and Elite 8 at 18U Platinum, 16U Premier and 16U Platinum.
Below you’ll find the results from the Winner’s Brackets… note that a team from the Loser’s Bracket for each age division will have a chance to advance as well.
First team listed was the winner of each match-up and, starting with the top team, will play the team underneath them (example: in 18U Premier the Thunderbolts will play the Illinois Chill).
To start, however, we look at some of the standouts who had big games to help their teams advance in the 18U Premier winner’s bracket…
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*** Take the Mojo 18U – Ramsey/Fisher team, for example.
The talented squad coached by Ramsey Harkness and Josh Fisher improved to 2-0 bracket play and is now 5-0 on the week.
Last night, in an 8-2 victory over a good BSC Bengals – Briggs, team, the Mojo had eight hits and was supported by two strong pitching efforts.
“Our pitching combination of Kendall Cochran and Lyla Morici was excellent,” Coach Fisher said, “and we did a very nice job of timely hitting.”
According to the coaches, a half dozen players really stood out in the evening game:
“We are very proud of our youngsters, as they have had an incredible summer,” Fisher continued. “We are 26-6 playing against the nations’ best and we look forward to the challenges that lie ahead this week.”
The Mojo play today against the Lady Dukes 18U – Lamar team at 12:30 pm PST/9:30 and EST.
*** Speaking of the Lady Dukes… James Lamar’s team had an explosive 15-1 win Wednesday and, while with 15 runs, you can figure that many on the team contributed offensively and in the circle.
Coach Lamar highlighted two players who really shined on Wednesday in the Lady Dukes pair of games.
“In two games, 2025 catcher Gabby Shadek, a Duke commit, had three home runs with nine RBIs and Brielle Texada, a 2026 utility player and Georgia verbal, had two home runs with seven RBIs.”
*** Gerry Quinn’s Illinois Chill team saw standout pitcher Bella Dimitrijevic, a 2025 grad who is headed to Florida State, shined in the Chill’s 2-0 win last night as she threw just 72 pitches to get the win.
“Bella didn’t have her usual strikeout numbers,” Coach Quinn said, “but she spun the ball well and created a lot of popups.”
Bella was a 1st Team High School All-America recently announced on Line Drive… here’s her write-up:
Bella Dimitrijevic (Sr., Lincoln-Way Central, New Lenox Ill.)
Bella is signed with Florida State and is ranked No. 8 in the Line Drive HOT 100. A two-time Gatorade State Player of the year, she went 23-1 as a senior with 349 strikeouts and a stingy 349 strikeouts, averaging almost 15 per game. On the season, Bella gave up only 11 earned runs. Last fall, she competed for the Croatian National Team in the Women’s Softball European Championships held in the Netherlands. The talented athlete was strong academically as well with a 4.35 GPA.
*** Abby Lovell, a 2025 pitcher headed to Troy, was outstanding for Coach Stacy Tamborra’s Athletic Gold team on Wednesday.
In her first game on Wednesday, she pitched seven innings with 15 strikeouts and only two hits allowed and in the second game she again went the distance giving up four hits and recorded eight strikeouts.
*** The Team North Carolina – Hinde win in the evening game was a thriller as outfielder Adelyn Mathews, a Duke commit, made a diving catch in the outfield and threw to second to finish a double play to end the game, a 7-6 thriller over Athletics Mercado – Smith.
Mathews was also big on offense as she went 2-for-4 with two doubles.
Others who helped at the plate for Kevin Hinde’s team included Sarah Rocheleau, a Clemson commit who hit a solo home run in the top of the 3rd inning; Sahara Wilson, a North Carolina commit who went 2-for-2 with two doubles and a walk and Ava Estep, a Maryland commit who went 2-for-4 with a pair of doubles.
Team NC will face off today against Unity at 12:30 pm PST/3:30 pm EST.
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