This is Brentt Eads of Line Drive Softball and let me first and foremost say to those across the country impacted by this huge and devastating storm that our thoughts and prayers go out to you.

The AZ Last Blast in being played in the Phoenix area and the temps today were in the 60’s and the play on the field was great but the ice and snow mega-storm stretching across the 1,300 miles of the U.S.—from Texas into the Northwest—has made an impact here in this last big club tourney before high school softball starts soon.

Teams that are back East, such as the Jersey Intensity, have had players leave early to fly home—five athletes did that earlier—and the team has had to pull players from local teams.

Other teams have had to deal with it too and we have our fingers crossed that the damage won’t get exponentially worse—as of Saturday evening, over 15,000 flights have been cancelled over the last 24 hours.

On to happier stuff… like the games on the field and more involving the first two days of this outstanding event…

*****

The Best Are Showing Why They’re the Best

Friday and the first half of Saturday was pool play and we learned very quickly who the Big Cats are in this jungle. Note: these comments were written Saturday evening before all the bracket games were completed…

18’s

As expected, Dave Mercado’s Athletics 18U team he runs with Mark Smith is dominating and you could make a case that this team is—and will—be the No. 1 18U team this summer.

In its pool (Pool D), the A’s went 3-0 and scored 33 runs to just four allowed.

Several other teams went 3-0 in 18’s including ai Bandits Breer, Power Surge – Walling, Warrior Academy – McDonald/Mullins, VOODOO – Rhinehart, AZ Hotshots Gold – Delsante, Wicked Select and NW Bullets – Campos.

Along with the Athletics – Mercado/Smith team, I like the NW Bullets (more on them in a minute) and a 2-0-1 Tennessee Mojo – Ramsey/Fisher team to have a chance to win it all.

16’s

Interesting, three orgs that have undefeated teams in 18U also have 3-0 teams in the 16’s:

• Athletics Mercado – Hovermale/Tidd,
• Warrior Academy – McDonald/Mullin
• NW Bullets Dawson/Muir.

If you’re looking for a leader in this age division, you have to again go A’s as the Rick Hovermale and Brian Tidd powerhouse has scored a whopping 42 runs while the strong pitching has only given up eight.

Again, I’m liking the standouts from the Northwest, the 16U Bullets team which has an amazing run differential in the trio of wins: 37 runs scored, just ONE allowed!

Keep an eye on the Breakers Labs/Chapelone team also… it it’s three wins the team has a 35-run differential thanks to 38 runs scored and just three given up…. Wow.

14’s

There a really good chance an Athletics – Mercado team will win this division because there are four… FOUR!… A’s teams with 3-0 pool records:

• Athletics – Mercado/Cook
• Athletics – Mercado/Tidd 2011
• Athletics – Mercado Dave 2012
• Athletics – Mercado/Mangini/Okayama

This will be fun to see one of these squads try to climb above all its “sister teams!”

My pick for an “outside the A’s monopoly in 14’s” are Neil Laukat’s Wildcats Premier 14U team which is 3-0 and Lady Magic – Allen 2029 which has an amazing 34 run differential with 43 runs scored and just nine allowed.

12’s

Just two pools in this age division with four teams at 3-0 going into bracket play: Breakers Labs – Gree, Firecrackers – Leles/Ziegler, PNW Force 12A – Meyers and, yes, an Athletics team… this one the Athletics – Mercado/Greg Gold team.

*****

The 2028 Class is Looking REALLY Strong

Tournaments like these always have themes and one that I’m seeing in this talent-loaded tournament is great, great sophomores, i.e. bluechippers in the Class of 2028.

Bullets Dangerous Duo

Let’s look at some of them starting with a pair of tremendous pitchers on the NW Bullets 18U team.

Earlier, I wrote that the NW Bullets 18U team is 3-0 and its due in large part to its pitching. The team has three standouts including Abby Edwards who’s going to Idaho State and pitched a complete game win on Saturday.

The others are Sierra Murray and Ali Evans and I had a chance to catch up with them this afternoon… pay attention to the end, where there’s a great response to my final question!

Getting on the Isa Express

Another 2028 who just looks and acts the part is Isa Pascual, a catcher on the Jersey Intensity team who Head Coach Kevin O’Donnell is already raving about for her offensive and defensive skills.

“Isa is tenacious behind the plate and is a wall who dares runners to test her arm. Her strength shows on both sides of the ball commanding defensively and bringing real power in the batter’s box. A versatile athlete, she’s also an outstanding third baseman with elite agility and instincts.”

Isi has played for the Dominican National Team and competed for the Intensity organization since the age of 10.

“Isa’s growth, work ethic, and competitive edge continue to separate her,” Coach O’Donnell continues.

“The future is bright and she’s only getting started.”

JoJo on the Mojo Is a Go Go

Looking for a bluchip hitter for your college team down the road? Put your stock in JoJo Thompson, who as shown in the video clip here just set a new exit velocity personal record.

And, counting this tournament as part of the Fall season, Jo Jo has hit 13 home runs going back to last September.

Here’s a photo of four players for Ramsey Harkness’s team who hit blasts yesterday and Jo Jo was one of them (pictured l-r: JoJo, Kayla Fletcher, Ava Briski and Kyndall Banks.

“JoJo is a strong and great kid, who’s super coachable,” Coach Harkness raved. “She has big pop in her bat and is mechanically sound behind the plate. She’s a big-time player, a great student and a sweetheart of a person!”

JoJo playing for the Mojo 18U team is another result of the big storm hitting the U.S. this week.

“Due to the weather,” Harkness continues, “I was seven players short so I pulled JoJo in off the Mojo AZ – Ramsey/Kalani 16U squad.”

And that has resulted in this outstanding talent becoming a nationally prominent player almost overnight.

*****

Home Run Bonanza

One other theme I’ve noticed over the past two days is the amazing number of homers being smacked, maybe more than any tournament or event I can remember.

We’re not in Colorado with the thin air (yes, Arizona is dry so we’ll admit that) but you’d never know it by the quality and quantity of home runs going over the fences here.

Take today for instance in the 18 action…

*** I watch the Wicked team out of New Mexico and in one half inning three players hit home runs back-to-back-to-back:

• Breanna Griego, a 2029 C/3B
• Bella Saiz, a 2026 grad committed to Western New Mexico
• Vanessa Lucero, a 2027 C/IF

And in case you’re wondering, the opposing team did make a pitching change after the first two dingers.

*** I then head to an adjacent field and I watch Claire Giese, a 2026 outfielder for Wisconsin Lightning who is committed to Wisconsin-Whitewater, send one over the makeshift fences.

And I was told that yesterday, Abby Plapp, a 2028 infielder, hit a grand slam.

*** I move on to catch the GenuWin Reign game and see three players on the team from the Illinois based team go deep: 2026 catcher Reese Forsythe, 2027 pitcher Mia Havrilla, and 2026 shortstop Olivia Boyd.

And that, as a reminder, was all within an hour on the same four-field complex in Mesa at the Arizona Athletic Grounds.

*****

The AZ Last Blast “Tough Guy Award”

Finally, the Tough Guy of the Tournament Award is a no-doubt gimme after Saturday’s action.

Or maybe “Toughing It Out” is more applicable.

Robbie Westover is the Arizona Rising 18U head coach and he coaches in the third base box.

This afternoon, one of his right-handed players hit a laser towards him and there was an audible, unified gasp by the fans in the stands and then silence.

The coach tried to step out of the way, but the ball curved right into his… ummm… let’s just say mid-section.

Coach Westover went down immediately and lay prone on the ground for what seemed like 10 minutes.

Finally, he got to his feet and indicated he could continue, but it apparently took a while for the pain to go away to allow him to continue.

I shot the attached photo and got his permission to use… so why publish? To illustrate the toughness of this coach who was able to finish the game in a situation where many others would/could be taken to the hospital.

— Brentt Eads/Line Drive Softball