AZ Last Blast VI was held Jan. 23-25 in Mesa/Gilbert, AZ:

*****

18U: ARIZONA RISING-APPEL 8, GEORGIA IMPACT PREMIER-TAYLOR 2

Arizona Rising-Appel, the defending 18U PGF national champion, took care of Georgia Impact Premier-Taylor, 8-2, in the 18U championship game of AZ Last Blast VI on Sunday at Grand Canyon University.

Oklahoma-bound OF/SS/3B/UT Payton Westra (.550 AVG, 1.450 SLG, 5 HRs, 12 RBIs), Boston College-bound 2B/3B/UT Kaelynn Moffitt (.533 AVG, 2 HRs, 8 RBIs), Purdue-bound MIF/UT Alena Mascarenas (.500 AVG), Utah State-committed 2027 P/3B Aubrey Chavez (.158 BAA, 11 Ks, 11 IP) and UC San Diego-committed 2027 OF/P Angie Falls (2.33 ERA, 9 Ks, .212 BAA).

“This was a big win for us, playing some top competition coast to coast before we shut down for high school ball,” Arizona Rising coach Steve Appel said. “It showed the toughness this team has to battle injuries and sickness, but still battle and win the championship. We have a target on our back as defending PGF champions, but we are excited for the summer to compete against the best. Shout out to One Swing Events for once again putting on one of the best events in fall.”

Arizona Rising-Appel defeated Wisconsin Lightning, 8-3, NW Bullets-Campos, 8-5, Power Surge-Walling, 8-4, Athletics Mercado-Smith, 8-5, and Georgia Impact Premier-Taylor, 8-2, in bracket games.

Georgia Impact Premier-Taylor defeated Indiana Magic Gold-Green, 7-6, Wicked Select, 8-0, Washington Ladyhawks-Miller/Simpson, 8-0, Tennessee Mojo-Ramsey/Fisher, 6-4, Cal Nuggets-Woods, 7-0, and lost to Arizona Rising-Appel, 8-2, in bracket games.

*****

16U: ATHLETICS MERCADO-HOVERMALE/WALKER VS. ATHLETICS MERCADO-HOVERMALE/TIDD

Athletics Mercado-Hovermale/Walker and Athletics Mercado-Hovermale/Tidd both reached the final and decided not to play the 16U championship on Sunday at Grand Canyon University since both teams are from the same organization.

Athletics Mercado-Hovermale/Walker was led by 2028 OF Presley Walker (.667. AVG), 2028 OF/P/1B/UT Tatum Wolff (.571 AVG, 2 HRs, 10 RBIs), 2028 1B/OF/3B Molly Cappola (3 HRs, 7 RBIs), 2028 MIF/3B Peyton Seevers (6 RBIs), 2028 P/OF/1B/UT Wolff (27 Ks, 5 ER, pitched a perfect game), 2028 MIF/C Aubrey Sims (.600 AVG, 2 CS) and 2028 P/1B Jade Torres (18 Ks).

“This win means a lot to our team because of the work it took to get here,” Athletics Mercado coach Mat Walker said. “We had an extremely competitive fall season where a lot of our athletes were being evaluated and going through the recruiting process and that can be challenging for a team to navigate. It raised the standard in our practices and games. The kids learned how to compete every pitch, support each other and stay locked in on team goals.

“Winning this championship shows where this group is now — more connected and confident in who we are. The fall helped put our players on the radar individually, but this tournament, against the best teams in the region, shows what we can do collectively. I’m really proud of how they handled the process and came together when it mattered most.”

2028 OF/1B Jae Eteaki (12 for 13, 5 BBs, 12 runs, 8 RBIs, .923 AVG, 1.538 OPS, 1 HR), 2028 1B/MIF/3B Audrey Iwai (9 hits, 9 runs, 4 RBIs, .643 AVG, 1.453 OPS), 2028 3B/P/OF/SS Ella Poulin (11 hits, 8 runs, 12 RBIs, .613 AVG, 1.842 OPS, 2 HRs) and 2028 OF/UT Kendra Nelsen (11 hits, 8 runs, 10 RBIs, .612 AVG, 1.324 OPS).

“(AZ Last Blast tournament director) Ramsey (Harkness) runs a great tournament and we always look forward to attending this event,” Athletics Mercado coach Brian Tidd said. “This AM-Hovermale/Tidd won the event last year and we looked forward to having the opportunity to repeat. It was a great weekend with the entire team pitching in and grinding for every win. The girls have given us coaches a lot this fall and it is nice to win prior to taking a break and going dark for high school.”

Athletics Mercado-Hovermale/Walker defeated Indiana Magic Gold-Langlois/DePaulis, 7-3, Desert Thunder-Dietz, 15-0, Arizona Rising-Garcia, 7-6, Wildcats-Holcomb/Knight, 8-4, and DNP’d Athletics Mercado-Hovermale/Tidd in bracket games.

Athletics Mercado-Hovermale/Tidd defeated Team Hustle-Roman, 11-3, Tucson Suncats-Pacho, 15-0, Firecrackers RTY 2027, 8-5, ai Bandits-Breer, 12-0, and DNP’d Athletics Mercado-Hovermale/Walker in bracket play.

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

*****

14U: ATHLETICS MERCADO-COOK 13, NW BULLETS-HERMAN 1

The 14U championship game of the AZ Last Blast VI played at Grand Canyon University’s softball stadium matched the Athletics Mercado-Cook and NW Bullets-Herman teams as the second of the four games on the final day of the three-day event.

The Bullets from the state of Washington and the So Cal-based A’s both went undefeated heading into the finale with the Bullets outscoring their seven opponents 64-5 while the A’s were equally dominant with 66 runs scored against eight runs scored.

As it played out on Sunday in the finale, one of those teams would keep the pedal to the medal offensively while the other would struggle just to get on base as the A’s won 13-1.

The matchup of the two West Coast powers was scoreless until the top of the 3rd inning when the Athletics opened the floodgates, scoring six runs, all with one out.

2029 RF Tori Navarro singled and stole second before she scored on an error, allowing 2030 CF Delilah Bui to go to second. 2029 SS Jaylene Guadagnolo was hit by a pitch and both advanced to third and second on steals.

2029 2B Mikaela “KK” Williams walked to load the bases and an infield single by 2029 C Mia Zuniga brought home Bui and advanced Guadagnolo to third and Williams to second, making the score 2-0.

2029 DP Kennedy Balber singled to left field, bringing Williams and Guadagnolo home and allowing 2029 CR Brooklyn Gabriele, who was subbed in for Zuniga, to advance to third and Balber to second, doubling the score to 4-0.

2029 P/1B Madison Urbina then singled, bringing Balber and Gabrielle across the plate to make the score 6-0 in the middle of the 3rd inning. That wasn’t all the offense the A’s would muster, however.

In the top of the 4th, the visiting team added another run via a sac fly by Bui to plate 2029 LF Hannah Weber to make the score 7-0.

The Bullets broke through for the team’s first run in the bottom of the 5th on a towering home run to center by 2030 IF Breya Milloy to make the score 7-1.

But the A’s weren’t done, adding six more in the top of the 6th inning via a two-out, two-run double by Guadagnolo and an RBI infield single by Guadagnolo to bring home 2029 3B Jaslyn Mendez and 2029 1B Finlee Angle to put the lead to 10-1. The final damage came via a double by Balber to bring in three more to give the Athletics a 13-1 lead, which would be the final score.

The Athletics offense totaled 14 hits in the win with nine players getting at least one hit. Balber, who was hot all weekend, went 2 for 4 with five RBIs and Navarro went 3 for 3 and scored two runs.

As strong as the Athletics’ offense was, however, the pitching by 2029 P/1B Maddie Pitts was equally impressive. She went the distance, giving up just three hits, one being the home run, with the one earned run, two walks and six strikeouts.

Athletics Mercado-Cook defeated Arizona Storm-Lavine, 11-0, Select Fastpitch-Jones/Carr, 9-2, Breakers Labs-Andrade/Roberts, 5-3, Athletics Mercado 2012-Dave, 8-0, and NW Bullets-Herman, 13-1, in bracket games.

*****

12U: ATHLETICS MERCADO-GREG 5, BREAKERS LABS-GREGG 4

The opening championship game of AZ Last Blast VI was the 12U title matchup between Athletics Mercado-Greg and Breakers Labs-Gregg, two Southern California-based teams.

It was, essentially, the “Battle of the Greg(g)s” with Greg Borzilleri leading the black and white-clad Athletics and Rachelle Gregg coaching the blue/black-dressed Breakers with the Athletics coming out on top, 5-4.

Both teams went 5-0 in their Friday and Saturday games with the Athletics making it to Sunday’s championship with a 10-0 win over Firecrackers Leles-Ziegler while the Breakers squeaked out a 6-5 win over Arizona Rising 2031.

The Breakers outscored their opponents 40-11 in their five wins prior to the championship while the Athletics topped their opponents by a similar 40-12 run differential.

Sunday’s title game started off the four title contests at the beautiful GCU Softball Stadium on the Grand Canyon University campus in Phoenix, AZ, and ultimately was decided by the outstanding pitching arm of 2031 RHP Sofia Lafferty, the A’s starter.

The title game started with the Athletics plating a run in the top of the 1st when 2032 LF Jasmine Shaw singled to drive in 2031 CF Brooklyn Moore, who led off the game by being hit by a pitch, but the Breakers tied it with a two-out single by 2031 SS Maddy Sawada.

The A’s offense pushed three more runs across in the top of the 2nd to make the score 4-1 after just 1 ½ innings and midway through the top of the 2nd the Breakers had already made a pitching change.

The trio of runs came courtesy of 2031 2B Abigail Sanchez scoring on an error, 2032 3B Nia Hernandez doubling to bring home 2031 DP Mia Landeros and Hernandez scoring on a bunt by Shaw.

The Breakers cut the lead in half in the bottom of the 6th inning when 2031 RF Emma Spiegel walked and scored from second on a one-out single by 2031 MIF/P Lillie Gregg to make the score 4-2.

In the top of the 6th, Shaw would get her third hit of the day and come around to score on a double to right center by 2031 1B Koko Balderama to make the score 5-2.

The bottom of the 7th had some drama and saw the Breakers put the tying run at the plate after a single by 2032 P/1B Abbey Frey and a fielder’s choice throw to second where Frey was safe.

With two outs and a full count, 2031 3B Mila Battiest hit a two-run single to right to cut the score to 5-4 with the tying run on first, but Lafferty was able to get her 12th strikeout to end the game and seal the win.

Going the distance, Laffery gave up four hits, two earned runs and three walks while striking out a dozen Breakers’ hitters.

Sawada pitched from the 2nd inning on for the Breakers and did a solid job in relief, pitching six innings and giving up four hits, one earned runs and striking out four.

Lafferty had three complete games, 2031 RHP Madison Carter had two complete games and 2032 LHP Maddie Felix had one complete game to lead Athletics Mercado-Greg for the tournament.

Balderama, 2031 SS Sophia O’Neal, 2031 C Jojo Poyer, 2031 RF Olivia Young, Landeros, Shaw, Hernandez and Sanchez led Athletics Mercado-Greg’s high-powered offense.

“I’m really hoping it acts as a springboard for us,” Athletics Mercado coach Greg Borzileri said. “I think this was a great weekend to get out of California and play together. Now, they are starting to take that next step. We are just scratching the surface of what we can be. We’re very excited for this group.”

Athletics Mercado-Greg defeated Arizona Storm-Rodriguez, 4-1, Firecrackers Leles-Ziegler, 10-0, and Breakers Labs-Gregg, 5-4, in bracket games.

Breakers Labs-Gregg beat Washington Ladyhawks-Golden, 5-2, Arizona Rising 2031-Yesenski, 6-5, and lost to Athletics Mercado-Greg, 5-4, in bracket games.

— Brentt Eads, Line Drive Softball

For AZ Last Blast VI brackets and results, CLICK HERE.