AFCS was held July 20-27 in Kokomo, IN (All rankings are Line Drive Hot 50 Club Nationals Rankings):

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18U: ACES FASTPITCH CLUB 5, TEXAS BOMBERS GOLD-SMITH 3

Nebraska-committed 2026 3B/1B Kali Bogart, #12 in the 2026 Line Drive Hot 100, hit a grand slam in the top of the 2nd inning and #6 Aces Fastpitch Club rode it to a 5-3 victory over #5 Texas Bombers Gold-Smith in Game 2 of the national championship series on Sunday in Kokomo, IN.

The Aces were in the national championship series for the second time in three years and captured their first national championship. The Bombers, who won the 18U Alliance national title last summer, were playing in the national championship series for the fourth time in five years.

“I’m so pumped!!” Bogart said. “Just knowing what we’ve been through all summer and how much we grinded feels so rewarding. The Taylors (Ryan and Taylor Taylor) do such a good job of preparing us for long weeks like this and leading us to peak at the right time. This took a combined team effort of trust and playing our parts. We all had a job to do. We know we put in the work, and we were all confident coming into the series.” 

Oklahoma-bound RHP Allyssa Parker, #4 in the 2025 Line Drive Hot 100, went the distance, scattering eight hits, allowing two earned runs and striking out four in 7.0 innings to record the win for the Aces.

“This was and has been our biggest dream for many years,” Parker said. “We have worked our butts off for this moment and so have our coaches. Their main goal was to get us to believe in ourselves as much as they believed in us. This week, we really bought into that. I’m so happy for my teammates because we have done nothing but grind all summer and it finally paid off.”

The Aces have come close in the past before finally reaching the top.

“To win a national championship, there are so many moments in the silent,” Aces coach Ryan Taylor said. “Those moments and consistently pursuing your process allow you to be special! This group was special and showed they were the best in the country!  (They had) 141 HRs and 587 RBIs (this summer).”

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16U: WARRIOR ACADEMY-MCDONALD 6, IMPACT GOLD-JAZZ 2

#34 Warrior Academy-McDonald beat #25 Impact Gold-Jazz, 6-2, in Game 2 to capture the national championship on Sunday at Kokomo, IN.

It was the second national title for Warrior Academy in five years. They won the 16U Alliance national championship as the West Bay Warriors in 2021. Impact Gold was in the national championship series for the second time since 2023.

2027 RHP Lila McLeod continued her excellent pitching in the tournament, going 7.0 innings, allowing two hits and two runs while striking out two to record the win for Warrior Academy.

“It’s surreal!” McLeod said. “I’ve worked towards this moment for my entire career! I’m so incredibly proud of my team and thankful for all my coaches!! I am also very excited for my organization as a whole! Warriors is my family and we all work very hard every day to be ready for moments like today! My team and I are beyond excited to take this victory. We have all worked so hard for each other and strive to outwork other teams!!

“Today, I felt at ease on the mound and calm because if there was an error or hit, it didn’t matter because I knew my team had my back and I had theirs! I feel so confident with them behind me because I see how hard they work! I have said this before, but I do believe that part of the time the outcome of a game relies on talent, but for the most part I believe it’s who wants it more and who is hungrier and we were hungrier today! Alliance Nationals was a great opportunity that turned into a great moment! I’m excited for what’s next. Back to work.”

2028 SS/UT Arielle Henriquez went 4 for 4 with a run, 2028 CF Star Gutierrez had two RBIs, 2026 3B/C Skylar Loo went 1 for 4 with two RBIs and 2028 SS Gia Ryan went 2 for 4 with a run to lead Warrior Academy.

“It took a complete team effort and a lot of mental toughness,” Warrior Academy coach Mickey McDonald said. “Long week, a lot of games in hot weather, everyone’s tired, but this is what we train for and they found a way to show up every day with a full tank and give it everything they had. All of our hitters, 1-9, contributed in big moments this week and had short memories when things didn’t go their way. Lila McLeod really put the team on her back in the circle and handled business.”

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

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ALLIANCE FASTPITCH CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES (AFCS)

AT KOKOMA, IN, JULY 27

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18U TIER 1

NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES

• Aces Fastpitch Club 16, Texas Bombers Gold-Smith 9
• Aces Fastpitch Club 5, Texas Bombers Gold-Smith 3

18U TIER 2

NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES

• Midwest Speed National-Holt 4, OC Batbusters-Stith/Black 0
• OC Batbusters-Stith/Black 2, Midwest Speed National-Holt 0
• Midwest Speed National-Holt 4, OC Batbusters-Stith/Black 2

18U TIER 3

NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES

• Athletics Gold Tamborra-Freeman 10, Impact Gold NTX National 1
• Athletics Gold Tamborra-Freeman 9, Impact Gold NTX National 0

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16U TIER 1

NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES

• Warrior Academy-McDonald 5, Impact Gold-Jazz 4
• Warrior Academy-McDonald 6, Impact Gold-Jazz 2

16U TIER 2

NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES

• Firecrackers Select Brashear 3, Iowa Premier National-Dickel/Shannon 2
• Iowa Premier National-Dickel/Shannon 12, Firecrackers Select Brashear 4
• Firecrackers Select Brashear 8, Iowa Premier National-Dickel/Shannon 0

16U TIER 3

NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES

• MS Bombers National-Knight 22, Bombers Gold Ark-La-Tx 7
• Bombers Gold Ark-La-Tx 4, MS Bombers National-Knight 2
• MS Bombers National-Knight 2, Bombers Gold Ark-La-Tx 0