There seems to be a point in almost every battle where the outcome could be—or is—in doubt.

That happened in the fourth inning of Saturday’s PGF 18U Nationals, which pitted two well-established and successful travel ball organizations against each as the Birmingham Thunderbolts and the Athletics – Mercado teams met at Bill Barber Park in Irvine, Calif.

Bolts pitcher Katelynn “Red” Oxley, a 2024 grad from Bartow (Fla.) High who’s headed to the Univ. of Florida, was on a dominating roll as she gave up just a two-out single in the first inning and up to the fifth inning.

By that point, the Rocky Thompson-led Thunderbolts had built up a 5-0 lead and looked to be cruising to a second PGF Nationals title under the esteemed coach and a third overall.

The Athletics – Mercado, though, didn’t become one of the best travel ball organizations by giving up whenever facing a deficit.

Oxley gave up just her second hit of the game in the top of the fifith inning on an impressive two-out bunt to the right side of the infield by Kaylyn Jones but that looked like it wouldn’t do any damage.

Well, not quite… even down by five with two outs, the A’s showed how explosive their line-up can be.

With runners at first and third, McKenzie Butt smashed a hit to the right field fence driving in two runs to, suddenly and quickly, narrow the lead to 5-2 and make a game out of what had looked early on to be a laugher.

The A’s would load the bases and even bring the tying run to first base and the go-ahead score to the plate before Oxley would close the inning with a fly-out to end the threat and, essentially, any chance they would have of getting back into the game after trailing big early on in the title match.

Ironically, Birmingham Thunderbolts took an early lead when it looked like a potential rally had been shut down.

Texas-bound pitcher Camry Salmon and the A’s had dodged a bullet when the Bolts got a runner on first with no outs, but a hard-hit line drive to Jones at second base was grabbed and then thrown to first for the double play.

The Bolts, however, didn’t get discouraged but used a walk to Mari Hubbard and a triple by Ava Hodo to post the first run of the day on the board.

Brantlee Wortham walked before Zaylen Tucker would single to center bringing home Presley Hull, who had come in as a pinch-runner, to push the score to 2-0. Saviya Morgan next singled to make the score 3-0… again, all with two outs.

The Bolts pushed two more across in the bottom of the fourth after opening the inning when Zaylen Tucker singled to right field, Morgan bunted safety to put runners on first and second Bella Foran got a two-run single to right to push the lead to 5-0.

After the Athletics posted their only two runs of the game in the fifth inning, the powerful Bolts offensive put up another two themselves to extend the lead to 7-2, which would be what the final score would be.

— Brentt Eads/Line Drive Softball

Here’s a clip of the final play in the Bolts victory: