After pool play over the weekend, it was time to get serious at PGF Nationals with bracket action starting on Tuesday for Week 1 featuring the higher age divisions of 18U and 16U (14U, 12U and 10U will battle for the titles next week, Week 2).

The “Premier” age division, meaning the best of the best, played at Huntington Beach Sports Complex—primarily the 18U’s—while the 16U’s mostly competing at the Fountain Valley Sports Complex.

Here are some highlights from both parks…

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Player of the Day: Kate McCartney, Lady Magic 18U – Munoz

A very subjective award, to be sure, but you won’t find too many who had a better day than Kate McCartney, the tremendous infielder who was ranked No. 2 in last year’s 2028 HOT 100 rankings (NOTE: the updated ’28 rankings will be released next month).

Kate had a pair of two-run homers that helped the Lady Magic run-rule a solid D1VISION team.

Here’s where it gets interesting regarding Kate: Sept. 1 will be the first day college coaches can contact players in that class and the outstanding prospect will likely be very busy that day talking to college coaches.

Schools like UCLA and Oklahoma are reportedly very interested in her and we’d be willing to bet the farm that the Bruins will be one of those making contact on Sept. 1… and why do we think that?

Because Head Coach Kelly Inouye-Perez was in the stands watching and since there are three uncommitted players on the team—the others 2028 catcher Emma Johnson 2029 middle infielder Kendrick Jobe (both top-ranked players in their own right)—it’s a good bet that the Bruins head was there to show Kate that UCLA is thinking of her!

Here’s an interview with Kate after her big offensive game…

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Cal Head Coach Also in the Stands

Not a surprise Cal Head Coach Steve Singleton was at the Lady Magic game, also, as the Golden Bears have three commits on Earnie and Lindsey Munoz’s juggernaut of a team… the trio being Mikayla Finn, Morgan Carlson and Gianna Willes.

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Just a Very Few of the College Coaches in the Stands

Since we’re dropping names of college coaches, here are some other schools we saw represented with recruiters watching games in Orange County today (not at ALL a complete list!):

• Florida
• Florida State
• Syracuse
• Northwestern
• South Carolina
• Pitt
• Michigan State
• Louisville
• Tennessee
• Minnesota

… and so on.

Many college coaches will be coming in the next few days as well… on Oregon Duck recruit’s mom said Coach Melyssa Lombardi will be one of those traveling to the SoCal event in the next day or two.

And that’s not to say Oregon coaches aren’t at PGF Nationals already, just saying the event is so good that head coaches will be making appearances sooner than later from all over the country.

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Loudest Fans

Lot of good candidates today, but I give the nod to the Bandits 16U – Glass team.

When 2029 infielder Gracelyn Schafer hit a two-run single, in an afternoon game, you would’ve thought it was a walk-off winner!

Kudos to the Midwest team for being so high energy.

… and speaking of high energy, perhaps the most impressive I saw was the Lady Magic team mentioned earlier.

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Star on the Rise

Remember this name: Dulcie Cleeland.

Another 2028 star to watch, this corner infielder is elite across the board: her bat, her defense, her athleticism.

Speaking of that last attribute, you don’t have to look hard to see where she got THAT from: her dad was an NFL lineman and mom played softball at Washington and helped the Huskies make it to the NCAA championship game.

Let’s let Dulcie talk about her off-the-charts athletic dad (Cam Cleeland) and mom (Mindy Williams Cleeland) here:

I can easily see Dulcie making the Top 10 of the 2028 HOT 100 after what I witnessed day and the head of the NW Bullets org, Dennis Muir, concurs.

“She’s a definite Power 4 girl,” he said this afternoon. “Dulcie has a lefty power bat that will play in every conference in the country.”

Meaning she will have her pick of college programs to choose from; but don’t be surprised if the Univ. of Washington—mom and dad’s alma mater—gets a serious look before all is said and done.

And kudos to her fun-loving teammates who goofed around with Duclie during and after the interview!

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Another NW Bullet Tearing It Up

Coach Muir has some great talent, no doubt about that, and one of his pitchers I’m really looking for to playing this week is Ali Evans, who we profiled last summer in the article titled:

Club News: The Final Pitch (June 16, 2025): Spotlighting NW Bullets-Prospect Ali Evans, Brashear Invite, News, Commits, ‘Hope’ & Shohei On the Mound

The lefty will definitely be moving up in the 2028 rankings next month as her stock and abilities are soaring as evidence by Ali being recruiting by programs you may have heard of: Alabama, Florida and Oklahoma, to name a few.

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A 2029 Pitcher Who Shined Today

A pitcher who really impressed this afternoon was Emree Cary, a 2029 pitcher Hotshots National 16U – Naudin/Velazquez who also has a power bat, smacking a near-home run to the deepest part of center field at Fountain Valley today.

But it was her pitching that really jumped out to me today as she showcased great spins and a change-up that helped her beat the NW Bullets team that Dulcie Cleeland plays for.

Ed Naudin, the head of the Hotshots and a long-time very successful coach in wins and player development, is high on Emree too.

“She will get better and better over the next few years,” he said after the team’s win. “She will be one of the best in her class by the time she graduates.”

A plug for one of Emree’s teammates as well: third baseman Izzie Stone made a great double play as she caught a liner and threw a frozen rope to first base to nail a runner that had strayed just a big too far.

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Uniform of the Day

Not too often that a uniform gets a call out but you gotta love the baby blue uni’s of the Lady Lightning Gold (LLG) which have the yellow lightning bolts that are a direct tribute to those worn by the NFL San Diego Chargers.

Get it? The Lady LIGHTNING Gold wearing the uniforms inspired by the San Diego CHARGERS?

Sweet colors that are not your mom and dad’s uniforms of the past… kudos to John and Michelle Corn for going against tradition and making their players feel special in their game-day apparel.

And it’s not just a one-trick pony for the LLG org: they have nine different uniforms they can wear at any given time… and it’s what’s funny too is that each of the nine is the photo below is named after the player who wore it in the photo.

The baby blue one is named “Katie Guilliam” after the 2026 shortstop who signed with the Mizzou Tigers and was ranked No. 11 in the 2026 HOT 100 rankings.

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Quick Hitters – Others Who Impressed

*** Cece Springfield of the Impact -Taylor team, which would have to be one of the favorites to win the 18U title, shined in a play-in game this morning as she went 2-for-3 with a single and home run.

The 2026 standout is an Auburn signee and was ranked No. 9 in the 2026 HOT 100 released last fall.

*** Explosion 18U – Carillo has had two players look good this summer and this week:

— Allyson Schmnida, a 2027 outfielder/pitcher currently uncommitted, has used her riseball and what coach calls “a heavy ball” to impress. She averaged more than 1 K per inning in Colorado

— Aly Carrillo, a 2027 infielder committed to North Dakota State, has had more extra base hits than singles this summer and has been leading the team in most offensive categories including home runs triples, RBIs, doubles and OPS,

*** Love the Game 18U – Henderson/Carda has a player to watch for in Emry Couch who is back on the market after recently decommitting.

She’s a 2026 outfielder with great speed; for coaches interested, reach out to Cat Carrisosa, the LTG recruiting liaison… her email is coachcat01s@yahoo.com.

— Brentt Eads/Line Drive Media
Email: Brentt.Eads@LineDriveMedia.com