After Birmingham Thunderbolts 2024 cut Beverly Bandits Premier's lead to just one in the third inning, the Bandits stole the momentum for good with a five-run fourth inning to take care of the Thunderbolts in a 9-2 victory at the PGF 12U Premier Nationals on Friday afternoon at Fountain Valley Sports Complex in Fountain Valley, CA.

The Bandits face Power Surge-Berndes, a 7-1 winner over Cal Nuggets-Woods, on Saturday at 8 a.m. at Huntington Beach Sports Complex in Huntington Beach, CA.

WATCH THE REPLAYS

The Bandits got on the board in the first inning thanks to a two-run double to center field by Jenna Chase.

The Bandits added another run in the second inning on a single by Gabriella Novickas that scored Allison Blum.

The Thunderbolts chipped away in the third inning thanks to a passed ball that sent Jayden Heavner home and a bases-loaded walk by Shelby McKenzie that sent Jasmine Green home for the second run.

The Bandits ran away with the game from the Thunderbolts in the fourth inning thanks to a single by Blum and advanced to second base on an infield error off the bat of Caroline O’Brien. A single to left field from Camryn Lyons loaded the bases for Gabriella Novickas, who doubled to right field to score Blum and O’Brien.

“We got our pitches,” Novickas said. “We waited and we were patient at the plate. We drove the ball.”

Breanna Hanik followed Novickas lead with an RBI single to left field that scored Lyons. An infield error off the bat of Sydni Burko sent Novickas and Hanik home. The five-run fourth inning was more than enough for Bandits pitcher Danica Frazier, who threw a complete game, while only giving up five hits and two walks to get the win despite not striking a batter out.

“My defense was amazing,” Frazier said. “They don’t make a lot of errors and they have my back. I don’t feel I have to strike everyone out and my coaches don’t expect me to strike everyone out. It’s just a ball-in-play game and taking it one batter at a time.”

The Bandits added one more run in the seventh inning after Blum was hit by the pitch. She stole second and moved to third base on a passed ball and thanks to O’Brien's walk, Blum scored, while O’Brien was caught in a pickle between first and second base.

Green went 1 for 4 with a run scored, Heavener went 1 for 2 with a run scored while throwing three innings of relief work for the Thunderbolts, who after defeating the Ohana Tigers-Quarles, 4-0, take on the Cal Nuggets-Woods on Saturday at 10:15 a.m. at the Huntington Beach Sports Complex as they look to win four games in order to get to the championship game.

Burko went 3 for 5 with two RBIs, Blum went 2 for 2 with three runs scored and Novickas went 2 for 2 with a double and three RBIs for the Beverly Bandits, who are two wins away from going to the PGF National Championship game just like the 16U Premier team that won that title last Saturday.

“We have to continue to play 'WE' softball,” Beverly Bandits coach Jesse Spain said. “They’re 12-to-13 year old kids. You have to remind yourself as a coach that they are 12-13 years old kids. We’re from Chicago on vacation and they need to have fun and have some downtime, but they also need to realize that this is a business trip and we have to put our younger programs on the map as coach (Bill) Conroy and the older group have.”

In other PGF 12U Premier games:

So Cal Breakers-Brunetti/Cascio 4, Texas Glory 2024 3 (8 innings)

Caylene Nguyen hit a double to left field that scored Lilliana Gonzalez and Ryleigh Rinker to send So Cal Breakers to the semifinals in an extra-inning thriller.

Gonzalez went 2 for 3 with an RBI double, Mia Cascio went 1 for 3 with an RBI double and Callie Christian threw eight innings and struck out six for the Breakers, who take on Impact Gold National on Friday at 8 a.m.

“We had to hit today,” Gonzalez said. “We had to field as well. We had good defense and our hitting came alive in the end. We have to keep winning as a team. Our bench keeps us alive.”

Lynzee Hague went 1 for 4 with two RBIs, Nevaeh Watkins went 2 for 4 and Ainsley Pemberton struck out five in 7.1 innings for Texas Glory, which stayed alive after defeating Atlanta Vipers-Callaway, 4-1, and now face Suncats-Natividad/Lee/Walker on Saturday at 10:15 a.m.

Power Surge-Berndes 7, Cal Nuggets-Woods 1

Peanut Garcia drove in a run while striking out six en route to a complete-game victory for Power Surge.

McKenna Gieger went 3 for 3 with three RBIs, Lydia Weldon went 3 for 4 with an RBI and Sofia Mujica went 1 for 4 with an RBI double for Power Surge, which takes on Beverly Bandits Premier on Saturday at 8 a.m.

“We have to do five things,” Mujica said. “We have to hit, play defense, pitch, run the bases and keep the game close. One of the things we do is we like to jump on teams early in the game. It keeps the momentum going.”

The Cal Nuggets defeated I-5 Softball, 1-0, in their next game and now face Birmingham Thunderbolts 2024 on Saturday at 10:15 a.m.

Impact Gold National 2024 12, Diamond Sports Hotshots 2024 4

Brooke Wells went 2 for 4 with a double and four RBIs to send Impact Gold to the semifinals.

Ahsunte Specks went 3 for 5 with an RBI and Bailey Lindemuth went 2 for 5 with two RBIs, while striking out five in 3.1 innings of work for Impact Gold, which faces So Cal Breakers-Brunetti/Cascio on Saturday at 8 a.m.

“We had to keep our intensity level high,” Lindemuth said. “If someone is down, pick them back up. We have to keep our hitting up.”

Eleanor Patrick went 2 for 3 with two RBIs for Diamond Sports Hotshots, which lost its next game to Suncats-Natividad/Lee/Walker, 4-3.

Birmingham Thunderbolts 4, OC Batbusters-Mascarenas 3

Shelby McKenzie went 2 for 4 with two doubles and an RBI to keep the Thunderbolts alive in the winner's bracket. Mariami Hubbard went 2 for 3 with an RBI and Hallie Meeks went 1 for 3 with two RBIs for the Thunderbolts. 

The Batbusters lost their next game to I-5 Softball 1-0.

Beverly Bandits Premier 3, Batbusters-Garcia 2

The Beverly Bandits scored three in the seventh inning to keep themselves in the winner's bracket.

Gabriella Novickas went 1 for 2 with an RBI double, Caroline O’Brien went 2 for 3 and Danica Frazier threw a complete game to get the victory for the Bandits.

Batbusters-Garcia stayed alive in their next game, a 6-3 winner over Athletics Mercado-Ornelas, but lost the following game to I-5 Softball, 3-1.

Cal Nuggets-Woods 7, Ohana Tigers-Quarles 1

Rae D’Amato went 3 for 4 with a double and two RBIs to lead the Nuggets to victory. 

Amanda Deng went 2 for 4 with a double and an RBI and Kathryn Munnerlyn threw a complete game for the Nuggets.

Madylyn Wynia went 3 for 3 with an RBI double for the Tigers, who defeated Diamond Fury-Samper 10-9, So Cal Choppers-Tiumalu 6-2, but lost their final game of the day to Birmingham Thunderbolts 2024, 4-0.

Power Surge-Berndes 6, So Cal Choppers-Tiumalu 1

Sofia Mujica went 2 for 2 with a double and four RBIs to lead Power Surge to victory.

McKenna Gieger went 1 for 2 with an RBI and Peanut Garcia went 1 for 2 with an RBI, while striking out four in three innings for Power Surge.

So Cal Choppers-Tiumalu won their next game to the EC Bullets-Maher, 9-6, but lost the following game to the Ohana Tigers-Quarles 6-2.

Diamond Sports Hotshots 2024 5, Atlanta Vipers-Callaway 0

Ramsey Walker went 2 for 3 with two doubles and an RBI and Esther White went 3 for 4 to lead Diamond Sports Hotshots to victory.

Brelyn O'Hearn went 1 for 3 and Jordan Williams went 1 for 1 for the Vipers, which beat Lady Magic, 11-9, and So Cal Athletics-Cooper, 4-0, but lost to Texas Glory 2024, 4-1.

Impact Gold National 2024 6, So Cal Athletics-Cooper 1

Brooke Wells struck out seven in 3.2 innings while going 2 for 3 with a double to lead Impact Gold to victory. Ahsunte Specks went 3 for 4 with an RBI for Impact Gold.

So Cal Athletics-Cooper defeated So Cal Athletics-Siofele, 1-0, but lost the next game to Atlanta Vipers-Callaway, 4-0.

So Cal Breakers-Brunetti/Cascio 3, USA Athletics-Davis 1

Yliana Rivera went 2 for 3 with two doubles and three RBIs to lead the Breakers to victory. Caylene Nguyen struck out nine in a complete game for the Breakers.

Ariana Rizo went 2 for 3 with a double and Mia Sanchez threw six innings and struck out seven for USA Athletics, which defeated Beverly Bandits Demarini, 2-1, but lost afterward to Suncats-Natividad/Lee/Walker, 7-3.

Texas Glory 2024 8, Cal Grapettes-McNair 0 (5 innings)

Ainsley Pemberton struck out nine in four innings to lead Texas Glory to victory. Elexis Livezey went 1 for 3 with a two-run triple for Texas Glory.

Kelsey McNair and Ashley Garcia each went 1 for 2 for the Grapette, who lost their next game to Suncats-Natividad/Lee/Walker, 6-1. 

12U PREMIER PGF NATIONALS SCOREBOARD

WINNER'S BRACKET A

THIRD ROUND

Beverly Bandits Premier 3, Batbusters-Garcia 2

Birmingham Thunderbolts 2024 4, OC Batbusters-Mascarenas 3

Cal Nuggets-Woods 7, Ohana Tigers-Quarles 1

Power Surge-Berndes 6, So Cal Choppers-Tiumalu 1

FOURTH ROUND

Beverly Bandits Premier 9, Birmingham Thunderbolts 2024 2

Power Surge-Berndes 7, Cal Nuggets-Woods 1

WINNER'S BRACKET B

THIRD ROUND

Diamond Sports Hotshots 5, Atlanta Vipers-Callaway 0

Impact Gold National 2024 6, SoCal Athletics-Cooper 1

So Cal Breakers-Brunetti/Cascio 3, USA Athletics-Davis 1

Texas Glory 2024 8, Cal Grapettes-McNair 0

FOURTH ROUND

Impact Gold National 2024 12, Diamond Sports Hotshots 2024 4

So Cal Breakers-Brunetti/Cascio 4, Texas Glory 2024 3

LOSER'S BRACKET A

FOURTH ROUND

Athletics-Mercado/Ornelas 4, Impact Gold-Trevino 2

I-5 Softball 12, So Cal Athletics-Terrones 5

Diamond Fury-Samper 7, Texas Bombers Gold 5

EC Bullets-Maher 2, Georgia Impact-Sampson/Gusaeff 0

FIFTH ROUND

Batbusters-Garcia 6, Athletics-Mercado/Ornelas 3

I-5 Softball 1, OC Batbusters-Mascarenas 0

Ohana Tigers-Quarles 10, Diamond Fury-Samper 9

So Cal Choppers-Tiumalu 9, EC Bullets-Maher 6

SIXTH ROUND

I-5 Softball 3, Batbusters-Garcia 1

Ohana Tigers-Quarles 6, So Cal Choppers-Tiumalu 2

SEVENTH ROUND

Birmingham Thunderbolts 2024 4, Ohana Tigers-Quarles 0

Cal Nuggets-Woods 1, I-5 Softball 0

LOSER'S BRACKET B

FOURTH ROUND

Lady Magic 5, Sorcerer-Bigley/Everett 2

So Cal Athletics-Siofele 5, Alabama Firecrackers-Christian 4

Beverly Bandits Demarini 7, Texas Glory-Adkins 6

Suncats-Natividad/Lee/Walker 7, Explosion-Denio/Serrano 1

FIFTH ROUND

Atlanta Vipers-Callaway 11, Lady Magic 9

So Cal Athletics-Cooper 1, So Cal Athletics-Siofele 0

USA Athletics-Davis 2, Beverly Bandits Demarini 1

Suncats-Natividad/Lee/Walker 6, Cal Grapette-McNair 1

SIXTH ROUND

Atlanta Vipers-Callaway 4, SoCal Athletics-Cooper 0

Suncats-Natividad/Lee/Walker 7, USA Athletics-Davis 3

SEVENTH ROUND

Texas Glory 2024 4, Atlanta Vipers-Callaway 1

Suncats-Natividad/Lee/Walker 4, Diamond Sports Hotshots 2024 3