Many of the country’s top 14U & 12U teams are at AFCS 3 July 31-Aug. 6 in Kokomo, IN. Here are some of Friday’s highlights:
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In 14U games:
2026 CF Kale’a Tindal singled to right field through the 3-4 hole in the bottom of the 7th inning to give OC Batbusters-K. Stith a 5-4 walk-off victory over Athletics Mercado 2027-Tidd/Bustamante in a 14U Elite 8 game.
“Going into the bottom of the 7th, the energy of the dugout was high — we knew it was our last chance to score,” Tindal said. “All of us were excited and ready to contribute. My teammates and coaches got us in a situation to win against a strong team. We all wanted to do our part when the time came. When we realized that we were in a walk-off situation, we all rallied together to try to win. I was so happy to be able to help the team with a single.”
2027 SS Angelina Jimenez got a one-out single and moved to second on a groundout. 2026 OF Grace Maguire delivered a two-out single up the middle, tying it, 4-4. 2027 OF Mattea Stern reached on a E-6, moving Jimenez to third base. That set the stage for Tindal’s heroics.
Jimenez got a one-out single and eventually scored on Maguire’s two-out single up the middle, giving Batbusters-K. Stith a 4-4 tie in the bottom of the 5th inning.
“That game was the biggest battle we have had all year,” Batbusters coach Katie Stith said. “Mercado hit the ball well against two of our pitchers, but we stayed composed and the offense kept competing. The girls played with energy and battled until the last out and believed they could win.
“(I’m) really proud of Angie Jimenez and Grace Maguire for having great at-bats and getting us back to the top of the lineup. Kale’a has been really competitive at the plate and came through in a huge moment.” …
Impact Gold 2K9 National won the 12U Alliance national championship last summer and they beat Lady Dukes Gold-McHale, 4-2, in the opening round of the 14U Elite 8.
2027 CF Kayla Barras, who went 3 for 3 with two runs and five RBIs, hit a three-run homer in the top of the 2nd inning, 2027 LF Morgan Marks went 2 for 2 with two runs and an RBI, 2027 1B Kierstyn Lambeth went 2 for 2 with two runs and an RBI, 2027 C/UT Isabelle Lawrence drove in three runs and 2029 MIF/OF Capri Mark went 2 for 2 with two runs for Impact Gold.
“The bats came alive that game!!” Impact Gold coach Jared Bryant said. “We had 13 hits with Kayla Barras leading the charge, going 3 for 3 with five RBIs.
“As these week-long tournaments progress, the pitching typically starts to wear down a little and the hitters start to find their stroke. Moving forward, we have to continue to have quality at-bats, play solid defense and keep pressure on our opponents.” …
2026 P Grace Swedarsky continued her stellar pitching for Indiana Magic Gold-Bennett/Goddard, which won the Triple Crown Nationals title last month in Georgia. Swedarsky faced just 23 batters, tossing a two-hitter with 11 strikeouts as IMG defeated Oklahoma Athletics National-Madden/Davis, 1-0, in the 14U Elite 8.
2026 OF Makayla Watson went 2 for 3 with a triple and a run scored in the top of 7th and 2026 OF Kayla Benthall had the RBI.
“So proud of this group,” IMG coach Jeff Goddard said. “Huge win against some elite pitching. We were hitting the ball, but couldn’t string the hits together to get a run across. Continued adjustments at the plate finally led to stringing the clutch hits together in the 7th.
“Going forward, we need to keep aggressive at the plate, continue running bases aggressively and support our amazing pitching staff with great defense behind them. It only gets tougher from here. When they play for each other, they are tough to beat.” …
2026 RHP Kadyn Sanchez allowed one run to get the win, 2026 MIF/OF Jordin Washington went 2 for 3 with two RBIs, 2026 C Alyssa Torres doubled and scored a run and Aryana Salazar had a clutch double and scored a run as Corona Angels-Tyson beat Indiana Magic Gold National-Moore, 5-1, in the Elite 8. …
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In 12U games:
2029 P Rylee Black threw a three-hitter with seven strikeouts in 5.0 innings and she went 1 for 2 with a run at the plate, 2028 SS Jordan Collins went 2 for 3 with five RBIs, 2028 DH Kennedy Clemmens went 2 for 3 with two RBIs and 2028 3B Kennedy Walker went 2 for 3 with a run as Oklahoma Athletics 2010-Madden defeated Athletics Mercado-Lopez, 8-0, in the Elite 8. …
2028 1B Seanoanele “Nele” Sanchez went 3 for 4 with a triple and an RBI, 2028 C Camryn May went 2 for 4 with a double and four RBIs, 2028 SS Teuuaina “Tmo” Sanchez went 2 for 4 with two RBIs and 2028 P Lilliana “Lilli” Garcia pitched a complete game with six Ks as Corona Angels-May/Smith defeated EC Bullets-Vallery, 9-4, in an Elite 8 game. …
2028 P Taylor Billings and 2029 P Jaliane Brooks combined for three strikeouts in 5.9 innings as OC Batbusters-Stith/Juarez beat Midwest Firecrackers, 3-0, in the Elite 8. …
2029 1B Zoey Galindo went 2 for 2 with a double and two runs, 2029 DH Olivia Chen went 2 for 2 with a run and an RBI, 2029 SS Averie May went 1 for 3 with a triple, a run and three RBIs and 2029 P Lily Saldivar pitched a two-hitter with five Ks in 7.0 innings as Batbusters AG beat Batbusters-Neff/Horton, 7-0, in the Elite 8. …
*****
AFCS
AT KOKOMO, IN
(Friday, Aug. 4, Results)
14U
SUPER REGIONAL #1
LOSER’S BRACKET
SECOND ROUND
- Bombers Gold American-Kennedy 16, Bombers Gold HTX-Kennedy 2
FINAL
- Indiana Magic Gold-Bennett/Goddard, Bombers Gold American-Kennedy
SUPER REGIONAL #2
LOSER’S BRACKET
SECOND ROUND
- Midwest Speed National-Chell 3, Texas Bombers Gold-Malpass 1
FINAL
- OC Batbusters-K. Stith/Black, Midwest Speed National-Chell
SUPER REGIONAL #3
LOSER’S BRACKET
SECOND ROUND
- Indiana Magic Gold National-Moore 8, Athletics Mercado 08-RC 6
FINAL
- Indiana Magic Gold National-Moore 2, Firecrackers Leles 2026-Enyart 1
- Indiana Magic Gold National-Moore 6, Firecrackers Leles 2026-Enyart 3
SUPER REGIONAL #4
LOSER’S BRACKET
SECOND ROUND
- Athletics Mercado 08-Tidd 8, Corona Ange;s 2027-Perez/Tyson 1
FINAL
- Impact Gold 2K9 National 7, Athletics Mercado 08-Tidd 1
SUPER REGIONAL #5
LOSER’S BRACKET
SECOND ROUND
- Lady Dukes Gold-McHale 8, Fury Platinum X-Butler 0
FINAL
- Lady Dukes Gold-McHale 6, OC Batbusters-Fernandez 1
- Lady Dukes Gold-McHale 3, OC Batbusters-Fernandez 0
SUPER REGIONAL #6
LOSER’S BRACKET
SECOND ROUND
- Texas Glory-Naudin 9, Tampa Mustangs 2026/2027-P. Bell 1
FINAL
- Corona Angels-Tyson 7, Texas Glory-Naudin 4
SUPER REGIONAL #7
LOSER’S BRACKET
SECOND ROUND
- Impact Gold National 08-Mendoza 5, Oklahoma Athletics National-Madden/Brown 4
FINAL
- Athletics Mercado 2027-Tidd/Bustamante 5, Impact Gold National 08-Mendoza 4
SUPER REGIONAL #8
LOSER’S BRACKET
SECOND ROUND
- OC Batbusters-Hudson/White 7, LLG-Wools 5
FINAL
- OC Batbusters-Hudson/White 8, Oklahoma Athletics National-Madden/Davis 7
- Oklahoma Athletics National-Madden/Davis 4, OC Batbusters-Hudson/White 1
ELITE 8
BRACKET A
WINNER’S BRACKET
FIRST ROUND
- Indiana Magic Gold-Bennett/Goddard 1, Oklahoma Athletics National-Madden/Davis 0
- Impact Gold 2K9 National 14, Lady Dukes Gold-McHale 2
BRACKET B
WINNER’S BRACKET
FIRST ROUND
- Corona Angels-Tyson 5, Indiana Magic Gold National-Moore 1
- OC Batbusters-K. Stith/Black 5, Athletics Mercado 2027-Tidd/Bustamante 4
*****
12U
SUPER REGIONAL #1
WINNER’S BRACKET
THIRD ROUND
- Oklahoma Athletics 2010-Madden 4, EC Bullets-Vallery 1
LOSER’S BRACKET
SECOND ROUND
- Bombers National 1, Epic Premier 2010-Davis 0
THIRD ROUND
- EC Bullets-Vallery 10, Bombers National 2
SUPER REGIONAL #2
WINNER’S BRACKET
THIRD ROUND
- Batbusters-AG 4, OC Batbusters-Stith/Juarez 3
LOSER’S BRACKET
SECOND ROUND
- OC Batbusters-Vidano 7, Aces National 2011 6
THIRD ROUND
- OC Batbusters-Stith/Juarez 9, OC Batbusters-Vidano 1
SUPER REGIONAL #3
WINNER’S BRACKET
THIRD ROUND
- Midwest Firecrackers 8, Batbusters-Neff/Horton 0
LOSER’S BRACKET
SECOND ROUND
- Corona Angels-Flowers 3, OC Batbusters-Shumaker 2
THIRD ROUND
- Batbusters-Neff/Horton 6, Corona Angels-Flowers 5
SUPER REGIONAL #4
WINNER’S BRACKET
THIRD ROUND
- Corona Angels-May/Smith 2, Athletics Mercado-Lopez 0
LOSER’S BRACKET
SECOND ROUND
- Batbusters 2010-Tanioka 1, Batbusters-ET 0
THIRD ROUND
- Athletics Mercado-Lopez 7, Batbusters 2010-Tanioka 3
ELITE 8
BRACKET A
WINNER’S BRACKET
FIRST ROUND
- Oklahoma Athletics 2010-Madden 8, Athletics Mercado-Lopez 0
- Corona Angels-May/Smith 9, EC Bullets-Vallery 4
BRACKET B
WINNER’S BRACKET
FIRST ROUND
- OC Batbusters-Stith/Juarez 3, Midwest Firecrackers 0
- Batbusters-AG 7, Batbusters-Neff/Horton 0
— Carlos Arias, Dugout Chatter (Follow Carlos on Twitter @Los_Stuff and Threads @los_stuff)
