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Tournaments  | Story | 7/22/2018

17u PGWS celebrates its final-4

Photo: Glenallen Hill Jr. (Bill Mitchell)

PEORIA, Ariz. – Just about everyone watching Sunday afternoon’s playoff quarterfinal-round games at the 17u Perfect Game World Series would have been in agreement that there was one monumental upset that pushed the No. 1 seed to the sidelines while allowing the No. 8 seed to advance.

Just don’t let Pleasanton, Calif.-based NorCal Baseball general manager/manager Rob Bruno hear any mention of “upset” when the conversation turns to his No. 8 NorCal 2019 team coming from behind to knock off No. 1 CBA Marucci, 6-4, in one of the quarters played on the Padres’ side of the Peoria Sports Complex.

“This was not an upset to our team. We feel we’re the best team here and we really don’t care who we play,” Bruno told PG Sunday. “I know that everybody (knows about) CBA and they’ve had success but we felt we were the better team coming in.”

Regardless of anyone’s opinion on who was the better team, NorCal 2019 (5-1-0) used the win to advance to Monday’s 17u PGWS final-four. It will face the No. 4 Playa Vista Orioles (5-1-0) out of Los Angeles in one of the semifinals at 8 a.m. (PDT) on the Mariners’ side of the PSC.

No. 6 USA Prime Elite 17u Gowins (5-1-0) from Carrollton, Texas, faces the No. 2 Trosky National Team 17u (4-1-0) out of Los Angeles in the other semifinal, also at 8 a.m. on the Mariners’ side. The championship game is scheduled for 11 a.m. at the PSC Stadium.

Temecula, Calif.-based CBA Marucci (4-1-0) had displayed such dominance in reaching the quarterfinals that it looked unbeatable. It earned the No. 1 seed by outscoring its four pool-play opponents by a combined 41-1.

The Maruccis arrived in the desert with a roster that included many players who were a part of the CBA Marucci National team that was co-champs at the PG 17u WWBA National Championship a month ago over in Georgia.

The CBA Marucci coaching staff led by CBA program director/manager Jon Paino came into the 17u PGWS knowing he had a special group, consisting of players that had come up through CBA’s youth programs and regional teams.

Paino said their play coming into the quarterfinal contest had exceeded his expectations as the coach but probably had not exceeded the expectations the players had for themselves.

“It’s been fun,” he added. “We get to come out here and play against some really good teams (and) really good competition in front of all kinds of professional scouts and college guys. It’s just been a lot of fun.”

The quarterfinal against NorCal 2019 started out being pretty fun, too, with CBA leading 1-0 after two innings and 4-1 after four. NorCal plated a run in the top of the fifth to make it 4-2 and that’s where it stood heading into the top of the seventh.

Brock Jones smacked a one-out single to get the rally started, and three straight walks forced in a run to make it 4-3. Up stepped top 2019 middle-infielder Glenallen Hill Jr, who delivered a two-out triple that cleared the bases and put NorCal up for good at 6-4.

Bruno described the players rostered on this NorCal 2019 team as a “very close group” that has been together for the last three years. He said they have made bonds and friendships that will last for a lifetime and have shown that they are willing to go out of their way to play for one another and not themselves. Teams like that have a track record of winning championships.

“This team is run by the players, not the coaches,” he said. “It’s a culture fostered by some guys like Bill Bartlett, (Glenallen) Hill, Brock Jones. These kids are special human beings and I really attribute it to the leadership of those kids and some others; they’ll never quit.”

Hill Jr. is the son of a former big-leaguer by the same name and is ranked 112th nationally; he’s committed to Arizona State. William Bartlett is a 2019 top-500 uncommitted catcher/first baseman and Jones is an uncommitted 2019 outfielder/first baseman/left-hander who is ranked 89th.

Heading into the semis, Bartlett, Ethan Cloyd and Brady Hormel each have six hits: Cloyd has three doubles and three RBI, Bartlett two doubles and five runs scored and Hormel a double, three RBI and three runs. Nick Vogt has five hits, including a double and a triple, with three RBI and four runs; Carter Benbrook has five hits with two doubles and five RBI.

“We expected to win this tournament,” Bruno said. “I know we’re still just going into the semifinals but this is the tightest group of players that I’ve had in 26 years. They’re special character kids who compare very favorably to my class of 2005 that had six major-leaguers.”

Bruno said NorCal is going to send 2019 top-500 left-hander Peter Hansen – a Texas commit – out to the mound for Monday's semifinal matchup with the Playa Vista Orioles. The NorCal 2019s seem to have plenty of options with 13 top-500s – including the No. 89 Jones, No. 91 Joseph King (Washington State), and the No. 112 Hill Jr – on the roster; 11 NorCal prospects have committed to NCAA Division I schools.



Tournaments | Story | 6/19/2026

14u WWBA Returns to Hoover

Kinley Kitchens
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One of the most anticipated events on the summer travel baseball calendar returns this week as the 2026 Perfect Game 14U WWBA National Championship gets underway in Hoover and the surrounding Birmingham area. Now in its 19th year, the tournament has established itself as the premier event for 14U players across the country, annually attracting some of the top young talent in amateur baseball. This year’s championship will feature 129 teams competing for a national title, continuing a tradition that has seen organizations such as East Cobb Astros, Team Elite, USA Prime, SBA Bolts National, and defending champion ZT National Prospects take home the trophy. As always, the field is loaded with elite prospects, many of whom are already becoming familiar names within the Perfect Game community. Starting off strong with Christopher Cabrera, the No. 1 overall player and No. 1 third baseman...
Tournaments | Story | 6/19/2026

Road to the 2026 17U BCS Title

Emily Hicks
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This weekend, 11 teams will take the field for the 2026 17U BCS Challenge, a three-day event that brings together programs from across the country for a full slate of pool play and bracket action. With games beginning Friday and a champion crowned Sunday, the format leaves little room for slow starts, making every inning important from the opening pitch. The field features a mix of established programs and rising teams. With so many evenly matched rosters, there’s not much separation heading into the weekend, which puts importance on pitching depth, defensive consistency, and timely hitting. Pool play will quickly determine seeding, and even one loss can shift a team’s path heading into bracket play. One of the teams expected to be in the mix is Hawaii Elite 2G 17U National, a group that is 6-3 overall and ranked as “Honorable Mention” on the Perfect Games...
Draft | Rankings | 6/19/2026

PG Draft: Top 500 Update

Tyler Henninger
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Rk. Name Lvl Pos. B-T School Hometown State Commitment 1 Roch Cholowsky C SS R-R UCLA Chandler AZ 2 Grady Emerson H SS L-R Fort Worth Christian Argyle TX Texas 3 Vahn Lackey C C R-R Georgia Tech Suwanee GA 4 Jackson Flora C RHP R-R UC Santa Barbara Pleasanton CA 5 Jacob Lombard H SS R-R Gulliver Schools Miami FL Miami 6 Eric Booth Jr. H OF L-L Oak Grove Bassfield MS Vanderbilt 7 Drew Burress C OF R-R Georgia Tech Perry GA 8 Ryder Helfrick C C R-R Arkansas Discovery Bay CA 9 AJ Gracia C OF L-L Virginia Monroe NJ 10 Chris Hacopian C SS R-R Texas A&M Potomac MD 11 Gio Rojas H LHP L-R Marjory Stoneman Douglas Coral Springs FL Miami 12 Tyler Bell* C SS S-R Kentucky Frankfort IL 13 Cameron Flukey C RHP R-R Coastal Carolina Egg Harbor Township NJ 14 Ace Reese C 3B L-R Mississippi State Canton TX 15 Justin Lebron C SS R-R Alabama Miramar FL 16 Derek Curiel* C OF L-R LSU West Covina CA 17...
Softball | Softball Tournament | 6/18/2026

PG Softball Stars Over Florida Showcase 14U Division

Erica Beach
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PG Stars Over Florida Showcase Clearwater, FL June 13-14, 2026   CLEARWATER, FLORIDA- Perfect Game Softball made its official debut in the state of Florida this past weekend at Eddie C. Moore sports complex. The weather was perfect, and the atmosphere was right for some great softball. We had many college coaches of all levels attend and our National Scouting Director was on hand to evaluate and highlight the athletes. We are excited for future events and the ability to promote and highlight the great athletes in the southeast! Below we highlight the 14U division where we had teams representing three states.     14U Division   Zoey Salas (2030, RHP/1B Windsor, CO) of the Colorado Angels 14U Breed was a standout player all weekend. She was a strong two-way player who proved to be a consistent force on both sides of the ball. Offensively, this left-handed hitter starts...
Softball | Softball Tournament | 6/18/2026

PG Aggieland Showcase

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PG Aggieland Showcase College Station, Texas June 13-14, 2026 Scouts: Brynn Baca & Karlie Milburn COLLEGE STATION, TEXAS- Perfect Game Softball was excited to return to College Station for the second annual Aggieland Showcase last weekend.. Some great competition was seen over the three age groups. We had two scouts on site to evaluate and highlight some of the athletes who caught their eyes. Thank you to all teams and players who competed so hard! Below we highlight those athletes who impressed our scouts. 18U Division Elizabeth Posada- Elizabeth Posada is a 2028 two-way player from Houston, Texas, competing for Aztecs Premier who brings an intriguing combination of offensive upside and athletic versatility. At the plate, Posada recently went 4-for-8 on the weekend, continuing to show consistency and offensive awareness. She sets up with a slightly open, wide stance and does a...
Tournaments | Story | 6/18/2026

Big Talent on Display at City of Palms

Alyssa Golden
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The fifth annual PG City of Palms Championship is set to take place in Fort Myers, Florida, from June 19-22, featuring teams from the 15U-18U age divisions. The four-day event will showcase some of the top talent in the state, including several nationally ranked prospects who have already made their presence felt this summer season. Before tournament play begins, here’s a look at some of the highest-ranked players expected to compete this weekend. Leading the group is catcher Nico Ayars in the 16U division. Ayars enters the weekend as the No. 135 player nationally, the No. 3 catcher in Florida and the No. 20 catcher in the country. Through 22 games this summer with Turn 2 Garcia, the right-handed hitter owns a .887 OPS while batting .306 with a .438 OBP and a .449 SLG. Ayars has collected 15 hits while driving in 12 runs and scoring 13 times. Ayars’ teammate, right-handed...
Softball | Softball Tournament | 6/17/2026

Perfect Game Softball Route 66 Summer Showcase

Dave Durbala
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SPRINGFIELD, IL - Perfect Game Softball Route 66 Summer Showcase, June 13-14, 2026. Twenty-Seven teams, representing the 14u and High School Divisions, arrived at the newly opened all turfed Scheels Sports Park at Legacy Pointe, for the opportunity to showcase their talent in a five game guarantee format. As with anytime we bring a group of players together for competition, there will be those players that rise to the challenge and turn in performances that earn them a place on our Top Performers list.  Below are some of the players, from both divisions, that were recognized as top performers. 14U Division Kinley Abrams (2030 Bloomington, IL) is a RHH for Texas Glory IL-2030 (Wyatt). Setting up in a slightly wide parallel stance, into her back leg, Abrams gains separation with a  push back to transfer weight, and then utilizes a small stride to launch her swing. Abrams works a...
Juco | Story | 6/18/2026

PG JUCO Awards & Final Top 25

Blaine Peterson
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Pitcher of the Year: Nathan Leffel - RHP - Fresno City College 2026 Stat Line: 89.1 IP | 12-1 | 1.91 ERA | .83 WHIP | 118 K An outstanding individual pitching season in California JUCO baseball this spring. A model of consistency on the mound making starts in January through May for Fresno City. Worked over 89 innings on the mound and made 14 starts where he threw at least 5 innings. Ranked in the top 5 of California JUCO in wins, ERA and strikeouts. And one of the only pitchers in all of JUCO to reach the benchmarks of 10+ wins (12), a sub 2.00 ERA (1.91 ERA) and 100 strikeouts (118 K). A consistent and dominant presence on the mound for a team that went 40-5 this past spring. Congratulations to Nathan Leffel, 2026 Perfect Game JUCO Pitcher of the Year. Ryan Bradford | FR | OF@JCCCBaseball Everything I have from this spring starting with HR’s 31 & 32 today. This is...
Tournaments | Story | 6/18/2026

150 Teams Set to Battle at SE Select

Will Dembo
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As summer travel season continues to ramp up, more than 150 teams from 13-17u from all over the nation will meet in East Cobb as they look to showcase their talents and compete for a trophy in the PG Southeast Select Championship. The tournament will kick off with pool play on Thursday, June 18th, and champions will be crowned following bracket play on Monday, June 22nd. The 13u division will host 23 teams from four different states in the major style tournament. The East Cobb Astros and Ninth Inning Royals will share the spotlight as the only nationally ranked teams in the field as the Astros enter the weekend as the No. 45 ranked squad and Ninth Inning falls at the No. 31 spot. 14u will also play as a major tournament for the weekend and contains 31 teams looking to compete for a trophy. Although there are currently no nationally recognized teams in the pool, PFA Regional will be a...
Tournaments | Story | 6/17/2026

UBC Midwest Scout Notes

Blaine Peterson
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Braydon McMillen (2029, Downers Grove, IL) an athletic MIF with a top of the order skill set at the plate. Reached base in all 5 games played at UBC this week. Including a 3 hit game in bracket play. Shows a balanced and compact swing at the plate with quick wrists and the ability to get the barrel to the baseball regularly. A quick first step defensively with clean glove actions and a quick release from the shortstop position. Made several athletic plays defensively this past week. Lot of promising impact traits and a real skill set to build on.  Paris Head | IF/OF/RHP | 2029 | IL@WhitesoxAce FB: 86-90 | CB: 73-75 SL: 77-79 | CH: 78-82 One of the best pitching performances of the tournament so far. High level athlete with an advanced pitch mix for the age. #UBC @PG_Scouting | @WhitesoxAce https://t.co/V3leWaCBSM pic.twitter.com/EDBvjpgI3p — Perfect Game Illinois...
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