Blitz 14U opens ASA tourney 1-1; Cal Nuggets tab two comebacks

The Blitz, a Belmont-based team, rode a first-inning home run from Nadia Chopoff and a complete-game gem from starting pitcher Jasmine Oda to the opening-round win. The Blast, based in San Mateo, broke up Oda’s shutout in the sixth inning with an RBI single from Meher Banik.

“I thought [Oda’s] performance was great,” Blitz head coach Daniel Chopoff said. “She stayed true to her game plan and kept them off balance with her pitches.”

Oda is a left-hander who recently finished her freshman season at Sequoia. She was the varsity starter for the Cherokees, having big shoes to fill after the 2017 graduation of right-hander Emily McAdams, who went on to help College of San Mateo reach the community college state championship tournament for the sixth straight year.

While Sequoia had its struggles this season, posting just a 1-19 record, Oda shows plenty of promise, especially when she locks into a groove. The lefty allowed just four hits while striking out eight Friday, and faced just two over the minimum while heading into the sixth and final inning with a shutout intact.

“I stayed calm,” Oda said. “And I know if they are able to hit it, my defense is there to back me up.”

The Blast countered with Banik, a right-hander, who settled in after a rough first inning. The Blitz got to her for three runs in the opening frame. She followed with three shutout innings before the Blast manufactured an insurance run in the bottom of the fifth.

“I think she’s an exceptional pitcher,” Blast head coach Joe Reyes said. “She had a rough first [inning] … and after that she pitched pretty well.”

The Blitz got on the board with back-to-back hits. Anjalii Lauwers — who paced all hitters in the game with a 2-for-3 game — started the rally with a one-out single to left. Grace Rofii (Capuchino) followed with by drilling a long RBI double to left.

Then with two outs, Nadia Chopoff (Carlmont) zeroed in on an inside fastball and drove a towering home run to left field. While she has produced several inside-the-park home runs in her softball career, this was the first regulation she has ever hit at any level.

“I wasn’t even swinging for a home run,” Nadia Chopoff said. “Usually, I’m a contact hitter.”

In the fifth, the Blitz added a run without so much as a hit. Emma Kinder led off with a walk then stole second. She moved to third when Lauwers grounded out to the right side of the diamond. Then she scored on an RBI groundout by Rofii.

The Blast had just two hits heading into the sixth — a third-inning single by Fiona Candland and a fourth-inning infield single by MacKenzie Jackson — but made some noise to start their final at-bat when Sassie Block led off with a long opposite-field double to right. Then with runners at the corners and one out, Banik stepped up on the plate and lined a single to left to score Block.

With the win, the Blitz advanced through the winner’s bracket to the Salinas Storm Friday evening, with the Storm rolling to a 15-0 win. The Blitz resume play Saturday at 9:45 a.m. To advance through the losers’ bracket, they will have to play seven games in two days to advance to the championship round Sunday at 3:30 p.m.

“We have our backs against the wall,” Daniel Chopoff said. “So I anticipate our girls will play with a lot of grit and tenacity. I think we’ll leave it all out there on the field.”

Nuggets with two dramatic comebacks

The Cal Nuggets 14U Gold — based in Los Altos Hills — advanced through the winners’ bracket with two dramatic wins Friday, first rallying for a 9-7 victory over the California Riptide in the opener, before storming off with an 11-10 win over Union City Fury elite.

Ashley Frantz was the hero in both games. In the nightcap against the Fury, the Nuggets had to come back two times, from deficits of 4-1 and 10-6. And trailing 10-9 going into their final at-bat in the bottom of the fifth, the Nuggets prevailed thanks to some classic small-ball, when Frantz bunted for a single up the first-base side and coaxing a throwing error to allow Jasmine Hsiao to score the winning run to set off the Nuggets’ celebration.

“They were excited,” Nuggets head coach Robin Flier said.

The opening game featured an even more dramatic finish, as the Nuggets entered their final at-bat trailing 7-2. The Nuggets sent 10 batters to the plate, with Frantz starting the carousel with a leadoff single. Then Chiara Lundin singled, Kaylee Smallen walked, Claire Turner doubled, Lauryn Horita doubled, Hsiao doubled, Giana Perez walked and, with two outs, Frantz’s infield single won it with Hsiao and pinch-runner Karla Hernandez-Cid scoring on the play.

“We [came back] twice today,” Flier said. “So that seems to be how we like to play them.”

Frantz was 5 for 7 with five RBIs through the two games. Hsiao totaled five hits and Turner was 4 for 8 on the day.

With the win, the Nuggets advance through the winners’ bracket to face the Burlingame Titans Saturday at noon.