July 5, 2026
By Kyle Koso
LOVELAND — Softball players talk all the time about making adjustments as a game moves along, understanding the folly of being too stubborn.
So it follows that a good team knows how to adjust its attitude as well.
After dropping a high-intensity game earlier Thursday at the Centennial Field Complex, the Texas Blaze 14u Gold worked through their distress to take an early lead versus Dynasty 14u Rosario, only to see that advantage disappointingly disappear. The peaks and valleys of the occasion might have undone other teams, but the Blaze fought back with a three-run rally in the fourth inning to claim a 7-6 victory to now stand 2-2 overall at the 2026 Sparkler Juniors event, produced by Triple Crown Sports.
The Blaze (Cypress, TX) wrap up pool play Friday against the Oregon Rebels-Boyle (Canby, OR) in Eerie.
There wasn't much hiding in terms of the Blaze’s mood after Game 1, with frustrated players talking animatedly to their parents. However, the bats came back into focus by rapping out six hits in the bottom of the first inning to bring across four runs, with the lead holding strong at 4-1 through three frames.
Dynasty (Mililani, HI) caught fire in the fourth with five runs, capped by a bases-loaded double from Charlie Sherman, good for three RBI and a 6-4 advantage.
“The biggest thing is staying in the moment, not letting things be bigger than they need to be. Taking that loss in the first game was tough, bouncing back and trying to keep that energy high,” said Blaze coach Richard Guerra. “Emotions were high, but I was happy with the end result.”
And that happier finish started with a leadoff walk for Hannah Royse to lead off the bottom of the fourth. Two quick outs certainly added to the pressure, but Ava Khan then walked to bring up Kate Lawler. Fully forgetting about her two previous at-bats that ended with a strikeout, Lawler lanced a drive over the centerfielder, tying the game at 6-all.
“We had two runners on, down by two, and I wanted to do something big,” Lawler said. “I had the mentality of see ball, hit ball, and it felt great. I was able to clean things up from earlier. We trust each other and can come through those moments.”
After Bailey Graham was hit by a pitch, Kallie Kurtz took over, pulling a ball down the left field line for a single that brought in Lawler and made the score 7-6. Shortstop Brooklynn Morales delivered a superior play in the infield to secure the first out in the fifth, and reliever Everleigh Brown sealed it with two strikeouts (she had two K’s in the fourth as well).
“I just wanted to hit something hard on the ground, figured it would go through on this dirt,” Kurtz said. “The past is the past, so you have to get over it.”
Khan had two hits for the Blaze; Kirstin Gilbert had a two-run double in the first, and Kamryn Burleson had an RBI single in that inning as well.
“I have a lot of trust in them. We hit 1 through 14, is the way we look at it,” Guerra added. “Kate made a great swing, and then I know Kallie is going to hit something hard. We lean on each other for our success.”
This trip to Colorado marks the one and only big travel event for Dynasty for the summer. Tawney Brede and Sanaiya Sarono each had RBI hits for the team.
