Tigers, Redel start 2010 season nearly perfect
RED OAK — The Red Oak softball team has had a perfect start to the season, winning their first five games along with their own tournament championship Saturday.
In their first game of 2010, against Fremont-Mills on May 24, senior pitcher Jami Redel threw a no-hitter, and was only one out from a perfect game.
That one out was the first batter of the game, who reached on an error. Redel held the Knights at bay the rest of the night, striking out 15.
The Tigers' lone run in the 1-0 win came in the fourth inning after catcher Gabrielle French reached with a single. French's courtesy runner Makelti White stole second and scored on a Paige Stoaks single.
Wednesday's game against Lewis Central was rained out and has not been rescheduled.
Friday, Lenox came to Red Oak, hoping to win their first game of the season.
The Red Oak Tigers made quick work of the Lenox Tigers, winning 10-0 in five innings.
Redel only allowed one hit in Red Oak's win, while striking out five.
She and French had three hits apiece. Cheyanne Nelson added two hits and three RBI in Red Oaks second win of the season.
Saturday, the Tigers hosted their second annual tournament, with Griswold, Fremont-Mills, Essex, Walnut, and Shenandoah coming to town.
Red Oak opened the tournament facing a Griswold team, who was coming off a loss to Fremont-Mills in the first game of pool-play.
The two Tiger teams kept close the first three innings, as Red Oak only led by one run, but the orange and black opened it up in the latter innings.
Redel, who had two doubles, a single, and two RBI led Red Oak. Yardas added three singles and another two RBI in Red Oak's 9-3 win. Nelson also had two singles, two RBI in the Red Oak victory.
In the second round of pool play, Red Oak had to fight back from behind against Fremont-Mills.
The Knights started off on top, leading by three going into the fifth inning, when the Red Oak bats started to heat up. Paige Isaacson scored the first Red Oak run on a Redel single. White courtesy ran for Redel and was driven in by a double by French. Pulling the Tigers within one, 3-2, going into the sixth.
With one out in the bottom of the sixth, Yardas reached on a single. White pinch-ran for the third baseman and scored on an Isaacson hit up the middle.
Elaine Walker drove in Isaacson along with the game-winning run, with her first RBI of the season, for the Tigers, sending them into the finals.
In their final game of the week, the Tigers faced rival Shenandoah in the championship game.
The Tigers took a 1-0 lead into the top of the seventh inning before adding some insurance to the lead.
Isaacson, Redel, and Courtney Flowers each had two hits in the championship game. Lexie Holmgren added a double in the Tigers' win.
The Tigers' defense, led by Holmgren helped Red Oak in the title game, as Redel gave up five hits, no runs, struck out five, and walked no batters in the championship game.
Redel and French were named all-tournament for their performance with the hometown champs.