In their most recent game on March 18, 2019, the girls’ varsity softball team held down the Drake Pirates at home with a score of 4-0. After losing seven seniors last year, the Redwood girls’ varsity softball team has had a season with five wins and three losses with only four seniors, one junior, five sophomores, and three freshmen.

The Giants began the game with a strong defense against the Pirates. The starting pitcher, senior Alexis Gero, began the game with a tense full count and was able to strike out the hitter. Redwood held up against Drake’s batters until the third out ended the top of the inning.

During the bottom of the first inning, sophomore Genevieve Schlick was driven home by sophomore Morgan Bello, scoring the first point of the game and establishing the lead for Redwood.

Although multiple batters from both teams were able to hit the ball and reach the bases, no one was able to make it home during the second inning. Emily Atkeson, the head coach of the team, believes that scoring is an improvement to make for future games.

“We have got to figure out how to get that one last hit to get the runners in. We get runners on and then we just sometimes can’t get them to cross the home plate,” Atkeson said.

The third inning began with clear skies and a cheering crowd. After two outs, Redwood’s senior Katie Rose caught a pop fly in the outfield, bringing up the Giants’ turn at bat.

At the bottom of the third inning, Gero hit a single to the left field, allowing Rose to safely advance to the home plate from third base.

The score remained static through the fourth inning. In the bottom of the fifth inning, Redwood penetrated through the Pirate’s defense and scored another two runs. Junior Camille Mungenast was brought home by Bello. A hit by senior and captain Kamalei Kaleikini allowed Bello to run to the home plate marking the fourth and last point of the game.

Kaleikini believed the team worked very well together against the Pirates.

“It was a good team effort, especially on a Monday, [when] everyone is kind of sluggish. We worked really well together. We put some hits together and boxed the win,” Kaleikini said.

Although Atkeson believed that the team lacked spirit in the field, she was still satisfied with the overall performance against the Pirates.

“We were getting the hits and we were playing a solid defense and that is what mattered today, we did what we needed to do in order to win,” Atkeson said.

  Despite being a young team, players expect to do well as the season progresses. Senior Parker Canby believes that the team is getting better and hopes to win MCALs this year.

“We are going to do pretty great and I think that most of our players are really getting better with each practice and with each game. By the end of the season we are going to be a pretty solid team and hard to beat,” Canby said.

The Giants will be facing San Marin High for their next league game on March 21 at 6:30 p.m. at San Marin High School in Novato.