Redwood Seniors Complete Softball Grand Slam

The softball team encountered an unusual foe en route to a sixth consecutive Marin County Athletic League championship Saturday.

Nerves.

Even that couldn’t stop the Giants.

Playing with the pressure of possibly seeing three straight titles get lost in the disappointment of a final-year failure, Redwood’s senior core performed brilliantly in a 4-1 victory over Tam at Albert Park.

“I woke up shaking,” admitted Redwood senior catcher . “I was thinking, ‘If we don’t win, everything won’t be worth it.’ To not win would have been heartbreaking.

“We had to carry on the legacy.”

The Giants had a reason to be nervous in the top of the first inning. A hard grounder into right field that would have scored at least one run was ruled foul by inches, and a potential two-run hit was run down expertly by centerfielder to end the inning.

“I was a little bit nervous because of the wind blowing,” Rubin admitted. “We made a lot of good plays. We trust each other.”

Redwood pitcher helped calm the situation with a two-run double that scored and Rubin to give the Giants the jump on Tam ace Kim Scarsella in the bottom of the first.

That was all Boyer the pitcher would need, although there were a few more anxious moments.

Tam, having just scored a run, nearly tied the game in the third, but a perfect throw by yet another of Redwood's seniors, leftfielder Jackie Kokka, to Atkinson at the plate got a sliding Aria Pogni by a whisker.

And in the seventh, when Tam was one baserunner from bringing the potential tying run to the plate, shortstop Matteo lunged to her right to prevent a hit and shortcircuit a rally.

“The senior experience,” Redwood coach said of the critical plays. “They’ve done it 1,000 times in practice and games. It’s become automatic.”

Indeed, this one was all about the Redwood seniors, their nerves and the huge sigh of relief when it was over.

“I love this team so much,” Boyer assured. “There’s been pressure on us all season. Everybody has been gunning for us. It feels great to win.”

Added Rubin, “I was really nervous coming into the game. This would have been crushing if we had lost.”

Even Casassa grasped the magnitude of his 11-senior roster.

“I’m not a contender next year,” he noted.