Three-time defending Bay League champion Redondo kicks off its softball season Saturday with the start of its own tournament.
Redondo won the tournament in 2015 after reaching the finals for the first time.
“We’re looking forward to another strong tournament and tough games ahead,” said Redondo coach Jennifer Dessert, who is running the tournament for the fifth year. “We have many returning teams and a few new ones like Torrance and POLA (Port of Los Angeles).”
Torrance is ranked No. 1 in the CIF-SS Division 4 preseason poll after winning the CIF-SS Division 4 championship last season without a single senior on its roster and POLA reached the semifinals of the LA City Division 1 playoffs.
Redondo  is ranked No. 5 in the Division 3 preseason poll and opens the tournament with back-to-back Pool A games against Bishop Montgomery at 9 a.m. and Jurupa Hills at 11 a.m.
Competing in Pool B will be Westlake (No. 3, Div. 2), POLA and South Torrance. Pool C teams include Torrance, San Pedro and Harbor Teacher Prep. Teams playing in Pool are Warren, Santa Monica and West Torrance.
Teams finishing in third place in each pool compete in the Bronze Division on Tuesday, Mar. 1. Silver Division games are scheduled for Thursday, Mar. 3 and Gold Division competition will be held on Friday, Mar. 4 with the championship game slated for 7 p.m.
Redondo is loaded with talented returners led by All-CIF pitcher and Bay League MVP Kat Ung.
In the circle, Ung posted a 13-3 record with a 1.48 ERA and 120 strikeouts last season. At the plate, she batted .418 with 11 RBI.
Fellow senior Allison Betty led the Sea Hawks offensively with a .557 batting average, three home runs and 29 RBI.
Also returning for the Sea Hawks will be a trio of sophomores who had successful seasons in their first year of varsity ball.
Third baseman KP Fraser batted .431 and hit a team-high four home runs, catcher Samantha Pech hit .368 and first baseman Mckenna Villiagrana-zayas batted .344.
