Oakdale High athletes tout their camaraderie like a purple heart, but local softball players had to put aside their similarities during recent action on the youth softball diamond.

Oakdale members of the California Grapettes and OBS Monarchs competed head-to-head during recent tournament action that pitted Lady Mustang teammates against each other.

The group squared off at the June Classic Tournament, where Oakdale’s Kaila Olson and the 18s Grapettes bested Shelby Reali and Lauren Sanders of the Monarchs, in a hard fought 2-1 decision. The Grapettes would go on to win the tournament.

In the same tourney, the Grapettes 16s represented by Oakdale’s Rylie Pena and Sarah Peterson also tackled teammate Hanna Holland on the Monarchs 16s team.

The Monarchs won the first game 3-1, but the Grapettes battled back to win 4-3 en route to a tourney championship.

Holland batted 3 for 3 in the Monarchs win, and was finally downed in the final inning of the Grapettes win. Maddi and Kindra Hackbarth of Oakdale Junior High also played roles for the Grapettes in the tourney.

Other Oakdale High varsity players in the midst of summer ball include Anneliese Davis (Runnin’ Rebels 16s team), Ghianna Falconi (R&R 18s Gold team), Melinda Koppinger (California Breeze 16s team) and Shelby Cordova (injured, but on Grapettes 18s). Megan Reali of the Oakdale JV team is also on the OBS Monarchs 14s.

The Grapettes 16s have played in the SoCal’s finest Zoom Into June Showcase and the Memorial Day Classic, where they won three straight games in the 18s silver division to finish second. The team was 2-3 at the Zoom and took on the Premier Girls Fastpitch National Qualifier in June.