Prep: Sister act stealing the show at Basic High

Spencer Patterson

Thursday, May 7, 1998 | 10:21 a.m.

There's probably no connection more important in high school softball than that between pitcher and catcher.

In a sport that puts such a premium on top-notch pitching, a catcher who knows how to get the most out of her battery mate can be the difference between a trip to the playoffs and a long offseason.

But Basic High School coach Aly Cerrone hasn't had to worry very much about the relationship between her top pitcher and catcher. After all, few athletes could possibly know each other as well as sisters Jen and Crystal Redding.

"They work so well together," Cerrone said. "It's almost like they know what each other is thinking out there."

Since moving to Las Vegas from Texas four years ago, the Redding sisters have helped turn Basic's program from a perennial cellar-dwellar into a serious contender.

With junior Jen on the mound and senior Crystal behind the plate, the Wolves snapped a seven-year playoff drought last spring. And when this season's Southern Zone Tournament kicks off next Wednesday, Basic will be in the thick of things again, aiming for a trip to the 4A state tourney.

The sisters began playing softball together as young girls, but their connection as pitcher and catcher didn't start until a Little League game several years back.

Already an accomplished hurler, Jen's array of pitches scared off most of her club's potential catchers, leaving the task to Crystal.

"She had a natural drop, so every time she pitched she would hit girls in the shins," Crystal recalled. "I had been her practice partner, so I caught her the first time she pitched in a game."

Since those early days, Jen and Crystal have developed a special bond on the field -- a closeness that allows Crystal to say things to her younger sister that other catchers might not dare mention.

"I can take it as constructive criticism without taking it personally," Jen said. "If I get excited, she's good about calling time, and she always understands what to say."

Of course, that's not to say that, like all sisters, the Reddings don't have their share of spats. But after seeing the way one of their arguments affected their play during a game last year, Jen and Crystal have taken special care to keep their private lives off the field.

"We used to fight sometimes, but we noticed it wasn't helping the team," Crystal said. "If we have an attitude toward each other, it looks bad to everyone else. If two sisters can't get along, how does that look to the rest of the team?"

Instead, the Reddings have focused on making life difficult for their opponents, something they've done well throughout the 1998 season. Jen boasts an 11-4 record and an ERA below 2.00, while both sisters have league batting averages around .300.

"They came from a competitive program (in Texas), and they know what it takes to win," Cerrone said.

And now, as Jen and Crystal prepare for what will likely be the final chapter in their career playing together, the sisters hope they can take winning to the ultimate level.

"My goal as a senior is to get to state, and I think Jennifer is working extra hard because I want to go to state," Crystal said. "We want to go out with a bang."