When the Fourth Annual Class B State Softball Tournament begins today at the Players Softball Complex, it will feature a team as close to Aberdeen as the tourney has ever had.

Redfield, located just 45 miles south of the Hub City, has qualified for the tournament for the first time. The seventh-seeded Pheasants are hoping to have a bit of a home-field advantage.

“Just truly felt like the work of the girls, these seniors especially, has just finally paid off. The time they’ve given to me, to the program the past three years, just finally kind of paid off and put the program, moving forward, in a very, very good place,” said Redfield coach Bradley Cihak. “I expect big crowds from Redfield to come out and support the girls. I think it’s going to be a great atmosphere for the girls to play just having so many fans there.”

The Class B field will have a bit of a new look this year after a couple of upsets in last week’s SoDak 16 action.

Redfield defeated fifth-seeded Baltic and 14th-seeded Freeman-Marion-Freeman Academy knocked off defending champion Deuel, 1-0. Hanson and McCook Central-Montrose are two other new faces in the Class B tournament this year.

Redfield will take on McCook Central-Montrose at 2 p.m. the first round of the B tournament, in what Cihak believes is a division that’s there for anyone’s taking.

“I think this Class B is so unique. If you look at the standings, it’s been all over the place over the year. Castlewood’s kind of held down that top spot, but you look and we played them 6-5. They’ve been in a lot of one-run games,” said Cihak. “And then McCook, they’re a good ball club. They put the ball in play. … Freeman, coming off that 14 vs. 3 seeded win. I think you can’t overlook them. … I think the field’s pretty open, but I think every team’s just gotta go out and handle themselves and do their thing.”

Other first round games have Freeman-Marion-Freeman Academy against Castlewood at 10 a.m., Avon against Hanson at Noon, and Gayville-Volin against Florence-Henry at 4 p.m.

The state tournaments help put teams on the map, and in turn help grow softball in their communities.

“I think that growth shows with our little league up here. We just started league play here last week, and have the 12u, 10u, and 14u. We have 13 teams this year, 13 towns in Northern South Dakota playing fastpitch,” Cihak said. “I think us getting to the state tournament really helps and really shows the growth as well. I think we are, beside Mobridge, the most northern team to make it to a state tournament here now.”