Alix DeDreu has been playing softball since the age of seven.
By the time she was in seventh grade she would have been a varsity starter if she lived in Kentucky.
Rising Sun Coach David Brown watched the last four years as DeDreu led his program to five of the school’s seven sectional titles and two regional crowns.
Brown announced his retirement after 30 years of coaching prior to the season and his last official duty (honor) was escorting the school’s first Indiana All-star when she was introduced at the North South All-Star game Saturday, June27 at Cherry Tree Softball Complex in Carmel.
DeDreu was a member of the Indiana Coaches of Girls Sports Association South Squad where she wore the number 14.
She is known for her number 85 which she has worn as a fan of former Cincinnati Bengal Chad Johnson (before he became Ocho cinco then back to Chad Johnson). Her all-star number was that of another Cinciannit star, Pete Rose.
While both professionals have been shadowed by controversy in their careers, there has been nothing but praise for the young Lady Shiner pitcher and shortstop.
The South team scored a 4-3 win over the North in the first game of a doubleheader. Each player batted in numerical order.
DeDreu saw action at shortstop in game one then came back to retire the side in order in the bottom of the seventh to pick up the save. Not a bad showing after being sick and not feeling good the morning after receiving her all-star award at the ICGSA banquet.
“Once you get out there the energy, the excitement takes over and you don’t worry about it,” is how she gets through those times of illness.
In the opener, the South loaded the bases on an infield single, an error and hit batter then scored on a walk. That was all the scoring until the South posted three runs in the sixth only to have the North get three in the bottom of the inning.
A two out rally in the seventh led to the go ahead run and DeDreu came in to close out the win.
Rising Sun’s all-time batting leader was first to bat in game two but went hitless as neither team could score, even after an extra inning played by international rules.
She was starting pitcher in game two and did not allow a baserunner thanks to a great play by shortstop Kayla Bear of Ben Davis.
Center Grove’s Mallory Baker (named co-Miss Softball in between games) was DeDreu’s batterymate behind the plate.
South’s Olivia White of Bloomington South came in to shut-down the North in the eighth inning of game two and earn MVP honors.
North’s Kiley Jones of Portage (co-Miss Softball) secured the tie in the bottom of the eighth. The game ended at 0-0 as many players had more softball to play that day, including DeDreu. She has played a lot of select ball- traveling to Florida, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Colorado, and Ohio.
“I’ve been to big places, big tournaments, lots of coaches and lots of scouts,” she added, which has given her the exposure which earned her a college scholarship.
District Four Coach of the Year Craig Sims, whose Hauser team defeated Rising Sun in the 2015 regional, coached the South team along with , Coach Gary May of Gibson Southern, who was named Coach of the Year for District Five and overall.
“It’s an awesome experience being Rising Sun’s first all-star,” Dedreu said humbly.
Her keys to success have been to “work yourself, push yourself to get better.”
The hardest part is “pushing myself and always doing better. Icing my shoulder and taking medicine when I need too.”
Her sisters have always had some tips. “You did this good but you still need to work on this,” they would encourage her.
She now looks to push for more at Thomas More.
“Always having somebody better than me in college is motivation to work harder, “
On hand to watch her were her dad Ken (who has served as her pitching coach), mom Kim, hitting coach Danny Vinup and his wife Rhonda along with Tiffany Vinup and classmate Bailey Baker.