NATIONAL CHAMPS — Torey Richards, right, and her dad, Tomm Richards, with the 2011 Class A NAFA National Fast-Pitch Softball championship trophy. (Submitted photo)

Torey Richards helps Mankato Peppers team win 2011 national championship

By KATHY PAULSEN

Staff Writer

Torey Richards, catcher for the Mankato Peppers 12-and-under fast-pitch softball team, helped her team win the 2011 Class A NAFA National Fast-pitch Softball tournament. A total of 77 teams competed in the four-day tournament July 21-24 at Eagan, Minn. The Peppers girls’ softball team, coached by Torey’s dad, Tomm Richards, finished the tournament undefeated.

The team has had an outstanding year. The Mankato squad didn't allow a run or commit an error in the final five bracket games to complete a remarkable 48-5-2 tournament season with seven tourney championships.

Torey comes from a family very familar with the sport of fast-pitch softball. Tomm Richards started his fast-pitch softball career playing for the Da Boys fast-pitch team, which was based out of Geneva, and her mother, Tara, also played fast-pitch softball in high school.

Torey’s sisters have all played some softball, but not competitively, as Torey has for the past three years. Tristan is 20 and will be junior at Gustavus Adolphus this fall. Taya is 15 and will be a sophmore at Mankato East; Torey is 12 and will be in seventh grade at Mankato East; and Tiegen is 6 and will be going into first grade. 

Torey is the granddaughter of Dan and Sue Richards and Paul and Diane Stollard of Geneva.