LJ baseball: Malaika comments on new pro baseball league

By Ed Piper

Four teams will begin play August 1 in the Women's Pro Baseball League, with a 30-game season over seven weeks and rosters of 15 players each.

The WPBL will field teams hitting with aluminum bats and representing "storied sports cities" in the U.S., including San Francisco and Los Angeles, according to Justine Siegal, a co-founder of the circuit. Siegal was the first woman to coach for an MLB team with the Oakland A's in 2015.

Malaika Underwood, a La Jolla High Baseball Hall of Fame inductee and 1999 CIF Female Athlete of the Year, was asked for her comments on the upcoming league.

"I am not involved with the league, but, as you can imagine, I know many of the people who are," said Underwood, who serves on the staff of the U.S. Women's National Team in baseball. "And believe it or not, as old as I am (about 43 years old, at this point), I played with some of the players. Ha."

Malaika, who started at second base for the Vikings during her high school career and who once batted leadoff against her boy friend, which totally unraveled him and helped win the game for La Jolla, went on: "I really hope it takes off, but my biggest concern is sustainability without a stronger pipeline.

"Without high school and collegiate (at least club) opportunities for girls to play baseball, I worry that it will be difficult for the league to sustain and grow over time."

Another note on the former Viking star: She was named the CIF Girls Volleyball Player of the Year in 1998-99, her senior year, and went on to star in volleyball at the University of North Carolina on an athletic scholarship. As if that wasn't enough, Underwood filled in her winter sports season playing for the Viking girls basketball team, where her former coach said a couple of years ago, "My whole game plan was give the ball to Malaika. She'll know what to do with it."

Underwood on the WPBL: "Regardless, I hope it is a meaningful and progressive step in changing the social barriers that continue to exist for women playing baseball. And maybe if you build it, the investment in the pipeline will come."

In comments on the day she was inducted into the La Jolla High Baseball Hall of Fame two years ago, Malaika told a reporter that the key was having girls play baseball, not softball, if their participation in the sport was going to grow.

It was reported in various media outlets that the new league will include Mo'ne Davis, who starred in the Little League World Series in 2014. The four teams will play two seven-inning games per week Thursdays through Sundays, at Robin Roberts Stadium in Springfield, Illinois. The other cities represented by the teams include New York and Boston.

Tryouts were held in August 2025 at Nationals Park in Washington, D.C. Players representing 10 different countries took part: besides the U.S. and Canada, Japan, South Korea, and the Dominican Republic, as well as others. Over 600 players were whittled down to 120, who moved on to the league draft in November 2025.

Other picks represented Mexico, Curacao, Australia, France, and England. Players range in age from 18 to 37 years old.

The WPBL is the first such pro league since the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League ended play in 1954. The latter circuit was depicted in the movie "A League of Their Own".

LJ FB: Workout 6/23 and newbies

Photos by Ed Piper

Freshman Christian Hobson (front) successfully

defends against a pass intended for fellow

9th-grader Zakai Jackson (see loose ball

peaking out from behind Jackson, rear left).

The drill came during a workout June 23.

Soph Jack Riesenberg

(pronounced "reason-berg")

Junior Carsen Boman

slot receiver/free safety

Junior Sean Bannon

MLB/WR

Soph Preston Armstead

WR

Junior Kali Deberry

MLB/RB

Freshman Matias Frye

G/DT

Blake Alexander

Sophomore MLB

Jager Kideys ("kiddies")

Senior WR/CB

Moved from Florida

Freshman Zakai Jackson

WR/SS

Cornerback/wide receiver

Christian Hobson

LJ FB: USD 7-v-7 tourney - pool play - 6/19

Photos by Ed Piper

Viking Zakai Jackson (L) tries to slow down

South Hills (West Covina) receiver at the line.

Junior Carsen Boman makes a leaping catch

against Notre Dame Prep (NDP, Scottsdale) that leads

to a touchdown. QB Brody Bukich delivered

the pass.

Senior Joseph Crudo (R) of La Jolla goes out,

defended by Rancho Christian opponent (3).

Rancho Christian won the pool contest, 6-0.

Junior Kali Deberry (far right)

LJ QB Brody Bukich goes through

his reads as he waits for a receiver

to get open. The junior is coming back

from a fractured nose (note bandage).

Long double-braid

on St. Xavier (Palm

Desert) player.

Preston Armstead (big hair) of LJ moves toward

South Hills receiver as he runs after the catch.

Captains meeting: LJ's Ty Tortorice (white uniform)

and Rancho Christian's (Temecula) QB (12).

NDP (black uni) scores two

extra points to win 14-8.

Interception by NDP's Landon Stych (3) ends a

La Jolla possession on the first throw.

Soph returner Ty Tortorice at QB

Carsen Boman reception - 3rd game

LJ freshman cornerback Christian Hobson (L)

makes the two-hand touch stop.

Viking players and coaches move toward the

main field at Westview for game 3.

Sophomore AJ Lennan

Joseph Crudo goes into motion

as QB Ty Tortorice (rear left)

calls out the cadence.

Preston Armstead (left) and

Emerson Rota (right) defend

on pass in Rancho Christian game.

LJ FB: 7-v-7 vs. Steele Canyon, Mission Bay, Granite Hills - 6/16

Photos by Ed Piper

LJ reception vs. Steele Canyon

in the first rotation.

Rising soph Ty Tortorice, after a three-step

drop, launches a pass to  the right against

Mission Bay in an 18-12 loss,

unofficially.

Offense vs. Mission Bay (MB = black)

Rising soph Ty Tortorice

handled all of the Vikings'

QB duties, with junior Brody

Bukich out with a broken nose.

Chris Macy (L), 4th-year Vikings QB coach,

huddles with transfer Brody Bukich. The junior,

coming over from Mt. Carmel, was out with

a fractured nose. He started at QB for the

Sun Devil JV and freshman teams.

Viking completion vs. Steele Canyon.

Pre-workout pep talk by Coach Tyler Roach.

Junior Chase Weise is wearing red gloves,

third from left.

World Cup - SoFi Stadium

A young woman near my "family" on the third deck

of SoFi Stadium raises another "I-ran" cheer during

the 2-2 tie between New Zealand and Iran

Monday evening, June 15.

(Photos by Ed Piper)

By Ed Piper

When a security guard came around in the middle of the second half to clear the aisles, I told her, "We're a family." She: "Okay, just stay behind the (standing) counter, out of the aisle."

We had a good chuckle over my appeal to avoid being scattered. I wasn't trying to be mean or deceitful. It was all in good nature. Here we were on the 300 deck--the third level of SoFi Stadium in Inglewood--and standing the whole game was worth it, instead of going up yet another level to the 400's with a microscopic view of the action.

It built unity. Here I was, towering over the other members of "my family", a Mexican family of four, with Dad explaining the two team's maneuvers in the Iran-New Zealand soccer game to his young son in Spanish, and a middle-aged couple supporting the Kiwis. I said, "We all look the same."

When the uniformed security guard had arrived and said, "I want you all to go to your seats," I meekly said the line about being a family. She wasn't harsh-toned, just wanting to do a good job in trying to clear the aisles, especially in the event of a fire.

The referee lectures a New Zealand player

(in black, right) after he collided with an

Irani player (in white) in the first half.

"I'm the ugly duckling," I said when the other six and I resumed watching the 2-2 tie, which was narrated by the overwhelmingly pro-Iran crowd (L.A. has the largest concentration of Iranis second only to Teheran). A young woman nearby kept leading cheers, "Ee-RON, Ee-Ron".

"You're the little son who misbehaves," joked Mr. New Zealand, a kindly fellow. I was impressed his wife was willing to stand the entire two hours with him. Same with the two elementary-school-age kids. 

My new-found Mexican compadre smiled. He was a good source to bounce off comments from my decent but limited soccer knowledge. To his wife, I said, "You're a great cheerleader," she having helped start a wave that circled the stadium on all four decks among a sell-out of 70,000.

World Cup soccer: Day 1

Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, where I attended

a pro MX Liga semifinal doubleheader in the 1980's.

(Photo of TV image)

By Ed Piper

Anyone who knows me knows I'm not a soccer fan or knowledgeable writer about soccer, even though I have covered the La Jolla High girls and boys teams for over a decade. But I do like to stay current, and I began watching Fox's coverage of the men's World Cup yesterday (June 11)--a lot to take in.

Mexico, who I feel somewhat connected to, since I lived in Mexico City for over a year right out of college in my first job after college, put South Africa away in the opener. I can only imagine the fervor, the immense energy, the hopes of average people in Mexico City, in a culture that puts so much emphasis on the sport of soccer.

I'm also aware of the immense hype that Fox and its media ilk pour out for events they have sunk billions of dollars into. "Hype" in my generation meant over-emphasis; hype in the present generation has a positive connotation, building up enthusiasm for a team or school. I mean the former.

In the second game yesterday, I was closely watching the South Koreans as Son, the LAFC player, led them into battle in Guadalajara, 350 miles from Mexico City, the site of the opener, against Czechia. Czechia, averaging 6'3" in height--unusual for soccer--gave them a scare. An interesting note is how lately in media, South Korea is referred to as "Korea", as if the evil empire in North Korea doesn't exist. A political thing, I would guess. Just act like they don't exist.

One other quick thought: I once attended a pro doubleheader of soccer at Estadio Azteca, in the site for Mexico's win. I have the fondest memories. People in the nosebleed seats, where I  bought a ticket, shared snacks and even good food with me as we spent the afternoon on that far upper deck of the stadium. I had such a great experience as a gringo in Mexico. I was in my early 20's (this game was on a return visit to Mexico after I moved back here, as I remember it), I was very engaging, though obviously white and sporting a big beard and longish hair--very different from the Mexican culture. I tried to relate to people honestly, as who I was. I did speak decent Spanish at that time, having lived and studied in the culture. (I also taught Spanish back here in California in short spells as a credentialed teacher.)

LJ FB: 'Don't duck the grind'

Without missing a workout, rising

senior Joseph Crudo lifts hand weights

during Monday's session. Crudo

plays goalie in soccer, infield

in baseball, and running back/

defensive back in football.

(Photo by Ed Piper)

By Ed Piper

"Don't duck the grind."

La Jolla head coach Tyler Roach told the assembled 20 to 25 athletes at the end of a two-hour strength and conditioning workout in the Viking weight room and on the turf triangle in front of the weight room, "From all my years playing and coaching, I know that if you duck the grind, it will come back and get you."

He implored the faithful--including aspiring freshmen fresh off the campus at Muirlands Middle School--to be diligent about the workouts, show up, and truly benefit from new Defensive Coordinator Stephen Dixon's planned-out, timed barbell and hand weight exercises.

Dixon, for his part, newly-returned after serving as an assistant under Roach from 2019-2021, then heading the football program at Escondido High School for three years, told the boys, "Prepare a taco bowl. Have a pound of ground beef, brown rice, black beans, corn," and other ingredients to the tune of 4,000 calories a day during summer workouts leading up to the fall campaign.

In re-introducing himself to a reporter Thursday, June 4, the former Country Day assistant reminded him, "I was here during the Southern California Regional championship season in 2019," when drop-back passer Jackson Stratton was quarterback, and 2021, when a shortened season under COVID restrictions resulted in Roach's squad going 5-0 in the spring and winning the league title, with no playoffs allowed.