LJ softball 7, Madison 6

Senior catcher Stephanie Alvarez crushes

the first pitch to right field for a walkoff

grand slam, 7-6. (Photo by Ed Piper)

La Jolla coach Anthony Sarain to a sideline observer: "Watch this. Grand slam."

Situation: Bottom of the seventh inning, one out. Bases loaded. Madison leads, 6-3.

First pitch to Stephanie Alvarez: Shot down the right field line, over the fence. Vikings win, 7-6.

A lot of firsts have been recorded lately. This is only the most recent. First league win in four years, over Clairemont. First win over Point Loma in memory. Now, something that never would have been seen last year, or in recent years: a walkoff grand slam by a Viking.

Earlier, on a defensive gem by third baseman Linda Brown, her dad, assistant coach Tracy Brown, said, "I'll have to feed her something special tonight. Surf-and-turf." It turns out her favorite burrito is called that.

Vanessa Shaffer makes another

great leaping catch in

left field.

Brown hustled down the line on a foul popup, and snagged it against the green tarp shielding the neighboring residence from the LJHS softball field. It was a nice play going away from the field of play. Dad was impressed, though he has seen a lot of those.

Linda's younger sister, a sixth-grader who plans to play for La Jolla three years from now, was sitting on the bench nearby. The two have played together in summer league, but with the four-year difference in schooling, they won't be able to play together for the Vikings. Too bad.

In a sister act that is going on, Stephanie's younger sister, Emily, smashed a double in the bottom of the sixth inning to drive in the Vikings' third run, bringing them to within 6-3. That made Stephanie's walkoff grand slam possible an inning later.

In the top of the sixth, the Warhawks looked like they had built a comfortable edge. Their pair of twins completed hitting a home run by each, this one a three-run shot into the planter behind the "Home of the Vikings" sign in center field.

The score through the game was 1-1, 2-1 Madison leading, 2-2, 6-2, 6-3, and finally the 7-6 final score.  


Copyright 2015 Ed Piper