Stephanie Alvarez circles the bases as coach Anthony
Sarain (foreground) claps in celebration of her
three-run homer in the fourth inning.
(Photos by Ed Piper)
La Jolla's softball team made history for the second time in three weeks with a convincing 9-6 win over visiting Western League power Point Loma Tues., April 7.
The victory, powered by catcher Stephanie Alvarez's three-run homer over the left field fence onto the neighboring street, was the Vikings' first win over the Pointers in several years.
This followed on LJHS's win in the league opener last month over Clairemont--its first league win in four years.
Assistant coach Tracy Brown, father of Linda Brown, the Vikings' third baseman, had his head down and hoping as Point Loma came back with two runs off Katja Sarain in the top of the seventh inning. But La Jolla held on for the win.
"You're seeing history in the making," said shortstop Josie Sinkeldam's father, an unofficial advisor/coach, who was keeping score of the game behind the backstop.
Point Loma appeared stunned at the reversal of its fortunes. While the Pointers were trailing 7-4 in latter innings, the team bench was silent as the game went on--an occurrence not repeated in recent memory. The coaches, as well, were not vocal and barking out encouragement or correction during the latter part of the game.
Alvarez (center) is congratulated by teammates
after crossing the plate on her towering shot
that easily cleared the left field fence.
The Pointers, apparently unaware of the improvement of La Jolla's softball program after years of futility, did not start their number-one pitcher or catcher, the latter who was ill. They made a pitching change early in the game after trailing--something you never saw in games against formerly lowly LJHS.
In the crucial fourth inning, when La Jolla built up its 7-4 lead, the Vikings got three straight hard hits to left field. Sarain singled, Linda Brown lined a shot to the same spot just in front of the left fielder, then Alvarez unloaded, clearing the left field fence with a long drive that bounced on the paved road. No one on Point Loma uttered a word.
The Vikings scored two runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to pad their lead, fortunate in view of the pair of runs that Point Loma brought across in the top of the seventh in a last futile effort at a comeback.
The younger players newer to La Jolla's team probably couldn't fully appreciate the significance of the win over Point Loma. Seniors Sarain and Alvarez suffered through years of humiliation, especially in Western League play. Often games against the Pointers terminated prematurely on the mercy rule that mandates the end of the game when one team leads by 10 runs or more after five innings.
La Jolla is now 2-0 in the league, 8-6 overall.
Copyright 2015 Ed Piper
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