LJ softball 8, Mission Vista 1

Josie Sinkeldam beats out an infield hit on a hustle play

as Kyra Ferenczy scores from third in the bottom of

the fourth to build the Vikings' lead to 6-1.

(Photos by Ed Piper)

By Ed Piper

"We still haven't shut up their chatter," said La Jolla assistant coach Tracy Brown later in the Vikings' 8-1 win over visiting Mission Vista in the first round of the Division 4 softball playoffs Thurs., May 18.

La Jolla never did, which is to the Timberwolves' credit. Even after the hosts, the third seed in the bracket, built a big lead behind 16 hits and threatened to force the 10-run rule to be implemented.

Shortstop Josie Sinkeldam, self-named "the SS Josie", hit a bases-loaded knock with no outs in the bottom of the third to drive in Vanessa Shaffer and Kyra Ferenczy to put the Vikings ahead 2-1, after Mission Vista had opened up scoring with a run in the top of the inning.

Then, after an intentional walk to Linda Brown, Emily Alvarez drove in two more runs for a 4-1 lead. Brown was asked how many intentional walks she has this season. In Coach Anthony Sarain's statistics on maxpreps.com, it is the one statistic that isn't included. Brown wasn't sure. She said, "Four, I think."

Ava Verbrugghen then stepped to the plate and drove in another run for a 5-1 advantage.

La Jolla plays Mission Bay, an upset winner over Calvin Christian, in a second round game at home at 10 a.m. Sat., May 28.

Catcher Hailey Ramos (4) makes a good play on a

bunt attempt as pitcher Kira Ferenczy looks on.

 



In the bottom of the fourth, the Vikings further added to their lead when Sinkeldam beat out an infield hit as Ferenczy scored from third. That made it 6-1, with the T-wolves still doing their cheers in the visiting dugout.

Briana Bilderback, promoted from the junior varsity for the playoffs, surprised Tracy Brown, the first base coach, and Sarain, the third base coach, by stealing on the first pitch after being inserted as a pinch runner for Alvarez in the bottom of the fifth.

She came around to score on Shaffer's single. That gave La Jolla a 7-1 lead. Every run is important in the playoffs. Shaffer had three hits in her first three at-bats.

A teammate in the Vikings' dugout said, "(Bilderback) was given the sign to steal." Sarain, a few feet away in the coach's box at third base, said, "No, she wasn't." After the inning, Tracy Brown said, "I told her to listen to me when to go. The next thing I knew, she took off (without the sign to steal)."

Sarain, shaking his head, pointed out the run wouldn't have scored if Bilderback hadn't been pinch-running. Her speed made the play possible. But if she had been thrown out attempting to steal, with no instructions to steal, it would not have been a good result.

Ferenczy, the freshman, limited the T-wolves

to four hits in another quality start.