LJ softball: 5-3 in league quite a feat this year

Pitcher Kyra Ferenczy (right), shortstop Josie Sinkeldam (third from
right), first baseman Emily Alvarez (between the two), outfielder
Vanessa Shaffer (standing, left) and teammates on the 2017
CIF Division 4 championship softball team, recognized
at halftime of a football game last fall.
(Photo by Ed Piper)

By Ed Piper

Kyra Ferenczy, normally an outfielder serving as La Jolla's pitcher, and Josie Sinkeldam, the Vikings' shortstop, have been a potent one-two punch in the batting order for Coach Andrea Denham and her predecessor, Anthony Sarain, for the last three seasons.

Their partnership, along with the powerful bat of Linda Brown and the consistent play of first baseman Emily Alvarez and others, culminated in a CIF Division 4 title 12 months ago in one of the most exciting runs in the softball program in recent years.

In many ways, this year's feat of finishing fourth in the Eastern League at 5-3, behind an undefeated Madison squad with an 8-0 record, was as remarkable as the championship feat. With Brown's graduation in 2017, the Vikings had to fill her and other key spots in the infield and outfield. They also lost Linda's father, Tracy, a four-year assistant coach who ran many of the team's drills in practice.

Vanessa Shaffer, who played left field for two years, now had to move to center field to assume leadership of the outfield. Sinkeldam still had Alvarez, a sure hand, to throw to at first base. But the players on each side her in the infield now had to change due to graduation.

Shaffer, as she did a year ago, was telling her teammates last fall and winter that she wasn't going to return to the softball team in 2018. That was a concern, with her defense being a key element fortifying the outfield.

The athletic leaper, who was able to reach many fly balls and who used some of the same skills in goal to help lead the Viking soccer team to the CIF title a year ago, did return to the fold this March.

The athletic Sina Anae came back in the outfield. Hailey Ramos, consistent and a dependable team player behind the plate, completed the list of returning veterans.

Providing a big addition to the team this season were three incoming freshmen, Jackie Farias at third base, Abby Espinoza as a corner outfielder--as well as back-up in the pitcher's circle to Ferenczy--and Kendall Dooley at second base.

The team achieved a 10th seed in the Division 3 playoffs, necessitating a sudden-death play-in game away (at Country Day) Tues., May 15. Country Day is the seventh seed. The positive is that the squad, filling spots and maximizing its ability, reached the post-season. That is an achievement worthy of recognition.