Viking first baseman Jacey Taylor, shown here
batting during La Jolla's game in the Division 5
finals Sat., May 30, was named the Central League
Player of the Year. (Photos by Ed Piper)
By Ed Piper
Graduated senior Jacey Taylor, who recently set new school records for home runs in a single season (14) and a career (28), was named the Central League Player of the Year in a meeting of league coaches.
The lefthanded power hitter, who started most games for the Vikings this season in the pitcher's circle, even though she doesn't specialize in pitching, led the Vikings in batting average and RBI's, as well. She normally plays first base, when she isn't pitching.
Taylor, who has a supportive family who attends most games, her dad famous for his series of signs that he holds up down the right field line to motivate his daughter and her teammates, plans to enroll at Baylor University in Texas and study kinesiology toward becoming an athletic trainer.
Even though some teams in the CIF playoffs avoided pitching to Jacey, due to her home run productivity, walking her multiple times intentionally, her home run totals can still increase with the Vikings' spot in the Southern California Regionals Tues., June 2, at home.
Taylor looks at an outside pitch during the Vikings'
11-1 win in the semifinals May 27 against
Orange Glen. She hit three home runs in one
game to propel her to the single-season
home run record (13) two weeks ago. The career
record had to wait another few games.
