As the Lions’ dugout rotated the “Home Run Hat” after back-to-back hits from junior and captain Yarden Wilkenfeld and junior Lyla Silberg, the 13-run second inning turned a tied game into a 22-5 blowout victory over Don Bosco. On May 6, the JDS varsity softball team defeated Don Bosco Cristo Rey Wolfpack 22-5 in the semifinal game of the PVAC playoffs. The game was not only a landslide victory for the Lions, but also junior night, where the five juniors on the team were celebrated.
The Lions started strong in the first inning, allowing only one run thanks to a double play by sophomore first baseman Selma Teichman. The Lions’ first at-bat scored their first run with junior and captain Anna Polon stealing home, tying the game at 1-1. However, multiple pop-outs ended their first inning. In the second, the Lions continued their strong defense and did not allow a run.
The Lions’ second turn at bat was very different from their first. The inning began with doubles from freshmen Miri Silverman and Mae Stein, who both scored after a triple by Wilkenfeld. The Lions continued their momentum, scoring 13 runs in one inning, including home runs by Silberg and junior and captain Jordana Dauber, making the score 14-1. Stein, the pitcher for the first 3 innings, said she was proud of the team for such a successful inning.
“In the beginning, we didn’t start super strong, but as the game went on, we continued to really persist even with our early struggles, and we played really amazingly,” Stein said.
At the top of the third inning, Don Bosco was able to score three runs from Stein after multiple walks and players being hit by the pitcher. However, the Lions finished the inning strong with a triple play, ending Don Bosco’s at-bat. High school English teacher and head coach Thomas Worden was glad that Stein was able to bounce back despite her initial obstacles.
“I thought [Stein] played really well today,” Worden said. “She was under quite a bit of duress up there, especially from some of the things that she was hearing on the [opposing] bench. She collected herself and was able to, as she always does.”
In this game, on-base hits were a crucial component of the Lions’ victory, as 19 of their runs came from RBI’s. Polon and Dauber were both large contributors, getting on base a combined total of seven times, leading to many runs batted in.
The Lions kept scoring with a deep hit from Silberg and several other strong hits, extending the lead to 21- 4. The final two innings were quieter offensively, with each team scoring just one more run. After the game, underclassmen honored the juniors with speeches and funny photos. This marked the juniors’ final softball season, as they will be in Israel during next year’s season. If the Lions win their next game, they will secure back-to-back undefeated championship seasons.
“It was very fun to celebrate being juniors,” Silberg said. “We’ve been on this team together for many years, so it was really special to be recognized together after such a big win.”
