With outfielder Natasha Vujcic being the only senior on the team, softball knew that inexperience would be an obstacle to overcome this season. Still, the team has started the season 6-5, an impressive record for a squad that has averaged only two wins over the past three seasons.


After a 10-0 shutout loss against Sherwood to open the season, the team won their next two games, including a 23-run outing at Northwood. The most pivotal victory may have come in a 2-0 shutout win against Whitman on April 18, as WJ lost its last two meetings with the Vikings 11-0 and 10-0, respectively.

According to junior first baseman Roya Hakimzadeh, strong team chemistry and improvements defensively have been essential to the team’s quick turnaround.

“The team this year looks the best it’s been during the three years I’ve been on varsity,” she said. “We’re young but we are a great team and work well together.” Though the team shuts down its opponents defensively, being able to pour on more runs in games would make them even more threatening.

“I think we can work our bats a little better and be more aggressive base runners,” said Hakimzadeh. “But other than that I think we are pretty solid.”

Now that the girls have proven to themselves that they are experienced enough to win, and can avoid making costly errors, a run in the playoffs is certainly not out of the question. The team will anxiously await the draw for regional brackets on May 5.

“The great success we have is having a great group of girls dedicated to the game and their hearts are in it to win,” said coach Jamie Ahearn. “We have raised our confidence level and that’s half the battle.”