Miyamura alumna is Scottsdale’s versatile player

By Barbara Boxleitner
Special to the Times

GALLUP

Mid-year transfer Lakisha Shorty has been a solid addition to the Scottsdale Community College softball team.

The Miyamura High School alumna joined the program in January after a semester attending a community college in New Mexico.

The freshman has made an immediate impact. She played the first 22 games (4-18) and hit .339, tied for second among the starters, with 10 runs batted in, second on the squad.

“She swings the bat hard and is aggressive,” Scottsdale head softball coach Sabeana Romero said. “She’ll go in the gaps. She’ll turn a double into a triple.”

Shorty has batted first through fourth in the order. After going hitless in the season-opening doubleheader, she had a season-high eight-game hitting streak that included two multihit efforts. She doubled twice and singled in four at-bats during a win over Paradise Valley and drove in a season-high three runs.

“It does feel good to help my teammates out with hits and just getting on base,” she said. “Against Paradise Valley, I did see the ball very well. My timing was on track.”

In Saturday’s loss to Chandler-Gilbert, she hit safely in her fifth consecutive game, including three with two hits. Batting third in the order, she launched her first home run and singled in four at-bats, leading the team with four RBIs.

She has worked to improve her form at the plate. “Using more legs,” she said. “I tend to use a lot of upper body instead of my base, and that’s where my power comes from.”

Shorty is also trying to keep her head still enough to watch the pitch approach the plate to make better contact. “I struggle with pulling my head,” she said. “I’m working on keeping a steady head.”

She struck out 12 times, fourth on the squad. She said she swings to protect the plate when the count is full, but some of the offerings are too far off the plate. “My strikeouts tend to be outside,” she said.

“The pitchers are definitely a lot more aggressive (than in high school),” she said. “I see a lot of movement and spin especially.”

Defensively, she has been versatile. Shorty has played the middle infield positions and the corner outfield spots. She had a .938 fielding percentage in 64 chances, second most on the team, and was a part of turning three double plays.

“She has an absolute cannon,” the coach said. “She’s very quick. She has really good hands. She goes wherever we need her.”

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