Sovereign off to Penn State

GLENDALE — While questions will certainly abound in regards to the Crescenta Valley High softball team maintaining its overwhelming success of recent seasons with the departures of a stream of star-studded seniors, one certainty is that the program will continue to produce NCAA Division I athletes.

Continuing in a long line of Falcons flying on to the next level, Crescenta Valley senior Alyssa Sovereign has verbally committed to play at Penn State.

A multiple-time All-Area and All-Pacific League honoree, Sovereign committed on Sept. 19 to play for the Nittany Lions.

“Just the facilities there, the school in general, the people, the atmosphere, it was just the place for me,” said Sovereign, a first-team All-Area selection this past season who batted .473 with four home runs, 27 runs batted in and scored 42 runs, while also providing stellar defense at second base.

Whether or not she remains a second baseman or possibly moves to an outfield position is in question.

“You never know ‘til I get there,” she said.

Crescenta Valley Coach Dan Berry, for one, believes the four-year varsity starter is versatile enough to play the outfield or second.

“I think either of the two spots she’ll do well,” he said.

Berry used Sovereign in the No. 2 spot of the batting order and Sovereign showcased her ability to sacrifice, hit for average and hit for power.

“She can do everything with the bat,” he said.

Sovereign, who played with the likes of Baillie Kirker (University of Arizona), Stephanie Ziemann (San Jose State), Lainey De Pompa (UC Santa Barbara) and Ashleigh Viers-Gordillo (Boise State) among other Falcons college players, will likely be moved into the Falcons’ No. 3 or 4 spot this year.

For Sovereign, the excitement of notching a scholarship to play college softball and the relief of getting it out of the way before her senior high school season were equal emotions.

“It’s totally both,” she said of what she was feeling. “And, I only have to fill out one [college] application.”

But more than anything, it was a goal accomplished for the talented softball player. Having competed at the sport since she was “4 or 5,” Sovereign said playing in college truly became an aspiration after she gave up soccer following her freshman season to concentrate on softball.

“It became the next goal for me to play in college and get to the next level,” she said.

Penn State, under Coach Robin Petrini, went 19-27 overall and 7-13 in the Big Ten last season.