SOFTBALL – La Mirada welcomes back Jennie Finch in dedication of new softball field

Former La Mirada High standout pitcher Jennie Finch, standing in the middle of the back row, is with the current team prior to the pregame festivities as the school’s new softball field was dedicated to Finch this past Thursday evening. La Mirada would blank Fullerton High 4-0 in the home opener for the Matadores. PHOTO BY LOREN KOPFF.

March 15, 2025

By Loren Kopff • @LorenKopff on X

Former La Mirada High star pitcher Jennie Finch threw out the first pitch to sophomore catcher Riley Hilliard during the pregame ceremonies to dedicate the school’s new softball field, named after Finch. Then she watched sophomore Alison Ortega toss a one-hitter as the Matadores shutout Fullerton High 4-0 on a windy, 54-degree night this past Thursday.

The former two-time Suburban League Most Valuable Player, who graduated in 1998, had her number retired nearly nine years ago on La Mirada’s old field. Now, Jennie Finch Field becomes one of the best, if not the best high school softball facilities in Southern California.

“It’s so humbling and [I’m] so incredible honored,” said Finch. “This is their new normal, and I think that’s the most exciting part; is that these young women won’t know any different. That’s what the women before me worked for. It’s just incredible; the things that are at their fingertips, now and what these young girls have. I’m truly living a dream, and they get to live in it in their reality.”

During her time at La Mirada, Finch compiled a record of 50-12, had 14 one-hitters, 13 no-hitters and six perfect games, which although not listed in the CIF-Southern Section record book, would rank sixth all time. She did toss back to back perfect games in 1997, one off the all-time CIF-SS record, and her career earned run average of 0.15 would be tied for ninth among CIF-SS pitchers.

Finch was also a first-team All-Suburban League member three times and was the school’s Female Athlete of the Year and Athletic Director’s Female Athlete of the Year in 1998.

The word used by many, especially her high school head coach in 1998, Rich Trujillo, is dominant. She was the top high school recruit according to Jump Magazine, eventually choosing the University of Arizona where she went 119-60, had an ERA of 1.08 and struck out 1,028 batters. Playing for the USA Softball team, Finch would win a gold medal in the 2004 Summer Olympic games among her plethora of accolades throughout the years.

“I tell everybody, all I had to do was sit on a bucket and wait for us to score a run,” said Trujillo, who took over the program in Finch’s senior season. “She was so dominant and all the issues we had throughout the year…we had other pitchers to try to get into the game. But she kind of wanted to pitch every game.”

Finch remembers looking up to Lisa Fernandez, who has a field in Lakewood named after her, but admitted she never thought La Mirada would have a softball field named after her.

“For me, to see a female’s name on a park and someone who I looked up to was surreal,” said Finch, as she was trying to hold back tears. “And now, here it is. So, I’m just so thankful. Obviously, I live in Louisiana now, so I feel like walking in [La Mirada’s new field] was like, ‘wow’. Then walking on the field, the reality set [in].”

“It’s something special; it’s long coming,” said La Mirada head coach Brent Tuttle. “Jennie’s the face of softball. I mean, arguably the greatest player ever to play. So, we owed it to her, and this is a beautiful field. She probably has the nicest field named after her in high school. I don’t know in California any more facilities like this.

“It’s special because we picked this game on purpose with Fullerton,” he continued. “Having her niece throw, who’s going to [the University of] Oklahoma…just to make it a family event and just make it a special day.”

Jennie Finch said that now, this is her niece’s reality that she gets to play on facilities like the one at La Mirada. She added that she’s so humbled; so grateful and just how special it is that we’re living in these times.

Finch said Tuttle reached out to her a few years ago and said something ‘was in the works and it’s going to be special’. But she did not have any clue as to what it might be. Then last year, he talked to her again, asking for a date for this season to come out so the school could dedicate the field in her name.

“He said, ‘we’re doing it, and your name is going to be on it, and it’s going to be first class’,” said Finch. “That’s exactly what it is. I think of all the people…I think that’s where all the emotions come in. It’s the women before me and the men who had paved the way and opened the opportunities and doors for me; Title IX and all those things. I’m just so grateful to be a part of it; to be a small token of what these girls now get to play on every day.”

Tuttle reflected when he took over for Trujillo, everyone knew who Jennie Finch was and in his first year with the Matadores, they retired her number. Then it was a matter of naming the field after her a few years later.

“Once we found out we were going to get the new stadium, then it was a matter of doing it the right way,” said Tuttle. “We told her it was coming, and it was going to be something special. Hopefully, she’s enjoyed it; she says she loves it. I mean, who wouldn’t love this place?”

“It’s quite an honor, but she deserves it,” said Trujillo. “When you get a big name like hers, it’s amazing, and that’s good. She’s probably the most well-known athlete from La Mirada. People still know who she is.”

As for the game itself, Ortega faced two over the minimum, struck out two and did not allow a runner to get past second base while throwing 82 pitches. The lone hit she yielded was a two-out knock to Andrea Montes De Oca in the top of the second inning. But she would get caught stealing second base with two strikes on Sofia Holton. After that, the Indians had one runner reach base the remainder of the game.

“She did an awesome job,” said Tuttle of her sophomore pitcher. “She learned today that she could go through a game and not have to worry getting nine or 10 strikeouts. I think, if I’m correct, she pitched a one-hitter…and her defense is awesome behind her tonight. Our second baseman, [senior Alyssa] Avila, was lights out and even Ali made a couple of plays. She’s growing up big.”

Avila had eight assists and Ortega had six assists, none more important than when Majam-Finch hit a rocket that glanced off Ortega’s glove, went to Avila who threw to sophomore first baseman Reese Hilliard.

After stranding three runners in the first two innings combined, senior shortstop Amanda Urbina was hit by a pitch to lead off the bottom of the third inning. On the next pitch, Reese Hilliard launched a home run over the left field fence for the only runs the Matadores (9-3) would need. the next seven batters would be retired before Reese Hilliard reached on an error and Majam-Finch intentionally walked Riley Hilliard. Then senior third baseman Angelyna Conde was safe on Fullerton’s second error, making it 3-0. A wild pitch would send sophomore pinch runner Jasmine Rodriguez home to complete the game’s scoring.

La Mirada will host Kennedy High on Wednesday.