Tough Votendahl returns to the field of her dreams

When she reflects back on the events of the last three months, Danielle Votendahl knows that she has her family to thank for getting her through some hard times.

A recent graduate of Edison High, Votendahl has only recently returned to the lineup for her club team, the Firecrackers Stream. Her comeback has been completed just in time for the Premier Girls Fastpitch Nationals, which will be held locally for the next two weeks.

“I was always taught when I was little that you never give up on your dreams,” Votendahl said of the perseverance that her family helped instill in her. “You always fight through the difficult time.”

The road to recovery, however, was a long and arduous one that challenged her physically and emotionally.

Entering her senior year with the Chargers, Votendahl was riding high. She was coming off a junior year in which she posted a .384 batting average. She had the best power-hitting numbers on the team by far, producing six home runs, five doubles, and two triples.

Her senior year had started out beautifully. The bat remained a strength with a walk-off home run against Fountain Valley on March 30. In the field, she held down positions of heavy responsibility in pitcher and shortstop.

Edison started out the year 12-6 overall. Then with one play, her name would soon vanish from the Chargers’ lineup card for good.

On April 11, Votendahl was playing shortstop against Los Alamitos. She covered second base against an attempted steal. As she went to tag the runner, she was injured by the slide.

“When I got hit, I knew that something was wrong, but I didn’t want to think about it in the moment, so I just played it off like nothing was wrong,” Votendahl said.

Votendahl remained in the lineup for the Chargers in their next game against Marina, but when the team went on spring break, matters changed for the worst.

“I was at home all week,” Votendahl said. “My finger, I could not move it at all. I was in so much pain, so my mom forced me to go to the orthopedic.

“When I got there, I was really nervous. I knew that there was something really wrong, but I didn’t want to face it. The doctor came in and said it was severely broken. It was in half.”

The injury to her right ring finger was diagnosed as mallet finger. The fracture had been incurred on the top knuckle (the distal phalanx).

“I started crying because I knew right then and there that senior year was over,” she said. “There was nothing that I could do. I thought my college career would have been over because of how bad the break was. It was very devastating.”

Votendahl rebounded by keeping the dream alive. The Chargers senior provided moral support at practices. She remained in the dugout at games, keeping score for the team. Most importantly, she stayed connected to her softball family in the process.

The Colorado State Pueblo-signee also received reassurance from her college coach that no harm had been done and she just needed to focus on healing.

With surgery and rehab behind her, Votendahl has been 100-percent cleared. Her club coach, Chuck Stream, is excited to have her back. The former Charger has played for Firecrackers Stream for more than two years, and she was a critical cog in the machine prior to her injury.

“She has a good stick,” Stream said. “She just goes out there and swings it. She has really quick hands, probably the quickest hands that I have seen on a batter.”

Stream views Votendahl as a super-utility player. She has even played the outfield for the Firecrackers. Before her injury, Votendahl saw time in the leadoff and No. 3 spots in the batting order, as Stream had aimed to get her as many at-bats as possible. She batted out of the No. 3 hole upon her return last week.

The Firecrackers Stream feel good about their chances in the 18-and-under Platinum bracket. They were third at the Colorado Sparkler. They will open against the Artesia Punishers on Tuesday at 10:15 a.m.

Andrew.Turner@latimes.com

Twitter: @ProfessorTurner