Finnerty Plans on Northridge

Meaghan Finnerty had her college plans mapped out.

The recent Moorpark High graduate was enrolled at San Diego State, had secured her dormitory reservation and informed Aztec softball coaches she would attempt to make their team as a walk-on at September tryouts.

Sun, surf and maybe even college softball was all Finnerty was dreaming about and she couldn’t have been more excited.

Or, so she thought.

Her plans were disrupted little more than a month ago when Cal State Northridge Coach Janet Sherman made Finnerty an offer she couldn’t refuse--a partial scholarship.

“I was so excited,” Finnerty said. “Excited and confused because I was set on going to San Diego and had to change everything around.”

Finnerty, who received no interest from Division I college coaches during her four-year varsity career at Moorpark, made the right impression on Sherman at the right time during an ASA 18-and-under tournament in Aurora, Colo., in June.

Sherman was preparing a list of prospects for 2000 and was hoping to pick up one more player for next season, possibly a pinch-runner type.

For Sherman, who along with hundreds of other college coaches was busy recruiting at the tournament, Finnerty was exactly what she was looking for. Perhaps, even more.

“She covered the outfield, made diving catches . . . then I saw her go in and have to catch [Northridge recruit] Summer Richardson,” Sherman said. “She got beat up, but she never quit.”

While impressed with Finnerty’s diverse talents, it was one play in particular that really nailed it for Sherman.

“She came [running] into home plate and she [physically] spun this catcher around,” Sherman said. “She was out, but it was a great aggressive play at the plate. And she’s not a big girl.”

Finnerty packs some punch on her slight 5-foot-6 frame. That’s why Don Harris, manager of the 18-and-under Stealth, asked Finnerty to join his team after he saw her play in the Thousand Oaks tournament.

Knowing that the Aurora tournament consistently drew hundreds of college coaches, Harris told Finnerty to be at her best.

“I just knew she would be getting looks [from coaches] because she’s a money player,” Harris said. “When the game is on the line you want her up to bat.”

Finnerty, who said she has played with various ASA teams in recent summers but not for a winning team such as the Stealth, never expected a Top-25 team like Northridge to be interested in her.

“I’ve always heard how good they were,” she said.

Finnerty’s high school career culminated in May with her finest season. The catcher batted .407 with four doubles and 18 runs batted in and was selected the Frontier League’s most valuable player.

Still, no interest.

Harris is not surprised that Finnerty didn’t get recognized by a college coach earlier.

“You don’t get your scholarship out of high school. You get it out of travel ball,” said Harris, who has been instrumental in the recruitment of more than a dozen players.

“If you’re not seen by coaches in travel ball, you’ve got no chance.”

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Harris’ Stealth team is one of more than a handful of area ASA age-division teams that will travel to different parts of the country to compete in national championship tournaments, Tuesday through Aug. 9.

The Stealth, ranked No. 1 nationally by Travelball Magazine in 18-and-under division, leaves today for the national tournament in Sacramento.

Led by pitchers Maureen LeCocq of Chaminade and Richardson, a recent Boron graduate, the Stealth will be tough to beat.

Although all but four players are still young enough to play at the 16-and-under division, Harris likes his team’s chances of winning a national title.

“The truth of the matter is this is the best team I’ve ever had,” said Harris, who founded the Stealth club in 1992 and has since coached ages 14 through 18.

“You’ve just got to be fortunate enough to be playing at your best for that one week.”

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Other area teams that will be playing in ASA national tournaments this week include the Simi Valley Rampage and Woodland Hills Stealth. Both will compete in Novi, Mich., for the 16-and-under title.