For Warren High’s Franny Vaaulu, the adage “Speak softly but carry a big stick” sums up only part of her talents on the softball field. She can throw a pretty mean fastball, too.
The soft-spoken 6-foot-2 Vaaulu was an intimidating force at the plate, in the circle and in the heads of opponents, leading the Bears to consecutive San Gabriel Valley League titles and into the CIF Southern Section Division III finals.
For her efforts, Vaaulu has been named the 2010 Press-Telegram Softball Dream Team Player of the Year over a very strong, well-deserving class of players.
Statistically speaking, there is no doubt that Vaaulu, the two-time SGVL Pitcher of the Year and an All-CIF-SS Division III selection, had a standout junior season.
At the plate, despite being the one player coaches didn’t want to pitch to, she hit .398 with 25 RBIs, five home runs, 19 runs scored and a slugging percentage of .639.
In the circle, the hard-throwing Vaaulu went 19-5 with a 1.14 ERA and .164 batting average-against. She struck out 168 batters in 159<MD+,%30,%55,%70>2/<MD-,%0,%55,%70>3 innings.
“Thankfully, I’m not an opposing coach,” Warren coach Mary Starksen said. “She is so dangerous on both sides. Offensively, she is strong, has power. She didn’t get lots of balls thrown down the middle, but if you make a mistake, she’s on the ball. … I’ve not seen anyone throw harder (than Franny). And she is also a very good fielder. She plays her position very well.”
Those numbers are just the tangible attributes of her game. One of the intangibles she brings to the game is her intimidating presence.
Rival coach Micah Karzen of Downey said that Vaaulu was the only opposing player he would ever think about intentionally walking.
Glendora coach Reese Mitchell said that he failed to pitch around Vaaulu as planned and she hit a game-winning homer in the CIF-SS playoff.
Colton coach Joe Montes said after a CIF-SS playoff game that his team was flat-out intimidated by Vaaulu’s stature.
“She gets into their heads,” Starksen said. “There are pictures on Maxpreps that look like she has war paint on her face. She looks like she is going into battle. She has a fierce look on her face. She has a really intimidating presence.”
Ironically, Vaaulu, a Dream Teamer in 2009, is really nothing like the image she casts on the field. She is quiet, fun-loving and very humble.
“She has a very different demeanor on and off the field,” Starksen said. “She is a very polite, respectful young lady.”
Vaaulu might be a great softball talent, but she is hoping her future lies on the basketball court. Vaaulu was a girls basketball Dream Team selection this year after garnering SGVL Co-MVP honors and recording 20 double-doubles in 29 games.
“She is concentrating on basketball,” Starksen said of Vaaulu’s offseason commitment. “Her dream is to play basketball at the next level. Some programs may want to work out a basketball-softball deal, but I think her heart is in basketball.”