Story by Danielle Carbajal, Legacy & Legends Softball

In countless interviews and newspaper articles this season, Jamie Sencion (Legacy & Legends Softball 4-Star Recruit) has stressed “staying humble.” The soft-spoken senior pitcher from softball powerhouse Paraclete High School in Lancaster, CA, is bespectacled and unassuming with her mantra of humility and grace. What makes her extraordinary is that she remains so grounded while she has savagely bulldozed her way through the California Interscholastic Federation ( CIF) Southern Section Playoffs with a dangerous ferocity that belies that deferential demeanor – her pitching is anything but humble.

Sencion has been a career softball player since youth and has played year-round with travel ball for Redemption Red and Empire in Southern California during her tenure at Paraclete for high school. Sencion is also a power hitter and historically earned the first homerun (HR) on her school’s newly constructed softball field this year during their inaugural game. As a captain for her team, she has led the Spirits with an impressive senior season that has enjoyed great success and glorious high points such as garnering 21 strikeouts –yes, 21! – every out - against Serrano for a 6-0 win in February.

Sencion’s talent was recognized early in high school as she earned First Team All-League for pitching every year since her freshman year. Coach Christopher Foye from D1 Fairleigh Dickinson University in New Jersey recognized that talent as well and signed Jamie this last fall to play for the Knights next year. Coach Foye is a masterful scout and coach for his team. He has an eye for finding diamonds – as Foye secured one of the best D1 Freshmen pitchers this season– it’s unsurprising he snatched up Sencion to broaden his arsenal.

The Paraclete playoff run began after 17 consecutive wins and a dominating 10-2 regular season, which included a first-place championship finish in their Del Rey League. Sencion’s locked-in pitching earned her the starting spot in the circle all throughout playoffs and she has led her team to battle in the circle with a laser focus and a ruthless presence of quiet destruction.

In the first round of the CIF Southern Section playoffs, Sencion succinctly pitched 5 innings, as the Spirits mercy-ruled the Burbank Bulldogs 12-2, with Sencion earning 11 strikeouts. Sencion then went on to shut out San Marcos in the second round of playoffs with another 11 strikeouts and a 3-0 win. Third-round, Sencion’s savagery continued by not only racking up 12 strikeouts and 4 RBIs for the 9-3 win against La Quinta, but again demonstrating her formidable swing with a HR. Sencion solidified a spot in the CIF Div 4 Championships for Paraclete after defeating Orange Vista 2-0 in the Semifinals pitching a no-hitter with 11 strikeouts, effectively utilizing her arsenal of pitches.

Photo Cred: City of Lancaster, CA Government Office

This will be the first return for the Paraclete Spirits to the championship game since 2016 as they face JW North on Friday, May 17, 2024 in their quest for a CIF Southern Section Division 4 championship. With her talent, skill, and focus, Paraclete and Sencion’s chances of humbly earning a CIF championship ring are high.

Story by Danielle Carbajal, Legacy & Legends Softball, May 16, 2024

Please Follow us on FaceBook and Twitter: @LegacyLegendsS1