Partial Year, Total Success

Just imagine what Verdugo Hills High shortstop Rian Standley could have accomplished if she had played the entire softball season.

Despite missing the first four games of the year, she has belted a school-record 10 home runs, leads area City Section players with 43 runs batted in and has a slugging percentage of 1.190.

Standley, a junior, has become a catalyst for an impressive lineup that has led Verdugo Hills to its fourth consecutive City Section 3-A Division final.

The top-seeded Dons (20-3) play second-seeded South Gate for the section title Tuesday at UCLA’s Easton Stadium.

Standley said she had an injured back when the season began, resulting in several missed practices. Coach Dan Balkey therefore held her out of games.

“It was tough to watch but I understood why I couldn’t play,” Standley said.

The layoff extended Standley’s long absence from high school competition. After playing at L.A. Lutheran as a freshman, she transferred for disciplinary reasons to Verdugo Hills and had to sit out her sophomore season.

When Standley finally did play, it was at a new position. A catcher on a traveling age-group team, Standley was moved to shortstop because Verdugo Hills already had Jodi Kent, an NCAA Division I prospect, behind the plate.

Once Standley entered the line-up this year as the Dons’ cleanup hitter, she feasted on Northern Conference competition and teamed with Kent to form a devastating combination.

Standley and Kent have combined for 16 home runs and 76 runs batted in.

Against tougher competition in the 3-A playoffs, Standley still has come through in the clutch.

Her fourth-inning, two-run single against Palisades was the game-winning hit in a 4-2 Verdugo Hills first-round victory.

The Dons also had to rally for a victory over Bell in the quarterfinals.

“Having a couple of close games has to help us for Tuesday,” Standley said. “As long as we stay relaxed and calm, we know we have the offense to win.”

Especially now that the Verdugo Hills lineup is complete.