Angelica Felix

Angelica Felix, 18, follows through on a swing during batting practice. She is a senior shortstop for Lincoln High in Los Angeles and will be heading to UCLA in the fall on a partial scholarship.  (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

Art Felix, an assistant coach at Lincoln High, gives his daughter Angelica some advice while the team plays rival Marshall at Lincoln Park. Art, who played baseball in high school while attending Franklin, has been instructing his daughter since she was a toddler.  (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

Angelica watches the game against Marshall High from the Lincoln dugout. When she was young, despite her father’s overbearing demand for perfection, she never wavered in her love for softball. “I can’t stop. I love softball,” Angelica told a woman who didn’t approve of her father’s rant.   (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

Angelica dives safely back to third base during a game against Marshall at Lincoln Park. While growing up, a holiday tradition was to head to the park to field ground balls.  (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

Angelica prepares to step to the plate in a game against Marshall. Her love and dedication to the game has meant she’s only attended one dance and three football games in four years at Lincoln High.  (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

Angelica prepares to throw to first base after fielding a grounder at shortstop in the game against Marshall High at Lincoln Park. Angelica finished the season batting .694 with seven home runs and 49 runs batted in.   (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

Art, an unemployed diesel mechanic, gives Angelica a congratulatory kiss after Lincoln defeated Marshall in her last home game. Despite carrying a 3.3 grade-point average at Lincoln High, Angelica still needed to earn a qualifying SAT score to secure a scholarship to UCLA.  (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

Angelica and her Lincoln High teammates celebrate after their victory over Marshall.  (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

Angelica laces up a pair of red Converse basketball shoes while preparing to go to her senior prom under the watchful eye of her mother Frances at their home in El Sereno. Angelica’s mother played high school softball at Wilson.  (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

Frances tries to get her daughter Angelica to flash a smile as she takes a picture before the senior prom at Lincoln High. Angelica’s brother Arturo, 12, and father Art take part in the pre-prom festivities.  (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

Angelica models with a softball bat while her mother Frances takes a picture at their home in El Sereno before the senior prom at Lincoln High.  (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

Angelica’s father escorts Angelica to the front of their El Sereno home as she gets ready to leave for her senior prom at Lincoln High. Angelica will be on a partial scholarship at UCLA next season after getting a qualifying SAT score on her fourth attempt.  (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)