Girl In League Of Her Own Strives To Become Pro Baseball Player

[jwkelly]

LYNDHURST, N.J.  — Now 14 years old, Alexia Jorge has been playing baseball alongside her older brother since she was three years old.

“My dad asked me, ‘Do you want to play softball or do you want to continue playing baseball?’ I was like, ‘I want to continue playing baseball,” she told CBS2’s Meg Baker.

Jorge is the first female athlete on Lyndhurst High School’s varsity baseball team, and one of the best — catching and pitching.

“She came in and pitched the other day and she did well. She had four strike outs (in) two innings,” said coach Mark Offitto. “So she’s played well defensively.”

According to her familial teammate, her skill is matched by her sportsmanship.

“She’s a great person to play with, she’s active,” said her brother, Victor Jorge. “When someone messes up, she doesn’t get down on them, she tries to help them, build them up.”

 

Meg Baker
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@megbakertv
 Catch @ILoveLyndhurst Alexia Jorge tonight on @CBSNewYork - she’s the first female athlete on the baseball team and may be one of the best in the county- she was chosen to play for the USA Baseball Breakthrough National Team @USABaseball

4:57 PM - May 10, 2018
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Jorge is among 60 female players from across the country chosen to play for the USA Baseball’s breakthrough national team in Florida later this month.

“When I get down there it’s going to make my day,” she said.

“She’s on unfamiliar territory and she knows it, so a lot of pressure there,” said her dad.

Her mom Tracy Jorge says she’s always known there have been high expectations since she was a girl playing a male-dominated sport.

“As a girl, you have to work 10 to 15 times harder to get taken seriously, and she does,” said her mother.

Jorge not only has big plans for this season, she’s planning ahead for a career on the field – to coach, manage or be the first female player on the New York Yankees roster.

“I don’t want to just sit on sidelines,” she said. “I would like to play for them one day, (or) any team.”

“She has the work ethic and the drive to be able to make noise,” said coach Offitto.

Jorge says she always plays like someone important is watching, and that someone someday could be recruiting for the big leagues.

[jwkelly]

I'm not a MLB fan because it's a boys club, they think having ball girls is the way they show gender fairness. I hope this girl and others get their shot and play in the big leagues.