Rockville pitcher signs with University of Bridgeport

Rockville High School senior Kaitlyn Lajoie can't help but smile as she signs her national letter of intent at the RHS athletics office on Nov 16. Photos by Steve Smith.

Rockville High School senior Kaitlyn Lajoie has signed a letter of intent to join the University of Bridgeport softball team in the 2013-2014 year. Lajoie, who has been a pitcher since she first began playing softball at the age of 9, helped lead the Lady Rams to a Class L championship in the spring of 2012.

She signed the letter at the RHS athletics office on Nov. 16, with her parents Kevin and Kim, brother Connor, and coach Frank Levick present, along with RHS Principal Eric Baim, Athletic Director Steven Phelps, and other school staff.

Lajoie said she was also considering one other school, but UB coach Dawn Stearns, who had scouted the pitcher, made the difference.

“I really liked coach Dawn at Bridgeport, and when I went on my visit there, I felt very comfortable and like that was where I belonged,” Lajoie said, adding that while it remains to see where she will fit on the squad in the spring of '14, she hopes to have a spot in the pitching rotation.

UB gave Lajoie a full scholarship for her first year. Stearns had come to the state championship game in June and watched Lajoie in the summer leagues.

“I went there for a few hours over the summer, and then I went for a thee-day, two-night visit in September, and that's when I decided I was going to go there,” Lajoie said.

Lajoie will major in criminal justice and hopes to attend law school after college and pursue a career as a lawyer.

Lajoie said her success has come from, simply, a lot of hard work. “I just practice every day,” she said. “I put in that extra effort that not everyone does.”

Before heading off to college, she has some business to attend to this coming spring. About her team's chances of defending their title, she said, “I think we're going to repeat."