San Juan Hills Softball Team Vows to Finish Strong for Coach Who Died

The softball team will hit the field Tuesday sporting armbands with an embroidered “D” for Deanna. That and a sentiment-filled poster hanging in the dugout will be silent tributes to the .

“I just want to finish the season strong for D,” said first-baseman Jasmin Grajales, a senior and unofficial team leader.

Deanna Mauer died in a tragic,  Wednesday. The team heard about the crash the same day it happened; they were told their pitching and catching coach had been hurt in an accident, was in critical condition “and it didn't look good," said Coach Cary Baker.

Grajales spent the night praying. “As much as I want her to heal and to get through this, if it was her time, I’ll understand, but I didn’t want her to go,” she said.

Then, on Thursday, just before heading out to Capistrano Valley High School for a game, the team learned of Mauer’s fate.

The news hit the team hard—really hard—said Baker, who put it to a team vote whether the girls should board the bus and play. “I felt the only thing I had the power to do for Deanna was to play the game. They all wanted to play,” Baker said.

San Juan Hills High Principal Tom Ressler and counselors were on hand when the team was notified, said Athletic Director Armando Gonzalez. “We did take steps to make sure we were sensitive to the issues surrounding this. I think everyone handled it relatively well,” he said.

The decision to play “was definitely one of the most difficult things I had to go through,” Grajales said. “I tried to hide the emotion. I know the team looks to me as a leader.”

When the game started, so did the tears. They didn’t stop until Grajales had her first at bat. “I had tears streaming down my face. That first pitch, I just swung.”

And yeah, she hit it. And got on base. She went 2 for 3 that day, but the Stallions still lost, 5-3.

Softball was Mauer’s life, said San Juan Hills High softball coach Dave Didier. She played for Baker when he coached the girls softball team at . She was a four-year letter winner and was named team MVP her senior year. She also pitched for the San Jose State University Spartans where her 2008 ERA was 3.61. The school newspaper, the Spartan Daily News, called her “free-spirited.” 

Born June 14, Mauer was only 1 ½ months away from her 24th birthday.

Grajales and Mauer had a teasingly competitive relationship. If ever Mauer would miss a throw to Grajales at first base, the senior would say, “‘Come on, dude! That’s not acceptable.’ I expected nothing but perfection from her.”

Grajales was among the 100 or so who attended a candlelight vigil for Mauer Sunday night. She wasn’t planning on it, but she ended up speaking to the mourners. She said the experience helped her deal with her grief.

Grajales retold her last conversation with Mauer. The pitching coach promised to skip a day at work—she worked for Whole Foods—to go head-on with Grajales. They each would field 25 balls. Winner would get the bragging rights.

“‘Are you sure you want to do that the last practice?’“ Grajales asked her. “‘I don’t want you to walk away in shame.’”

At next week’s last practice, Grajales plans to field those 25 balls just the same. “She’s going to be right with me.”

A viewing is scheduled for Wednesday and the funeral is scheduled for Thursday. The team will skip practice to attend.

Services for Mauer will be at 1 p.m. Thursday at St. Vincent De Paul Church in Huntington Beach, 8345 Talbert Ave.