TAYA DE ALBA signed a letter of intent to play softball for Portland State University after playing one more season for St. Patrick-St. Vincent High School.

Taya de Alba was feeling a bit unwanted early last summer.

The St. Patrick-St. Vincent High softball sensation had pitched the Lady Bruins to two straight North Coast Section championship game appearances, but after her junior season, no colleges had come calling.

“It was tough my junior year because no one was interested in me,” de Alba said. “I didn’t think I was going to get recruited.”

It was only a matter of time before someone took notice. Portland State University noticed de Alba while she was playing for the Bears Softball Association 18 Gold summer travel ball team, and de Alba signed a letter of intent Monday afternoon to play for the Lady Vikings after her senior season with SPSV.

Portland State can use a player like de Alba after going 8-36 overall in 2014 and finishing last in the Big Sky Conference.

“They liked that I’m an out-going athlete who is constantly talking,” de Alba said. “They’re excited to have me and I’m excited to be joining their family.”

The SPSV senior participated in a softball camp at Portland State late last summer and fell in love with the campus. A second trip north early in the school year sold de Alba on the Lady Vikings.

“I loved the campus and the people,” de Alba said of her first trip. “Then I went on another visit with my coach because I was still a little iffy, and I fell in love all over again. It was beautiful up there when we drove up. And the people there are so nice. I dropped a dollar and a homeless man picked it up and gave it back to me.”

SPSV co-coach Rich Gigliotti isn’t surprised to see his ace pitcher reach the college level.

“She works really hard and has sacrificed a lot to better herself as a softball player,” Gigliotti said. “She does what it takes to succeed. Her pitching control really sets her apart from everybody else. She puts the ball where she wants to. Her pitches have a lot of movement and she can control it.”

De Alba will join the Portland State team as a recruited walk-on for the 2016 season and isn’t sure what her role will be with the Lady Vikings. Used almost exclusively as a pitcher by SPSV, de Alba could end up playing a corner infield position with Portland State.

“I expect her to be able to hit at the next level,” Gigliotti said. “She’s softball smart and has natural athletic ability.”

Despite a poor 2014 campaign, de Alba was impressed by the Portland State softball program.

“Their softball program and facilities are amazing,” said de Alba, who plans to study business at Portland State. “The coaches are definitely dedicated to their girls and the players are constantly encouraging each other. You can tell they all want to be there and they all want to win. Me and the coach really just bonded. I think it’s going to be a really good home for me.”

De Alba has been on the SPSV varsity since her freshman year and the Lady Bruins have reached the NCS championship game all three seasons. De Alba hopes to make it four in a row this coming spring and lead the Lady Bruins to their first NCS title since 2012.

“I definitely want to go out with a bang by winning NCS this year,” de Alba said.

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