Northwest Whitfield's Albertson to compete in junior home run derby during MLB All-Star Week
Jul. 13—MLB stars like Atlanta Braves outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. won't be the only ones to step to the plate inside Dodger Stadium for a home run derby at MLB's All-Star Week.
At the same plate where Acuña will take his hacks, so will Jolie Albertson, a Dalton resident and upcoming freshman softball player for Northwest Whitfield High School.
Albertson has qualified for the national finals of the MLB Junior Home Run Derby, which is held in conjunction with the MLB All-Star festivities. She is one of eight softball players in her 14-under age group to win a spot in the event, which earned her and a guardian an all-expenses paid trip to L.A. and tickets to see Acuña and others at Monday's main event.
"I was excited when I won," Albertson said. "I've never been to California before."
Albertson and family leave Thursday for the trip and return Tuesday.
Albertson won a local junior home run derby in Cleveland, Tennessee, then advanced to one of eight regional qualification sites at the home of the Gwinnett Stripers, the Triple-A affiliate of the Braves, last month.
"My pitching coach told me about it, and I started practicing," Albertson said.
In the junior derby, participants are given three minutes or 25 swings to hit as many homers as possible on the shortened fence that is more in line with what youth softball players would expect instead of a cavernous MLB park's far-away barrier.
She dinged 17 home runs in the first round of competition at the Southeast regional qualifying site, then launched nine in the finals to earn her spot on the big stage.
"It's going to be exciting to do that," Albertson said of taking the field at Dodger Stadium. "I'm a little nervous."
In addition to the regional near Atlanta, there are seven other qualifiers for the junior derby from across the country. There are regional qualifying sites in California, Delaware, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio, Texas and Washington.
In the softball division, there are age groups for 16-under and 14-under, while qualifiers for two age groups of baseball players will also compete at the event.
Albertson is eager to prove herself in the home run derby, and she's itching to start her high school softball career this fall at Northwest.
"I'm excited," she said.
