Malaika Underwood, the only woman to play baseball in the CIF San Diego Section, returned to the La Jolla High campus where she reigned as the section’s Female Athlete of the Year in 1999 for her Viking Baseball Hall of Fame induction. And she didn’t mince words about getting other women to play the sport.

“Ultimately… I think we’ve got to get away from this social construct that ‘girls play softball and boys play baseball,’” said the former second baseman, who is on the staff of the U.S. Baseball women’s national team, “because there’s no reason that girls can’t play baseball.

“It’s a wonderful game, and they (girls) should have as much opportunity to play as boys do.”

That’s a different message from a more general: “Let’s support girls and women in women’s sports, to build up those sports as women participate more and more,” that someone might expect from the Hall of Fame inductee.

By the way, in her golden senior year at La Jolla High in 1998-1999, the lithe Underwood, who looked as ready to play sports as she did back as a prep player as she threw out the ceremonial first ball to her nephew, Danny Underwood, a senior outfielder on the Mira Mesa baseball team, Malaika (pronounced mah-LAY-kah) starred for the Viking girls volleyball team, her main sport, as well as for the Viking girls basketball team. She was named All-CIF in both of those sports.

Underwood brought along her oldest daughter, Birdie, from their home near Jacksonville, Fla., on her visit to La Jolla for the festivities. She feels strongly about that, too: “It’s nice to be here,” she said in a separate interview, “and to have my family (including her nephew on the Marauders) here and have my oldest daughter be able to see it, be a part of it, and to know that hard work can result in achievement, as well.”

Danny Underwood, by the way, had an outstanding senior year for head coach Mike Bovee’s team, hitting .346 as the Marauders’ starting centerfielder and leading the squad in stolen bases with 22 in 24 attempts.

Malaika, after her days on the La Jolla campus, went on to the University of North Carolina on a volleyball scholarship to play for the Tar Heels. She earned her bachelor’s degree in international studies and a master’s in sports administration. She went back to playing baseball in 2006 and helped win four gold medals for the U.S. women’s national team in the baseball World Cup.

She presently holds the national team record for most hits, runs, RBIs, and stolen bases. She has played in more games for Team USA than anyone else in history, female or male.

In 2015, Underwood was named the USA Baseball Sportswoman of the Year. The UNC website notes she was a 5 feet 9 inches tall outside hitter in volleyball for the Tar Heels who helped lead UNC to three straight ACC championships and the NCAA tournament four years in a row.