Above: Santa Fe had to scramble against El Rancho last week, but was on the other side of a dropped ball against
La Serna on Tuesday.
(Staff file photo by Leo Jarzomb)

By Red Williams
Correspondent
SANTA FE SPRINGS – Sometimes the pressure on high school softball players can be a bit overwhelming.
An easy fly ball was bobbled and fell safely to the grass, allowing Santa Fe’s Chiefs to squeak by visiting La Serna, 5-4, in Del Rio League action Tuesday afternoon.
La Serna’s shortstop, A.J. Carrasco seemed to have the ball in range, but rightly gave way to left-fielder Lauren Rodriguez. But center-fielder Danielle Garcielita also was homing in on the ball. It hit her glove as she and Rodriguez collided.
Santa Fe’s Miranda Hernandez, looking for an opportunity to score from third, was heading toward the plate when she saw the ball trickle from Garcielita’s glove for an error. She tapped home with the winning run.
The teams were fighting for the top spot in the Del Rio standings, and now Santa Fe (11-7) has taken a positive step, improving to 4-1 as the first round comes to a close. La Serna is 10-9 over all and 3-2 in the league.
La Serna coach Ginger Larsin: “We didn’t lose the game on that play, though. Sure there was a lack of communications, but we made too many mistakes, base-running gaffes and errors, and so forth. That’s what lost the game. For two teams in first place, it was a mighty sloppy game. I would call it bizarre.”
Santa Fe coach Randi Berg: “We played five tough innings, then allowed them to sneak back in. You can’t take anyone lightly, no matter the score. We knew it was going to be a tough game. There were a couple of huge double plays that helped.”