CSUN SOFTBALL: SHE'LL BE THERE CSUN'S TOP HITTER A HIT WITH KIDS.Byline: Lee Barnathan Staff Writer She's 19, but Ui Bal considers herself a big kid. She can tell when she plays with her 50 nieces and nephews ages 10 and younger in her Bay Area home or in a nearby park. She gets into the games of hide and seek, tag and tug-of-war. She also can tell when, giving clinics as part of the Cal State Northridge softball softball, variant of baseball played with a larger ball on a smaller field. Invented (1888) in Chicago as an indoor game, it was at various times called indoor baseball, mush ball, playground ball, kitten ball, and, because it was also played by women, ladies' team, she interacts with a local Girl Scout troop, turning a drill involving a medicine ball into a game of hot potato hot potato n. Informal A problem that is so controversial or sensitive that those handling it risk unpleasant consequences: gun control . Or getting into water-bottle fights and having the scouts gang up on her. ``Kids' attention spans are short,'' Bal said. ``They don't need to be stressed.'' Bal doesn't think young children should worry, so neither does she. When Northridge coach Janet Sherman moved her to second base from shortstop, it was no big deal. When she lost her starting infielder in·field·er n. Baseball A player assigned to the infield. Noun 1. infielder - (baseball) a person who plays a position in the infield spot to Kim Mutaw, the demotion de·mote tr.v. de·mot·ed, de·mot·ing, de·motes To reduce in grade, rank, or status. [de- + (pro)mote. slid off her back like water off a child's back. ``I went up to her and said, `You'll get an opportunity,' '' Sherman said. ``She said, `I know. Kim's doing great.' That's not common today. You don't find that in players today. It's, `Why me?' She never points a finger.'' Bal kept practicing and smiling, and when Mutaw hurt her knee and Bal got another chance to play, she made the most of it. She's hitting a team- best .406 in the Big West Conference, and it's one reason why Northridge is in the hunt for the conference title. ``She's making the plays,'' Sherman said. But it's when she's around the children that count among Bal's happiest moments. She is pen pals Pen Pals or penpals may refer to:
Unfortunately, the girls have a tendency to come over to the Northridge dugout dugout: see canoe. during games and talk to Bal. She tries to talk but often quiets them because she needs to concentrate - and not let Sherman see she's not paying attention Noun 1. paying attention - paying particular notice (as to children or helpless people); "his attentiveness to her wishes"; "he spends without heed to the consequences" attentiveness, heed, regard . Sometimes, a girl will show off a new bruise bruise or contusion Visible bluish or purplish mark beneath the surface of unbroken skin, indicating burst blood vessels in deeper tissue layers. Bruises are usually caused by a blow or pressure, but they may occur spontaneously in elderly persons. , and Bal will counter with a new one of her own. Sometimes, the talk moves off softball to football, which Bal played in Pop Warner Pop Warner refers to
``I'm like a big sister to them,'' Bal said. ``If someone needs a shoulder to cry on, Ui will be there,'' Sherman said. ``If someone needs something, Ui will be there.'' CAPTION(S): photo Photo: Cal State Northridge infielder Ui Bal his hitting over .400 in the Big West, but it's her role as a big sister that pleases her most. Daily News File Photo |
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