SCHOOLS SHOULD TAKE THE CAR-POOL LANE.

Byline: VINCENT BONSIGNORE

The unmistakable sounds of baseball echoed off the empty grandstand seats surrounding Chatsworth High's baseball field Monday as the best high school team in the country went through an afternoon workout.

Chatsworth was scheduled to play El Camino Real of Woodland Hills on Monday, but because of the Laidlaw bus strike that has crippled transportation for the L.A. Unified School District athletic programs, the game was canceled. It was the fifth school day that district athletic events have either been postponed or canceled.

``At least we can practice,'' Chatsworth's Jared Halpert said as he stood near the Chancellors' dugout and wiped some sweat off his forehead. ``It keeps us from going crazy.''

Just then, Halpert glanced over to the diamond and watched as a Chatsworth pitcher fired a pick-off throw to first base, catching a baserunner off guard. The runner, out of options, took off for second, inducing a rundown in which the first baseman, shortstop and second baseman kept throwing the ball back and forth to one another as the runner hopelessly tried to figure out a way to get to first or second safely.

But like a vice squeezing an aluminum can, the infielders closed in on the runner until finally he had nowhere left to turn. Caught in the proverbial pickle, the runner finally gave up as the first baseman tagged him out.

The Chatsworth baseball team, and every other sports program in the Los Angeles Unified School District, knows exactly how the runner felt. With the ongoing Laidlaw bus strike stretching into day six on Monday, thousands of district athletes are caught in the middle of a complicated mess that's deprived them of the chance of playing the game they love.

Laidlaw is the bus company that provides transportation for L.A. Unified. Since last Tuesday, the district has decided to postpone games rather then come up with alternative transportation, such as letting athletes car pool to games. The district was hoping the strike would end soon and the games could continue with last week's postponed contests being made up at the end of the month.

Now comes word that there are no more days on which to reschedule games, meaning contests from Monday until the dispute gets settled will be wiped from the books.

That mean's Monday's Chatsworth-ECR game, part of a key two-game set between the top two teams in the West Valley League, might never be played.

``When you start talking about canceling games, now you're really starting to get frustrated,'' Chatsworth pitcher Joe Guntz said. ``I mean, at first it was disappointing, but at least we knew the games would be made up. But now they're talking about canceling games. That's tough.''

The district's argument against letting athletes car pool is that it puts some teams at a disadvantage because some of them might not have access to cars or vans. Although it's noble of the district to look out for the little guy, it's hard to believe coaches, athletes and parents can't figure out a viable plan, even those in less-affluent areas.

I've been to a lot of afternoon baseball and softball games and the stands are usually filled with parents who didn't require the use of school buses to get there.

Besides, it's not as if they'd be driving across the country; in most cases it is just across town. Last week, the Birmingham of Van Nuys and Cleveland of Reseda softball teams couldn't play Tuesday, even though the two schools are no more then 10-15 minutes apart.

It's ridiculous to think a few phone calls between parents and coaches couldn't have corralled enough cars to transport Birmingham over to Cleveland.

``I'm sure we could have gotten over to El Camino Real,'' Halpert said. ``I'm sure nobody on either team would have minded doing that. We just want to play.''

If it's a liability issue, ask athletes to sign insurance waivers removing the district from responsibility.

``You have to figure there are better options out there besides just canceling games,'' Chatsworth coach Tom Meusborn said. ``We just have to think it out and come up with a plan.''

Chatsworth athletic director Fluke Fluker was tempted to call his ECR counterpart and offer the use of his front yard to play the game.

``First base would have been the fire hydrant, second base the manhole and third base the tree across the street,'' Fluker said.

He was kidding, of course, but at least he was actually thinkingof doing something.

``We have to figure out a way,'' Fluker said. ``We're talking about kids who trained long and hard for their chance to shine in the spotlight, and now they're being told they can't play. It's a shame.''

Meanwhile, a group of Chatsworth players who came into this year with lofty goals and special plans, wait and practice.

``You get tired of just practicing because you'd rather be playing somebody,'' Guntz said. ``But we have to stay sharp because you never know when they're going to call us and say it's time to get out there and play.''

It is hoped the call will come soon.