SOFTBALL: BORN TO PLAY TANTLINGER GETS HIGHLAND BACK ON TRACK.

Byline: Heather Gripp and Ramona Shelburne  Staff Writers

Softball comes naturally to Lauren Tantlinger. You might even say she was born to play.

``I've been around softball my whole life,'' Highland's sophomore pitcher said. ``There's pictures of my mom pregnant at the softball field and as soon as I popped out, they brought me to the diamond.''

Her father, Kevin Tantlinger, was a six-time All-American pitcher in men's ``A'' fastpitch and spent most of his free time playing softball for elite men's fastpitch teams around the nation. So when Lauren was born, there wasn't much question which sport she would play.

``I grew up around all those guys and they taught me so much,'' said Tantlinger, who is batting .321 with a team-high 19 RBI and four home runs entering today's Southern Section Div. I first-round game against Hart of Newhall. ``I love softball, and I don't know what I'd do without it.''

The softball field is like a home for her, the place where she feels most like herself. But there came a point this year, for the first time in her life, when she felt like she didn't belong with a ball and glove in her hand.

Highland senior pitcher Nikki Secrease, whom Tantlinger said was like a big sister to her, was struck in the head by a line drive in a game against Lancaster and had to be rushed to the hospital, where X-rays showed she had a fractured skull.

But while Secrease was being driven to the hospital, Tantlinger had to take the mound and finish the game. She was understandably fazed, as Highland squandered its 2-1 lead and lost 4-3.

After the game, Tantlinger drove to the hospital to be with her friend and stayed until 2:30 a.m. Secrease eventually decided she would not play again this season, leaving Tantlinger as Highland's No. 1 pitcher.

At that point in the season, Highland was 7-13 overall and 2-3 in the Golden League, by far its worst start in recent history.

With their leader gone and things spiraling downward, most teams would've folded. But somewhere, somehow, Tantlinger found the moxie to lead her team back to the playoffs for the 11th consecutive year.

In a sense, she just did what came naturally.

``She pulled our team together with her bat, her arm and her glove,'' Highland coach Glenda Potts said. ``She's meant everything to us.''

Highland went a perfect 5-0 through the second half of league play with Tantlinger on the mound and emerging as one of their top hitters. Tantlinger earned the win in all five of those games and helped her own cause at the plate.

Tantlinger hit the game-winning grand slam in a 4-0 victory over Littlerock, scored the game-winning run with a heads-up baserunning play in a 3-2 victory over Antelope Valley and homered in a 5-3 upset of Quartz Hill.

Now Tantlinger will try to lead Highland (12-13) to an upset at Hart (20-8) today at 3:15 p.m.

``I really feel like I'm just getting started,'' she said.

BASEBALL: Smith is small, presence is not

Palmdale senior captain provides consistent leadership this season

PALMDALE - Ask about Mike Smith's statistics and the answers are varied about where he ranks among the Palmdale High baseball team. But the Falcons have no doubt about where the senior captain stands in importance to the team.

Smith is considered an integral part of Palmdale's success, providing steady hitting and even more steady fielding for the Golden League's second-place team, which opens the Southern Section Div. II playoffs today at Gahr of Cerritos.

However, what many consider Smith's biggest contributions are his attitude and ability to motivate, as he refuses to let his lack of size hold him back.

``Everybody has much respect for Mikey,'' Falcons senior Chris Martinez said. ``They all know what he can do at the plate and how much he can do for us.''

Smith is batting .353 after going 4 for 5 in a regular-season-ending 20-0 victory over Antelope Valley, which clinched second place for the Falcons. But the figure that stands out the most to those who see Smith for the first time is his 5-foot-4 height.

Smith doesn't consider his size a problem.

``I really don't feel size has anything to do with the game,'' Smith said.

``I don't let it affect me. I get overlooked a lot, but I feel it's not in my judgment to care what they think. I can't control what other people think.''

He quickly made believers of those who were in attendance at last year's upset of league champion Quartz Hill, as he hit his first-ever home run.

``That was one of the best moments,'' Smith said.

Although he is proficient with the bat, Smith considers other aspects of his game more valuable.

``Definitely defense,'' he said. ``Defense wins championships.''

He calls Ozzie Smith his ``defensive idol.'' He remembers watching a baseball show about six years ago and seeing highlights of the Hall of Famer's top plays and wanting to be able to do the same. He still remembers the tips he picked up from that show.

Such skills helped make Smith the Falcons' defensive player of the year last season, when he was also an all-league selection.

Smith, 17, intends to walk on at Nevada Las Vegas next season, where he plans to study medicine. But for now, he is intent on doing his part to keep the Falcons alive in the playoffs. After his offense cooled in midseason, he again is one of the team's hottest hitters, going 7 for 11 in the past three games.

``He sets the table for us,'' Martinez said. ``He's a spark plug. He bats leadoff, and he gets the momentum going for us. That's important.''

CAPTION(S):

2 photos, box

Photo:

(1) Highland's Lauren Tantlinger has been around softball her entire life. Her father, Kevin, is a six-time All-American fastpitch pitcher.

Jeff Goldwater/Staff Photographer

(2) Palmdale's Mike Smith doesn't let his 5-foot-4 frame affect him much. The senior is batting .353 this season as the Falcons are in the Southern Sec. Div. II playoffs.

Gus Ruelas/Staff Photographer

Box:

TIME OUT (see text)