SOFTBALL BEAT: HART WINNING THE HARD WAY : `CARDIAC KIDS' HAVE BEEN BEHIND IN EVERY GAME.

Byline: Brian Dalziel Daily News Staff Writer

It's not even half way through the season and Hart's softball team already has a nickname.

``I'm getting to know them as the Cardiac Kids,'' quipped coach Cathy Giordano.

It certainly is an appropriate name for the Indians.

In all six games so far this season, Hart (5-1) has had to play catch up. Still, the Indians are finding ways to win.

``We're always down by a run right out the gate,'' Giordano said. ``But they are scrappy.''

To say the least.

Hart trailed Highland, a team it easily beat in the middle of last week, by four runs in the Hart Classic Gold Division-bracket semifinals Saturday.

The Indians made a three-run error, and before Giordano knew it, her team was down 4-0.

``I said to myself, `Oh no, here we go again,' '' she said. ``In the first game (of the tournament) we trailed El Camino Real 1-0 after a half-inning and (Lindsey) Kontra tied it up with a home run.

``But I have faith in this group and they never give up.''

Hart fought back from a 5-2 deficit and ended up beating Highland 6-5 in nine innings.

``Terrible, isn't it?'' Giordano said. ``I told them the next time they better start the game where we're ahead.

``(Against Highland) when they were down 5-2, they could have easily given up, but they never do.''

Hart's luck ran out in the finals against Westlake, when the Indians made a two-run error in the top of the eighth inning and lost 3-1.

``We had our chances in that game, that's for sure,'' Giordano said. ``We just ran out of innings. But things don't always work out the way you want them to.''

She's back: Hart's Kristin Lueke returned for her first game of the season Saturday after suffering from mononucleosis.

The sophomore was 1 for 2 against Westlake. She was supposed to start the season at shortstop, but since she came down with mono, Giordano was forced to move sophomore Carly Cardanello from second base to short.

Lueke, who was supposed to play shortstop last season but missed all of her freshman season with a broken wrist, will remain in center field for now, Giordano said.

``She may end up there,'' Giordano said, ``but Carly's doing a fine job at shortstop. (Lueke's) energy level is still not (100 percent), but it's nice to have her back.''

Play ball: Saugus hasn't played a game yet this season, and the Centurions were looking forward to their opener Monday in the Laguna Hills tournament.

But rain postponed the tournament until Tuesday, meaning coach Ron Hilton's team will have to play a doubleheader on Wednesday.

But that's OK with Hilton.

``It's been a long time and they are ready to go,'' Hilton said. ``I think they are sick of me yelling at them at practice. I think they are just sick of me.''

Bad break: Saugus center fielder Kelly Cornelison will be out for two weeks because of a pulled tendon in her left hand.

The junior suffered the injury in practice while swinging a bat.

``She came up to me at practice and said, `Coach, my fingers are numb,' '' Hilton said. ``The next day she comes to school with her arm in a cast.''

Senior Sandy Volk moves over from left field to take Cornelison's spot, while sophomore Jen McLarty goes to left field.

By the numbers: Hart freshman second baseman Nicole Delfino leads the team with a .529 on-base percentage. . . . In Hart's six games, Giordano has used six different lineups. ``I keep changing them around to see what I can find,'' she said. ``They are making me look like a genius, to tell you the truth.'' . . . Saugus has seven freshman on the roster and three were in the starting lineup Tuesday against Mission Viejo. The Centurions could have a fourth if pitcher Christina Gillman, who is a backup, ever starts.