UNDERDOGS SURPRISE.

Byline: GERRY GITTELSON Community Sports

The biggest success stories among regional high school baseball teams have come from unlikely sources. Div. II Hart High and Div. VI Santa Clarita Christian, neither of which was expected to stick around very long in the Southern Section playoffs, have qualified for the semifinals.

Wild-card entry Hart, which won just 14 regular-season games (its lowest total since at least 1987), plays at El Dorado of Placentia at 3:15 p.m. Tuesday, while slow-starting Santa Clarita Christian (15-6) plays at third-seeded Big Pine at the same time.

Hart (18-11-1) has won six in a row, including postseason victories over Palmdale, Murietta Valley, Canyon of Anaheim and Righetti of Santa Maria. After losing five of its first seven games, Santa Clarita Christian is peaking at the right time. Since a 14-7 loss to Heritage League rival Hillcrest Christian of Granada Hills on May 5, Santa Clarita Christian has won four in a row - including playoff victories over Dunn, Fairmont Prep of Anaheim and second-seeded Upland Christian.

The key for both teams has been pitching. Hart left-handers Tyler Fick and Steve Sanchez have improved as the season has progressed, particularly Fick, who pitched a two-hitter during Friday's 5-0 victory over Righetti. Santa Clarita has rode the arms of pitchers Nick Dashnaw and Augie Detres - an unpredictable development considering Dashnaw took a year off from baseball last season to work as a stuntman in the movie business, while Detres, just a freshman, has no business mowing down such experienced opponents as Upland Christian on Friday.

Hart, which last appeared in a final in 2000, is 2-0 in semifinals over the years. In the other Div. II semifinal Tuesday, Santiago of Corona plays at Simi Valley. The championship game is at 4:30 p.m. Saturday at Dodger Stadium.

Santa Clarita Christian is enjoying its most successful baseball season ever. In the other Div. VI semifinal Tuesday, top-seeded Joshua Springs plays at Mesa Grande. The championship game is at 4:30 p.m. Thursday at UC Irvine.

-- Plenty of Santa Clarita-area talent will be on display at the annual Daily News All-Star Softball Game at 3:30 p.m. June 7 at Glendale Softball Complex. Among the participants are Valencia's Christina Ross, Kortney Bell, Hart's Jen Whitcomb and Robyn Kontra and Saugus' Kyla Sullivan. Ross is expected to be the starting pitcher for the East team.

As an added bonus, former Valencia public address announcer Art Herrera, father of UCLA/ex-Valencia standout Ashley Herrera, is scheduled to be the announcer.

Meanwhile, the the Daily News Bernie Milligan All-Star Baseball Game, scheduled for 1 p.m. June 12 at Birmingham High of Lake Balboa, also will have a Santa Clarita flavor. Among the participants are Valencia standouts Matt Aidem, Jared Clark, Danny Worth, Patrick O'Sullivan and Wes Pascolla. Valencia's Jared Snyder will be the coach.

-- In other all-star-event news, seven Canyon High players, including standout quarterback Nate Longshore, are scheduled to participate in the eighth annual East-West All-Star Football Game at 2 p.m. June 6 at Birmingham High. The others are linemen Dan Van Deventer, Chachi Spann and Jeff Briscoe, receivers Sean Coen and Tim Naillieux, and linebacker Andrew Schantz.

The West roster includes Hart's Sean Norton (running back), Brian Elledge (linebacker), Kevin Ciccone (receiver), Dan Howell (running back) and Kevin Bell (lineman), along with Valencia's Brandon Nichols (defensive back) and Jeff Bomberger (running back).

--T he Valencia Waverunners, a girls' 10-under soccer team, continued its string of successful tournament performances by finishing among the top contenders at the Fox & Hare Tournament on May 2 in Chino Hills.

In other local girls' club soccer tournament news, the Tsunami (14-under) finished third at the Quartz Hill Shootout on May 16.

--T he Ice Station at Valencia is closed until 4 p.m. Tuesday for maintenance and interior renovations, marking the first temporary closure since the facility opened in 2000.

But this development isn't bad news. Several tours are scheduled through Tuesday for interested parties to learn about how the ice is maintained. Reservations are required and can be booked by calling [phone], Ext. 228.

``I don't know how many times I've been asked questions like 'how do you make your ice?' or 'how do they paint those lines and logos in the ice?''' said Roger Perez, Ice Station president.

``Well, for those who want to find out the answer to some of the more scientifically intriguing aspects of the ice rink business, we will be conducting behind-the-scene tours of our facility for groups of 10 or more as we go through the process of ice maintenance. If the m golden opportunity to learn about the mysteries of ice.''

-- Rene Paragas is the cross country coach at Saugus High after a stint at Sierra Vista Middle School.