Softball: Harrison has UCLA written all over her and I feel stupid

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Andrea Harrison, the outfielder for Garden Grove Pacifica, is as fine a softball player as you will find.

She will attend UCLA in the fall and no doubt begin a brilliant career at UCLA in the spring. She will probably lead UCLA to a national title, you know, her being a member of UCLA and wearing a UCLA uniform and playing at Easton Stadium on the campus of UCLA.

Her older sister, shortstop Monica Harrison, was another great player and she went to UCLA, too. UCLA runs in their family. UCLA is lucky to have Andrea, who deservedly was The Register’s OC player of the year. Arizona should be so lucky. But she signed to play at UCLA, not Arizona, which is why I feel so stupid today.

With the release of The Times All-Star team, it has already been intimated a few times that I don’t know what I’m doing, but it’s my note detailing Harrison’s inclusion on the team that makes me feel like someone just stole my teddy bear.

I wrote that Harrison was ‘Arizona-bound.’ But that’s wrong. She has two teammates who are headed in that direction, Kristen Arriola, who is going to Arizona, Christina Zambrana, who is going to Arizona State, and Katie Tamayo who is going to Central Arizona. But Harrison is going to UCLA.

I made a mental error. I forgot how many outs there were, I threw to the wrong base, I missed the sign on the squeeze.

Last time something like this happened, I had La Palma Kennedy pitcher Brooke Turner of Long Beach State having gone to (gulp) UCLA. Maybe it all evens out in the end, but personally, I hope this mistake was my last. I always do.

But, for those who want to know, l am aware that Harrison is going to UCLA. And I am aware that I made the mistake of writing that Harrison was going to a school other than UCLA that is generally considered a member of the dark side to everyone wearing powder blue. Why she would ever choose a school other than UCLA is beyond me.

But you know, sometimes you throw the ball into right field.

-- Martin Henderson