Having a digital camera helps ease the...

Having a digital camera helps ease the worry when wondering whether

you got the shot on a great sports play.

This was the case when Corona del Mar and Calvary Chapel girls’

softball teams met up for a battle for a spot in the CIF Southern

Section playoffs.

Tension was high when a Chapel player belted a hit into the

outfield and over the Sea King players’ heads. They had a runner on

second but she wasn’t as quick as CdM’s outfielder where I had my

camera pointed.

I had almost forgotten about the runner who headed for home until

I heard the crowd yelling and screaming for her. I managed to get the

lens turned and focused just in time as the ball landed at home and I

fired this shot -- having no time to compose the image. Anxious, I

quickly scrolled through the sequence and saw I had something. Yes!

Just then, a dad yelled at me, “Did you get that? Did you get

that?” and a bunch of kids ran up to look at the shot on the back of

the camera after I replied “yeah.” It was fun to share the dramatic

moment instantaneously with a few folks who were treated to a

competitively spirited high school game. The way it should be.

Oh, the runner was out, and CdM won that important match, 1-0.

-- Don Leach