DiSarcina’s Key Single Gives Angels a Victory : Baseball: Shortstop’s bases-loaded hit with one out in the ninth lifts California past Kansas City, 2-1, in final game for team before strike deadline.

It was as if they were giddy teen-agers on the last day of school Wednesday, cleaning out their lockers, talking about their vacations, and exchanging phone numbers for summer get-togethers.

The only thing missing was yearbook signings, but the clubhouse boys substituted autographed baseballs for yearbooks, even passing out “On Strike” T-shirts, knowing they all may never be together again.

The Angels, playing what could be their final game of the season, defeated the Kansas City Royals, 2-1, on Gary DiSarcina’s one-out, bases-loaded single in the ninth inning.

The crowd of 19,605 at Anaheim Stadium, sensing it was the final game, remained on their feet at the game’s conclusion, imploring the players to keep playing this season. They began chanting, “‘No strike. No strike. No strike,” during the seventh-inning stretch, and stopped long enough to accept souvenirs thrown into the stands by the Angel players at the game’s conclusion.

Bo Jackson, who stole second base in the second inning for his first steal since Sept. 27, 1990, even took a memento for himself, pulling out the second-base bag on his way to the clubhouse.

“I wanted to go out in style,” Jackson said, “and I did that. Who knows if I’ll be playing again? If I don’t, I want to remember this one.”

Yet, once inside the Angel clubhouse, there was little emotion. The players rushed off the field, packed their final belongings, and took off.

Center fielder Chad Curtis hurriedly caught a red-eye flight to Michigan, making a bet with Jackson who will catch the most fish during the strike. Reliever Joe Grahe already had his fishing reels, saying he’ll be deep-sea fishing in the Atlantic by the weekend. Chuck Finley (10-10) who pitched a complete-game victory, is heading to Las Vegas.

And the fan who walked into the stadium, carrying the sign: “Mom, Send Money to the Pension Fund. Don’t strike,” simply walked off in silence.

“It’s an ugly feeling,” Angel infielder Rex Hudler said. “It’s like a big dark cloud coming in, and it carries a tremendous thunderhead. There’s nasty energy in those big thunderheads, and it’s carrying a plague.

“It made me call Jack (Howell) in Japan and say, ‘Jack, it’s a good thing you’re still in Japan. You wouldn’t want to be here for this. Man, I wish I was still there with you.’ ”

While Hudler was winning a World Series in Japan last season, he has been stuck this year with the Angels (47-68), who are in last place with the second-worst record in the major leagues. The only redeeming aspect of Friday’s scheduled strike is that it should at least prevent the Angels from losing 100 games for the first time in their franchise history.

“I’d be lying to say I wasn’t looking forward to this vacation,” Angel second baseman Harold Reynolds said. “The sad thing is all of the little people that get hurt by this. But the way this season has gone for us, hey, who wouldn’t look forward to it.”

Said Angel left fielder Jim Edmonds, who was benched Wednesday because of his lackadaisical play Tuesday: “I can’t wait to get out of here. It couldn’t come soon enough. Things stink around here right now.”

Angel owner Gene Autry certainly acted as if this was the season’s final game, strolling into the clubhouse before the game, and giving his annual season farewell speech:

“Thank you boys for the season. I know you tried to win, but it just didn’t work out. If I don’t see you again until next spring, have a good winter.”

Said one Angel: “At least he didn’t give the speech he gave a couple of years ago. That’s when he said, ‘I’ll be seeing some of you boys next spring, and some of you I won’t.’

“You know something, he was right.”

The Angel players publicly told reporters Wednesday that they remain optimistic that there will be a last-minute settlement.

Privately, they believe the season is over, and even began turning in their ballots for the team’s most valuable player, selecting designated hitter Chili Davis.

The Angels still have a tentative charter flight scheduled to leave Ontario Airport at 11:30 p.m. today, but considering that talks broke off Wednesday, Mark Langston, player representative, said no one is planning to show up.

“Everybody understands what’s going on,” Langston said, “and we realize this could be it. Optimistically, we’re looking forward to getting things settled, but then again, we’re prepared for the long haul.”