Season Interrupted: Palm Desert’s Jasmine Perezchica can take the heat

Throughout the spring, The Times will interview high school seniors whose athletic careers were cut short by the coronavirus outbreak.

Name: Jasmine Perezchica

School: Palm Desert

Sport: Softball, shortstop

Key stats: Reigning league MVP had a .659 batting average

Fall plans: Will attend Arizona

On sports being canceled:

“My teammates and I were pretty disappointed. At this point, it’s really about making sure we’re healthy and safe.”

On becoming a top softball recruit:

“Really, it’s about working hard and putting in 100% effort. I really live and breathe softball. If you have the dedication to pursue that dream, then I say go for it.”

On her father, Tony, the third base coach with the Arizona Diamondbacks:

“I’m very grateful to have him around. He’s taught me pretty much everything I know since I was little. I don’t know what I’d do without him.”

On life without sports:

“It’s very slow. We went from 100% constant go, go, go all the time to nothing at all. It’s very different and something to adapt to.”

On training in the desert:

“It’s like 105 degrees right now. It’s pretty hot. I usually wake up early, go out running and make sure we do things early or late.”

On the lessons she’s learned:

“I learned never take anything for granted but also pursue everything you can. You never know because it might be taken away from you the next day.”

What are her hitting tips:

“Keep up your mechanics and form. As soon as your mechanics leave you, that’s when you start to get away from your original spot.”

Video interviews of each athlete can be found at latimes.com/sports/highschool.