Even Heekin didn't see it coming.

When she was a high school senior, Thomas More recruited her to play basketball. She decided to play volleyball, her favorite sport, instead. After the first fall season ended, the then-freshman couldn't shake an urge to head to the diamond for batting practice.

"I decided at the last minute to play softball. I missed everything about it," Heekin said.

Heekin, a junior second baseman who has twice been a second-team All-Central Region selection, has since given up every sport but softball. The co-captain batted .402 with a team-high four home runs and 30 RBI for Thomas More, whose season ended April 29.

Three months from now she'll play in Germany on the USA Athletes International softball team as a select member chosen from 389 Division III schools. The team, coached by Denison University's Holly Bruder, will play between 10 and 15 games as part of the German Softball Series' Kolsch Cup.

Thomas More coach Everett Roper wasn't surprised when Bruder sent him an e-mail asking if Heekin was interested.

"I said 'Yeah, without a doubt,' " Roper said. "She's a tremendous player. Every time she swings a bat you know something's going to happen."

Roper introduced the two after Thomas More beat Denison twice April 14. Bruder said Heekin's poise and demeanor clinched the invite.

"She was definitely one of the best players out there, if not the best," Bruder said. "You could tell she wants the ball in her hands."

Heekin's father, Stan, and sister, Leah, will make the trip with the team.

Until the tournament in Germany, Heekin is raising $3,000 for lodging and food, and playing for a select under-23 softball team, the Cincinnati Storm.

Softball has been the best fit for Heekin's interests and skill.

"I think she liked volleyball more," Roper said, "but she was more suited for softball."

Others

• Northern Kentucky University's Derrick Moeves (Highlands) was named the Great Lakes Valley Conference Pitcher of the Week. Moeves, a sophomore right-hander, tossed a one-hit shutout and struck out 12 batters Saturday as NKU defeated the University of Southern Indiana, 1-0. Moeves also set a Norse single-season record for strikeouts with 96.

• NKU's Krystal Lewallen was named GLVC Player of the Year by the league's softball coaches. Lewallen, a sophomore pitcher, was 28-3 entering the NCAA Division II Tournament and had led NKU to a 51-5 record. She leads the GLVC in strikeouts (272), innings pitched (221.2), wins (28) and ERA (0.28). Norse junior center fielder Stephanie Leimbach and sophomore second baseman Ricki Rothbauer join Lewallen as first team All-GLVC selections. Junior first baseman Angie Lindeman and junior pitcher Emily Breitholle (Hamilton) were named second team All-GLVC. NKU's Kathy Bown was named GLVC Coach of the Year.

• Georgetown College baseball's Nate Mahon (Hamilton) was named the Mid-South Conference's Freshman of the Year. The outfielder had a .303 batting average with 27 hits, six doubles, three triples and one home run. He scored 12 runs and had 20 RBI. Second-team all-conference honors went to Mahon and fellow outfielder and brother Nick Mahon (Hamilton). Nick completed the season batting .298 with 18 RBI and five stolen bases.

• Kenyon College's Sara Schoenhoft (Ursuline Academy) was named North Coast Atlantic Conference Player of the Week. In four games against Wittenberg and Wooster, the freshman catcher went 5-for-11, which included a bottom-of-the-seventh walk-off home run against Wooster that secured a spot in the NCAC postseason tournament.

• Capital University junior Robert Caress (Princeton) was named to the All-Ohio Athletic Conference men's tennis team. Caress earned first team accolades after compiling a 12-6-1 record in No. 1 singles. Caress and Jeff Good were Capital's No. 1 doubles team and posted a 7-0 record in OAC matches and were 14-4 overall.

• Three Mount St. Joseph softball players were named to the 2004 All-HCAC team. They are junior pitcher Kati Stroub (New Richmond), junior third baseman Carrie Higgins (Seton), and junior outfielder Annie Neumann (Seton). Stroub led the team with 14 wins and had a 1.78 ERA this season. Neumann batted .405 and led the Mount in hits, runs scored and stolen bases. Higgins batted .337 and was second on the Lions in hits and RBI, and tied for the team lead in home runs.

---

E-mail srussell@enquirer.com