A46 HIGHSCHOOL SPORTS GET MORE SPORTS A GEEV

Samantha Hurtado SER ANNA

.522 on-base percentage, six runs and six RBIs in five games this sea- son. Additionally, the fifth-year var- The ultimate sityplayeris7-for-8 in stolen base at- tempts. She has played mostlyshort- stop,but also has pitched, caught and played outfield this season. Butasmuch as Hurtado does on the field, she does just as much, if double switch not more, offitasthe Wildcats’ onlysenior this season. “She helped me buildmyconfi- Wheatley’sHurtado nowstarattop of order denceasaplayer,”said junior first baseman NikkiHetzel, in her sec- BY JOHN BOELL ond year on varsity, whonever [email protected] played JV.“Iwasn’t very confident at first, butshe encouraged me, alk aboutadouble which made me abetterplayer. If it switch. weren’t forher and her help,I Forthe last four sea- wouldn’t be the player Iamtoday.” Tsons,opponents of the Hurtado has a3.8 GPA, she said, Wheatleysoftball team and will attend Philadelphia Uni- sawSamantha Hurtado batalmost versity, which will combine with exclusively righthanded in the Thomas Jefferson Universitylater No.3 spot of the lineup with the this year,onacombined scholar- main goal of driving in runs. ship.Hurtado, whosaid she has

This season, the Wildcats’ senior A been accepted intothe school’s shortstop is batting leadoff and pre-med honorsprogram, hopes to mostlyslap-hitting from the left GEEV become an orthopedic surgeon. side of the platewith the hope of SER “That’s always been my goal,”

getting on base and scoring runs. ANNA Hurtado said, “because it keeps me “A year agomytravelteam coach connected to helping athletes.” m

co Newsday’s [Bill Havdoglous] said Ishould be ting as alefthander.She also started Although Wheatleyis1-4 in Nas- y. slapping to use my speed on the lifting weights to increase the sauConferenceABC-III it still has da

ws bases,” said Hurtado, whohas strength of her 5-5frame. nine more regular-season games to

ne top-notch reporting played with the Long Island Sudden Still, the Wildcats captain hadone preparefor the ClassBplayoffs. Impact travel team fortwo years. moreimportant thing to do: con- Wheatleyisone of the smallest 17 “Then my [future] collegecoach[at vinceWheatleycoach Christina schools thatplays softball in Nassau, 20 scores you in-depth coverage Philadelphia University] said they Cambria aboutthe move.“Ithought butHurtado wouldn’t changeher 16, hadnoslap hitters on the team, so I I’d keep her as our number three hit- high school experiencefor anything. PRIL of your favorite local and decidedtofocus on slapping.” ter,”said Cambria, in her eighth year “Sometimes Ithink aboutour ,A It wasabold move forHur- as coach. “She’d been therefor four school being so small, and feel we AY tado, wholed Wheatleylast sea- years, hitting in the high .400s from don’t getthe recognition we de-

UND pro sports teams. son with a.463 batting average, the three spot. Butshe workedon serve,”said Hurtado,who hopes to

,S .543 on-base percentage, 20 sin- slapping for11months as part of her batleadoffand play outfield in col- AY gles, 16 RBIs and sevendoubles. collegerecruitment. Itrusted her lege. “Honestly, Ilove being on this SD She spent months beforethis sea- and it’s working well so far.” team and teaching the younger

NEW son hitting offateeand in batting Indeed. Hurtadois9-for-20 (.450) girls howtoplaysoftball, as well as ND_NEWS2X154 cages, working on the art of slap hit- as the Wildcats’ leadoff hitterwith a the values that I’velearned.”