2005 Varsity Roster

Seniors: Marta Moritz, Shannon Reed, Korrie Bowers, Ashlee Bertsch, Julianne Wolf  Juniors: Ali Mahon, Mimi Mahon, Jennifer McKee, Traci Ryder, Nikki Carpenter Sophomore: Susan Wendland Freshman: Rachel LeMaster, Tara Bastin, Rachel Cox

   Click on photos to enlarge

Hamilton returns top pitcher, catcher from ’04

                                   By Pete Conrad  Journal News   March 27, 2005

HAMILTON — The last of the softball players who led Hamilton High to the state Final Four in 2001 and 2002 are gone, now that Dawnjene DeLong, Bridget Henry and others have graduated. And although the Big Blue have only five letter winners returning, it’s not time to start shedding tears for them just yet.

Two of those returning players give Hamilton a powerful 1-2 punch at two of the most important positions. Junior right-hander Jennifer McKee will be back at the pitcher’s circle for the Big Blue after turning in a sensational sophomore season after which she was named to the All-Greater Miami Conference first team. McKee’s best pitches will land in the mitt of junior Mimi Mahon, last year’s second-team All-GMC catcher.

“Jennifer’s a darned good pitcher, competitive, and I feel pretty confident that we’ll be in the game with her on the mound,” said Hamilton coach Steve Heckman, who is one victory shy of the 200 mark for his career, having posted a 199-106 record through his first 11 seasons at the Big Blue helm. Mahon, according to Heckman, “has had a real nice spring, is hitting the ball well, working hard and improving her techniques at catcher. She’s going to be a good one.”

Hamilton’s other three letter winners consist of seniors who are learning new positions. Ashlee Bertsch has moved from first base to shortstop. Julianne Wolf has moved from center field to second base. Korrie Bowers has moved from right field to first base. "Those three have played a lot of ball,” Heckman said. “I wanted to move them into the infield, where their experience can show. They’re all good hitters.” Sophomore Susan Wendland and freshman Tara Bastin will split duty at the remaining infield position, third base.

The outfield will include freshman Rachel LeMaster and junior Ali Mahon (Mimi’s twin sister) in center field, and junior Traci Ryder in right. LeMaster also is the backup at catcher. "Ali and Rachel are both quick with strong arms and can cover a lot of ground,” Heckman said of his center fielders. “Traci is a left-handed hitter who gives us a little pop. ”Senior Shannon Reed and freshman Rachel Cox will share duties in left field,

Also on the roster is senior Marta Moritz, a foreign-exchange student from Poland. “She’s learning the game for the first time and is having a pretty good time doing it,” Heckman said. The Big Blue will open their season Monday afternoon at home against Middletown.

Unbeaten Hamilton gives West first loss
LeMaster, McKee lead Big Blue to 8-inning victory
By Steven Matthews     Journal News  April 6 2005

WEST CHESTER TOWNSHIP — Lakota West High softball coach Keith Castner hopes Tuesday’s extra-inning loss to Hamilton is just a bump in the road for his squad.  After shooting out of the gate 5-0, the host Firebirds were humbled against the Big Blue — 2-0 in eight innings — thanks to freshman Rachel LeMaster’s two-run single off Lindsay Bodeker in the extra frame.

LeMaster slapped a 2-0 pitch down the right-field line to drive in Ali Mahon and Susan Wendland. West had the bases loaded in the bottom of the eighth inning, but Jennifer McKee struck out Adrienne Found to secure the victory for the Big Blue (5-0 overall, 4-0 Greater Miami Conference).

“They got a couple good, clean hits and made it happen” Castner said.  Despite the loss, which dropped the Firebirds to 5-1 overall and 1-1 in the GMC, they continue to ride the hot arm of Bodeker, who struck out 17 batters for the second straight game, again tying the school record.  “Bodeker is as advertised, and we couldn’t solve her early,” Hamilton coach Steve Heckman said. “She was mixing it up awfully well, and it made it tough for us to figure it out. We got a little bit more patient at the end and made a couple pitches come our way, and we paid off on it.”
West managed only one hit off junior McKee, who struck out 11 while improving to 5-0 in the circle. West left the bases loaded twice and stranded 11 runners overall. Hamilton produced three hits over the first seven innings. Two of the three hits off Bodeker came from Rachel LeMaster. In the eighth, Traci Ryder led off with a walk, and after Ali Mahon entered as a pinch runner, Wendland laid down a sacrifice bunt that Bodeker threw over the head of Found, putting runners on second and third.

LeMaster then delivered the game-winning blow. "Usually, I’m nervous at the plate, but I thought that I should just be calm,” LeMaster said. “I just swung the bat and I hit it. I was very excited.”  McKee, who tossed a no-hitter with 14 strikeouts Monday against Princeton, sealed the win.  “They’ve got a good ball club. Coach Heckman does a great job with them,” Castner said. “The girls play hard for him, and they’re a very scrappy bunch of girls. They got it done.”
 

Hamilton softball team gets number one seed in draw

By Rick Cassano, Journal News

SHARONVILLE — Steve Heckman savored the compliment, then immediately pushed it aside. His Hamilton High softball team earned the No. 1 seed in the Division I Cincinnati super draw Sunday at Princeton, and Heckman believes it's a compliment to his program. But what will it mean when Big Blue begin postseason play on the field? "What it means is nothing," Heckman said. "We weren't the No. 1 seed the years we went to state. But it's really neat for the girls. It shows what hard work has gotten them."

HHS stands 14-1, having suffered its only loss of the season at the hands of Lakota West last Wednesday. The Firebirds (15-3) were seeded second in the draw, and West coach Keith Castner had no problem with Hamilton getting the No. 1 nod. "It's OK," he said. "They've only lost one game, and we split with them. We feel fortunate that we're the No. 2 seed. "Another Greater Miami Conference team, Fairfield, is the third seed. The Indians are 15-4, but have lost two of their last three games (to Harrison and Milford). "Every team that's beaten us is a seed," said Tribe coach Brenda Stieger, whose squad also lost to McAuley and West.

Mason is the No. 4 seed. The remaining eight seeds (in order) are Milford, Loveland, McAuley, Harrison, Mother of Mercy, Northwest, Anderson and Seton. Hamilton is in the Cincinnati III sectional and opens against the Hughes-Turpin winner on Wednesday, May 11, at West.

Mimi Mahon awarded MVP award from the Hamilton Journal News at the Ramball Invitational!!!

Wild second inning snaps Ross’ win streak

McKee pitches Hamilton to 2-0 victory over Rams

By Jay Morrison    Journal News Sunday, May 1, 2005

ROSS — Not once during the Ross High softball team’s 14-game winning streak did the Rams commit more than one error in a game. Saturday afternoon against Hamilton, Ross had two errors on one play.

The second-inning miscues enabled two Big Blue runners to score, and HHS pitcher McKee made those runs stand up for a 2-0 victory in Game 2 of the Ramball Invitational. “That’s part of the game,” said Ross coach Paul Fernandez, whose team beat Badin 7-0 in the first contest of the day. “You hope it’s the other team that makes that mistake and not you, but today it was us.” The loss snapped the Ram’s 14-game win streak, dropping them to 20-4. Hamilton improved to 18-2.

“Ross just has an unbelievable program, so when you come out ahead of them, it’s a really good feeling,” HHS coach Steve Heckman said. “But that was a strange way to win a game. I mean that was the craziest play I’ve ever seen. ”The craziness actually started earlier in the inning. After Traci Ryder led off with a single to left, Heckman sent Brittani Stapleton in to pinch run. The sophomore, who making her first varsity appearance, got too far off first base and looked to be picked off, but a late throw at the end of the rundown enabled Stapleton to slide safely into second base. Then things really got weird.

Korrie Bowers ripped a single up the middle, but Stapleton, instead of heading straight to third base, went back to second. The detour gave Ross enough time to throw her out at third, but the throw was wide of the bag. Seeing the throw get away, Stapleton started for home, then went back to third, then turned toward home again before finally retreating to third, where she would have been out had it not been for another wild throw. “I wasn’t sure where the ball was and I just got lost,” Stapleton said. “I was a little nervous out there.”

While Stapleton was bouncing back and forth on the base paths, Bowers was sprinting around them. As she slid into third, Ross made another wild throw that sailed into the outfield enabling Bowers to score. “That, coupled with the fact that McKee was throwing the ball really well, was all it took,” Fernandez said. McKee only allowed two infield singles and struck out 10 to improve to 18-2.

 “Our defense made some really nice plays out there. Everyone was really hyped up to beat Ross” said McKee. The Rams’ Anna Smith (11-2) also pitched well, surrendering just four hits while striking out eight. Mimi Mahon accounted for half of Hamilton’s hit total with a single and double. “We only had four hits, but some of our outs were pretty well hit,” Heckman said. “We haven’t been hitting very well the last few games, but I was happy with the way we hit the ball today because Anna’s a really good pitcher.” Hamilton returns to action Monday at Milford. Ross plays host to Wilmington on Wednesday with a chance to claim the outright Fort Ancient Valley Conference Cardinal Division championship.

   Coaching Staff  

Hamilton players sign to play college softball

2006 Photo Album   History