Hendricks Highlights Big Week for Blue Knight Softball

URBANA, Ohio (March 26, 2010) - Known more for her handy glovework at first base, it was Maria Hendricks' bat that came alive at the Blue Knight Softball Invitational this past weekend.  Hendricks (Urbana, Ohio/Urbana HS) entered her junior season with a .990 career fielding percentage, which places her atop of the UU record books in that category, but it was her hitting that stole the show this week.  Today, Hendricks was named the Family Dentistry Student-Athlete of the Week.

With her team already trailing 4-0 in the 2nd inning of the 1st game of the weekend, Hendricks set the stage for her big weekend in her 1st at-bat.  She drove a 2-out, 2-run double to the fence to cut the Blue Knights' deficit in half.   In her next at-bat, she was robbed of another base hit when a Laker outfielder stabbed her line drive out of the air in the 4th inning.  Hendricks made solid contact all weekend long, finishing with a .417 batting average with 2 doubles and 5 RBIs in UU's 4 games.  In the 8th inning of that first game, Hendricks came through in the clutch.  She was called on to lay down a sacrifice bunt to advance the runner at 1st base, but Hendricks drew an important walk instead.  This allowed teammate Jesse Nenninger to sacrifice the runner to 3rd base, setting the stage for Brooke Shultz's walk-off, game-winning single. 

Hendricks picked up a base hit in all 4 games, as UU finished 2-2 and took 2nd place at the round-robin tournament.  Her best efforts may have come in the Blue Knights' losses on Sunday.  Hendricks drove in all 3 Urbana runs in a loss to LSSU on Day 2, and she finished 2 for 4 against the eventual champs from GVSU.  Also strongly considered for this week's award were Hendricks' teammates Tami Lasley and Brittany Heunen.  All 3 were named to the All-Tournament Team on Sunday.  Lasley took home Tournament MVP honors.  Baseball players Matt Mays and Brad Cockerill were also strongly considered for the award.