DAVID HARDEN/Arizona Summer Wildcat Arizona Heat player Wendy Allen takes a cut at a ball during a game against the Texas Thunder Sunday night. Allen, a former UA player, wasted no time becoming one of the best players in the national softball league.

All-American scholar-athlete rising to the top of new pro softball league

In college she was the ideal student athlete. It didn't take long for Wendy Allen to move to the front of pro softball's class.

Allen, a first baseman/third baseman/designated player for the Arizona Heat (9-13), has become one of the National Pro Fastpitch's top hitters after earning academic and athletic All-American honors as a collegian in 2004.

"Wendy's actually done a really good job for us; she has been a leading hitter for us. Such a true hitter, a great personality, really a true asset to our whole program on and off the field," said Heat head coach Debby Day.

The NPF has six teams in its first year of operation and hopes to expand in future years.

In the NPF's latest list of stat leaders, Allen was third in the league in RBIs and home runs.

Allen, who praised teammates for her RBI numbers during the season, was excited about her early spot in the league but focused on a recent little slump.

"Right now I am at a little low point. I'm just dealing with it," Allen said.

In her senior year as a Wildcat, Allen won the NCAA's Division I RBI crown, the award for UA outstanding senior female athlete given by the school, and the Pac-10 Conference Medal for best female student athlete at UA. Allen's major was business management.

"It is not surprising; Wendy did the same thing when she played at the U of A. She's an outstanding hitter, fundamentally as sound as anyone, so it really doesn't surprise me. Both average and RBIs are things she excels at," said UA 2004 acting head coach Larry Ray.

Allen transferred to the UA from Ohio State after two years in Columbus.

She was the Big Ten freshman of the year and Big Ten player of the year her sophomore season.

Day, who played at the UA in 1991 and 1992, leading the Wildcats to their first national title, wasn't surprised by Allen's success either.

"Actually, we would expect her to come in and be pretty much at the top of her game, where as the rest of our players have been out of college for a little while, haven't seen the live pitching," Day said.

"Wendy came right in on the field and started hitting the ball, so it is a great thing."

After missing the Heat's first series, Allen came in right away and gave Arizona a temporary lead in their first home game on June 5th, on an RBI triple, prompting some fans to chant "U of A."

"After (UA) lost (in regionals), I went to the people and asked for two weeks off because I just got done playing like 70 games. I didn't go to their first series in Sacremento and came back and...I just played, almost like I didn't skip a beat, because I had been playing since Christmas," Allen said.

A few weeks into the season, Allen said she is getting tired mentally, but not necessarily physically.

The Heat usually play six days a week, as opposed to the Pac-10 schedule of three games a week.

"I don't know if it is physically, but mentally I am just exhausted, especially playing everyday.

"You don't get any down time, you don't get time to practice, to get better," Allen said.

"It is really just exhausting and frustrating. But you know, that's life."

After batting in the coveted No. 3 spot, Allen dropped to No. 5 in the Heat's order.

"It is really different than (UA) ball, obviously. Right now I am sort of in a slump and struggling but trying to stay positive. That's what you've got to do," Allen said.

Allen, a pitcher for the Wildcats, said she would not pitch unless the Heat really need help because their staff is so good.

In 2004, Allen went 9-0 with an ERA under 1.5.

The Heat's upcoming home games are Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday against the Akron Racers, all at 7:30 pm at Hi Corbett Field. After that, they will embark on a six-game road trip to the Northeast.

Friday is two-for-one admission night and the last day to hand in All-Star ballots. The Arizona Heat's website is tucsonsoftball.com.