Heather Arnett can be seen all around Pittsburg and Southeast Kansas.
Children and adults alike around the area are wearing T-shirts featuring the Pittsburg State shortstop.
“I’m getting a little used to it,” she said. “I see kids wearing it around town, or I’ll have people message me and say ‘hey, I saw a little kid or an adult wearing a Heather shirt today.’ It’s pretty cool to hear that and see that.”
Different varieties of the Arnett attire can be purchased at Jock’s Nitch. One reads “Hustle Like Heather” and others show her sliding into a base or making a catch.
“Last year John Minton (of Jock’s Nitch) reached out to me and said he wanted to do something,” Arnett said. “We just continued on this year, came out with some new designs. We have some pretty exciting stuff we’re working on right now in addition to those things.
“It’s really, really cool getting to see people around town wearing T-shirts with my name on it and even now my face because there’s a little caricature on there. It’s pretty special to see that.”
Right now, a T-shirt is the only selection, and she declined to leak any information about upcoming merchandise.
Arnett has also been a big hit for the Gorillas’ offense. Entering Saturday’s noon doubleheader at Missouri Southern, she leads NCAA Division II in batting average (.512) and hits (87). She’s also fourth in runs scored (59) and eighth in stolen bases (40).
Last weekend she became the Gorillas’ career leader with 251 hits, one more than the former mark set by Tera Swartslander from 2005-08.
Arnett set the single-season hits record of 103 last season, and she’s five hits away this season from tying the No. 2 mark.
“I look at every year as a new year,” Arnett said. “I’ve proven every year that I’ve played softball that I could be better than the previous year. That’s always been my goal. I never really try and compare numbers. I just go out and I work hard and play every game like I know how to and how I’ve trained to.”
Arnett has shown more power at the plate this season with 12 doubles, five triples and two home runs. Those 19 extra-base hits are two more than she accumulated last season.
“I’ve definitely trusted my swing a lot more, standing in the box versus slapping,” she said. “It has added another tool to my game. It makes me even harder to defend I would say because now I have another threat to my toolbox as people call it.”
“At this point, it’s almost a normal season for her,” PSU coach Josh Barnes said. “That’s crazy to say because we’re sitting here watching in awe of what she does and how she does it.
“What I think is the most special about her season this year is she’s kind of transformed herself a little bit from years past. The first two years she relied on her speed offensively, and this year she’s incorporated power and is comfortable that way. She’s really becoming more of a triple threat, whether she bunts, slaps, hits for power.”
Arnett, who led Frontenac to a state championship three years ago, is the Gorillas’ shortstop this season after spending the two previous years in the outfield.
“It took a lot of practice, but shortstop is my natural position,” Arnett said. “I’ve played there since I was 12 years old. I’ve worked really hard to get to where I am today.
“I love being back in the infield. It’s been so much fun. I’m really glad I’ve been given the opportunity to move back into the infield and get to show my skills there at the Division II level. It’s been pretty exciting.”
“I didn’t see it in September,” Barnes said. “I knew she was super athletic but I didn’t think it was going to be happening. But by the end of October, I knew it’s going to happen. … Not surprising, she’s turned herself into one of the best shortstps in the nation.”
The No. 19 Gorillas (37-11, 18-4 MIAA) are second in the league behind Central Oklahoma (43-8, 20-4), which ended its season Friday by sweeping Newman 1-0 and 17-0.
Missouri Southern (34-16, 14-8) is tied for third place with Rogers State, which plays Saturday at Northeastern State (13-22, 8-14).
The Gorillas tied Rogers State for the league regular-season title last season, and many figured that wouldn’t be possible this year after last year’s graduation losses.
“I knew when we started practicing in the fall that we were going to be a very good team,” Arnett said. “We just had to find all the right parts and pieces, and I think we really have. We’ve had a lot of people accept their role and step up in big-time situations in big-time games.
“It’s been really awesome to see because we did have a lot of people doubt what we had coming in compared to what we had last year. But in all reality, we’re set up to be better than previous years. … The goal is to go farther than last year’s team did (sub-regional championship round).”
