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St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Lee Enterprises

Wednesday, May 13, 2009 11:22 PM CDT
Spotlight: Derek Hennig

By Brian Nielsen, Sports Editor
bnielsen@jg-tc.com

DEREK HENNIG

Charleston baseball

Year: senior

Sports: Baseball, basketball

Baseball statistics: .477 batting average with four home runs, 25 RBIs and 47 runs scored; .521 on-base percentage; 24 stolen bases in 30 attempts.

Brian Nielsen: You are having a good season so far. How do you feel about things?

Derek Hennig: I put in a lot of work in the off-season to make sure I had a good senior year.

BN: What did you do in the off-season to get ready?

DH: I started a lifting program since last June. I knew I needed to get stronger.

BN: Still, I understand you’re taking an academic scholarship rather than looking for one in baseball.

DH: My plan is to try and walk-on at Indiana State. I got a presidential scholarship for academics there. I wasn’t going to turn down a full ride.

BN: So with this scholarship you must have a good grade point average and class rank.

DH: It was based on GPA and ACT, and I had to go down for an interview. They chose 20 for the scholarship.

BN: That’s out of how many?

DH: I think there were 120.

BN: So you obviously do well academically as well as athletically.

DH: Yeah, I have always put my best effort in the classroom. That comes first.

BN: Has anyone really stressed that to you and helped you think this way?

DH: My parents have always let me know that’s what’s important and what gets you a job.

BN: What kind of job would you like to have some day?

DH: Right now I’m looking at optometry.

BN: What got you involved with this?

DH: I don’t really know. I’ve just always liked eyes. Both of my grandparents have detached retinas so I’ve always been interested in that.

BN: Does studying eyes and vision help you at all in hitting?

DH: I don’t know. I know much about that yet.

BN: So when it comes to your hitting this year, what has made you happy about your season?

DH: I haven’t struck out a lot so far. I’m putting it in play and making them make plays.

BN: Has the added strength helped?

DH: Yeah, this year is a little different because I can wait back and look at the pitch a little longer.

BN: Of course this is better too than last year when you were battling an injury.

DH: Yeah, I think the lifting is good for that too. It has my body in better shape.

BN: So who is a better player you or your brother (Wade, a pitcher who went on to Olney Central College before an injury cut short his baseball career)?

DH: Oh, I don’t know. He was a different position than I was. I don’t think you can compare.

BN: Has he given you much baseball advice?

DH: He’s given me a few pointers because he’s been through the college practices and shown me drills.

BN: Does he pitch to you now?

DH: He can’t throw too much more after his surgeries.

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