Heen’s swing pays dividends after rough start

By maintaining her approach, Callee Heen has seen her production jump from one week to the next.

Statistically speaking, the University of Hawaii freshman had a relatively quiet weekend at the plate to start the Big West softball schedule. But a 1-for-8 line against UC Davis two weeks ago shrouded the quality of Heen’s contact, with several line drives and sharp grounders finding gloves.

Heen was rewarded in the box score last week at Cal State Northridge and went 4-for-8 with a double and a home run to hit the .300 mark for the season entering this weekend’s Big West series against UC Riverside at Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium.

“If you’re hitting the ball hard you might as well keep doing what you’re doing, because sooner or later the ball is going to find a gap,” Heen said.

Heen boosted her numbers last week and returns to Manoa aiming to maintain her rhythm at the plate after the home struggles two weeks ago.

The Wahine were swept at CSUN last week and both UH (23-14, 2-4 Big West) and UC Riverside (20-15, 2-4) enter the week looking to make up ground in the Big West race, with both teams two games behind the early leaders.

“Getting swept this past weekend it hurts, but it just makes us all want to come back stronger as a team,” Heen said. “We can only move forward from here and get better, so that’s behind us.”

Today’s series opener is set for 6 p.m., with a 2 p.m. doubleheader scheduled for Saturday on “Power in Pink” day.

Heen has settled into the fifth spot in the UH batting order and alternates with sophomore Heather Cameron between catcher and designated player.

UH coach Bob Coolen gives the Rainbow Wahine catchers pitch-calling duties, and Heen developed a rapport with junior pitcher Brittany Hitchcock in the fall.

“I’ve called games all my life, but I feel it’s more important now, especially at the college level, to make sure you and the pitcher are on the right page,” Heen said.

“If we’re not on the same page one day she’ll give me feedback on what she wants to do and what she’s comfortable with.”

Heen has demonstrated her comfort at the plate throughout her freshman season, showing power from the left side while sharpening her swing to the opposite field as well. Coolen is also working with her on maintaining a positive approach through the inevitable ups and downs of college ball.

“It doesn’t matter if you fail those six or seven times out of 10,” Coolen said. “As long as you’re hitting the ball, squaring it up and having a quality at-bat that’s all you have to think about.”

Heen’s father, Curtis, is a softball coach, and Callee first remembers swinging a bat at age 4, “but I can imagine he probably tried to before that too.”

She frequently visited family in Hawaii growing up and the connection has helped ease her more to Manoa from Hollister, Calif.

“I’m really comfortable and I don’t get homesick,” she said, “and I can go home for family meals and stuff.”