All-Star Spotlight: Spring Grove's Erika Heck and Kennard-Dale's Desi Joines

York, PA - Spring Grove's Erika Heck and Kennard-Dale's Desi Joines certainly have some things in common.

Both standout pitchers just finished their senior softball seasons, and both surpassed the 500 career strikeout plateau during the campaign.

Heck fanned 149 batters in 116 innings, with a 1.87 earned run average. Joines finished with 213 strikeouts and a 1.93 ERA. She also hit .367.

Both were all-stars in 2011, and this season the duo are sharing the Daily Record/Sunday News Division II Player of the Year award. So, we asked both the same set of questions.

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Why softball?

Desi Joines: I played it ever since I was little. It's just something always enjoyed.

Erika Heck: My two older cousins played softball, and I just copied them.

What would you change about your sport?

Joines: Nothing, I like it the way it is. Maybe less strikes on the batter, that would be kind of cool.

Heck: I don't really know. That's a good answer (to Joines).

What gives you a bigger lift on the field, a big strikeout or a rapping a base hit?

Joines: It depends if the base hit scores a run, but the strikeout, if is against a really good hitter.

Heck: I don't really hit, because we have lots of good hitters, so I like the strikeout.

What was it like passing 500 career strikeouts?

Joines:

It was exciting. It was like a goal I had always had. It was nice to meet that goal.

Heck: I knew at the beginning of the season I had to get so many. I was tallying up, and it felt good when I got it. My team made me a banner and stuck it in the dugout the next day.

Do you have any superstitions on game day?

Joines: I just like to wear my blue sparkly headband.

Heck: Before every game I had to find a four-leaf clover. I can look down and just find them.

If I didn't find them before we got on the bus it was a bad sign.

What opponent gave you the most fits on the field?

Joines: Red Lion altogether. I played with lot of girls from Red Lion. They are big rivals.

Heck: Central hit me pretty good a couple of games. Kennard-Dale always has a solid team.

What was your favorite moment of the season?

Joines: Hitting 500 strikeouts was definitely a good moment. Going to (extra innings) with Central was a pretty good thing, only losing by one. We went up there not expecting we were going to play 10 innings and be so close.

Heck: Probably my 500th strikeout. The funniest was when my best friend Jena Hull fell on her side running to first base. It was on a foul ball, and her bat got stuck between her legs. She couldn't get back up and looked at us. Then she got up and hit a triple.

If your sport wasn't offered, what sport would you play?

Joines: Field hockey, I played that before. That would be my second option.

Heck: I would probably have to do lacrosse because of using my arms.

What sport are you the absolute worst at?

Joines: Basketball is not my sport.

Heck: I am really awful at basketball.

Who is your role model?

Joines: (Her cousin, former Kennard-Dale standout) Rhoda Marsteller. We grew up with each other. She was always my role model.

Heck: I always went to pitching clinics, and (former South Western star) Tiff Smith's dad Phil was a coach for a long time. I would come early and watch her. But have to say thanks to my dad and grandpa for always pushing me.

What is your favorite activity off the field?

Joines: Backyard baseball with family and friends, or whiffle ball.

Heck: I like being outside. I have a boyfriend and am always with him.

If you had a day all to yourself with no responsibilities, what would you do?

Joines: I don't know. Maybe go to the beach or hang out with family.

Heck: Probably just lay outside by the pool.

What would you say about facing each other?

Joines: Facing her, you always knew was going to be a good game. The first time against her (this season) she threw a no-hitter. The second time I went 3-3 or 4-4, that is not always the easiest thing to do.

Heck: I like pitching to her because she is tall. I hated being against her for my team. It's different, I never had to bat against her.

Are you a clean or messy bedroom person?

Joines: Neat.

Heck: Right now you can see the floor, but it's not clean.

What is the one thing you do that drives your mom or dad crazy?

Joines: I don't know.

Heck: When I want my own way. It's only child syndrome.

What's the farthest distance you've ever been away from home?

Joines: Florida.

Heck: We go to Florida a lot.

Name one place you'd love to go during your lifetime.

Joines: California, it's nice there, the weather.

Heck: Hawaii (same reason)

What are you planning to do next year:

Joines: Playing softball at Shepherd University.

Heck: Attending Messiah College (not playing) to study nursing.

Do you speak a second language? How well?

Joines: No, I took a couple years of Spanish but am not fluent.

Heck: I took German for three years and can understand some of it. If I went to Germany I could probably do OK, I guess.