Former Hays High star softball player Anna Hernandez is making a name for herself at Texas State. The sophomore has started every single game for the Bobcats since arriving as a freshman. She led the team in runs scored and was second in home runs last season. The ex-Lady Rebel has impressed Bobcat head coach Ricci Woodard with her tireless work ethic and is even featured on a billboard on Interstate 35 promoting Texas State softball. (Photo Courtesy of Texas State University)
by MARK CAUL
Anna Hernandez was born to play softball.
The former Hays High star player has all the tools – the rocket arm, the steady bat and most importantly, the tireless work ethic.
Hernandez, the Bobcats’ starting second baseman, is currently third on the team in runs batted in with 16, but she can also do the little things that oftentimes lead to victory.
At a recent home game against Southland Conference rival McNeese State, Hernandez laid down a sacrifice bunt that led to the only run of the game in a 1-0 Texas State win.
Earlier in the same game, Hernandez contributed a stellar fielding play back that prevented McNeese State from taking the lead.
Those are the kind of clutch plays that Hernandez was known for at Hays High and are now becoming the norm at Texas State.
Texas State head coach Ricci Woodard believes the talented Hernandez certainly is on her way to becoming one of the most talented players that she’s ever coached.
“Anna has done everything we’ve asked her to do here at Texas State,” Woodard said. “She has played through a few injuries and is already become one of the most productive players we’ve had here. If she’s not hitting well, she’s out late at the batting cage until her hands have blisters. That’s what I call work ethic.”
As a freshman last season, she led the Bobcats in runs scored (29), and was second on the team in home runs (seven). Hernandez also earned a spot on the All-SLC Tournament Team last season.
The Bobcats were able to capture their third consecutive Southland Conference regular season title in 2010, but eventually lost in the conference tournament final to McNeese State 3-2.
“I just try to go out there and have a good mental approach to the game,” Hernandez said. “College softball is obviously a big difference from high school. You just have to stay positive and be prepared to come out and work hard every day in practice. That’s where it all starts.”
There was a time a few years ago when Hernandez never thought a successful college career would come to fruition.
After helping lead her team to consecutive playoff trips at Hays, Hernandez suffered a serious knee injury that caused her to miss her entire junior season.
A devastated Hernandez vowed to work harder than ever while rehabbing and when she returned in 2009, it was a year to remember for the former Lady Rebel.
After being named team captain at the start of her senior campaign, Hernandez had her best season ever and as a result was ultimately named the District 17-4A Offensive Player of the year.
Hernandez recalls her days as a Lady Rebel very fondly.
“I definitely enjoyed playing at Hays and I loved all my teammates,” Hernandez said. “We won a lot of games and were able to establish a winning tradition at the school. I still keep up with a lot of the players from those years.”
As a senior, Hernandez hit a league-leading .600 and led her team to the bi-district round of the playoffs where they fell to Montgomery High School.
Hernandez turned down offers from LSU, Baylor and Houston and even agreed to switch from shortstop to second base when she decided to become a Bobcat.
“Texas State was really the only choice for me because I wanted to get a good education and be able to play closer to home,” Hernandez said. “Everything just felt right when I visited and I loved that they had a winning tradition with an excellent coach just like I had at Hays.”
Anna’s decision to play closer to home came as welcome news to her mother Lucy, who was able to witness her daughter’s first collegiate home run against Oklahoma State a year ago.
“I am very proud of Anna for what she has accomplished,” Lucy Hernandez said. “She has always been a very focused person and I hope she continues to do what she has been doing.”
As focused as Hernandez is on the field, she definitely has her playful side. She can currently be seen during each Bobcat home softball game on the video board between innings in a skit with teammate Haley Lemons competing in a card game.
“It was just something that we came up with between the two of us,” Lemons said. “Something fun that we thought everybody would get a kick out of. Anna has such a good sense of humor as well as being a great softball player.”
Hernandez also has been known to post You Tube videos of herself dancing to hip-hop and performing dead-on impersonations of Coach Woodard.
“Yeah, it’s pretty good,” Woodard laughed. “It needs a little bit of work, but it’s good.”
Despite fighting nagging injuries throughout her college career, Hernandez has managed to start every game since arriving at Texas State.
“I’m always in the training room for something,” said Hernandez. “But I love the game and my teammates so much that I always want to do what I have to do to stay on the field.”
Hernandez said there’s no question helping lead Texas State to a fourth straight conference title is a big goal this season.
“One of our goals is to win the Southland Conference championship and then make the regional tournament,” Hernandez said. “Of course, if we are able to make the College World Series that would be awesome.”
And if her former Hays teammates want to catch a glimpse of the current Bobcat star, they don’t even have to leave Interstate 35. Hernandez is featured on a billboard promoting Texas State softball.
“We were driving down IH-35 not too long ago for a game and one of the kids shouted, “Look! Anna’s on the billboard!” said Hays coach Joanna Farr. “Everyone on the bus started cheering. That is how is how proud we all are of Anna.”
