PHILIPPI, W.Va. - Allegany High School softball coach Rick Twigg has always said Erin Hansel was a battler, and if there was ever any doubt about the validity of the veteran coach's sentiment, Hansel will wear the proof of it on her uniform for the next four years as she has signed to play softball for the Alderson-Broaddus College Battlers of the West Virginia Interscholastic Athletic Conference.
Hansel, the outstanding catcher for the Campers, led area softball players in hitting last season with a .504 batting average, with an on-base percentage of .634. For her junior and senior seasons combined, Hansel batted .440, with an on-base percentage of .559, 52 runs scored, 15 doubles, three triples, eight home runs and 50 runs batted in.
Those fine numbers only scratch the surface of what Hansel has meant to the Allegany program and of how good, and how driven a softball player she has become.
"Erin is a very intense competitor," said Twigg. "I know we are not allowed to work with kids in the offseason, but when someone comes to me wanting to get better I am going to work with them."
And in Hansel's case, Twigg never had to spend any time looking for her to do that work.
"The summer of her sophomore year Erin called and wanted to know if I could spend some extra time with her," said the Alco coach, "so we started working two to three days a week on catching drills. Until the snow started to fly, we worked on arm strength and catching skills. This is what made her the catcher that she is. I also took her to task offensively and in looking at her stats, you can see she responded very positively."
As good of a hitter as Hansel is, Twigg isn't so sure last year's Allegany team captain isn't a better player when she's crouched behind opposing hitters.
"Erin's strengths are her work ethic and field presence," Twigg said. "I allowed her to call 90 percent of the pitches for our pitchers. She had a great understanding of hitter tendencies and understood our pitchers' strong suits. She was a vocal force during games and practices."
For Twigg, seeing Hansel move on to college softball is a rewarding feeling, as the two have been around each other quite a bit on dusty area softball fields through the years.
"I have been around Erin for around 10 years, during her early years of PVAA through her high school years," Twigg said, "and I have watched her grow into an outstanding young lady and very good athlete. To this day we are still working a couple of days a week on catching drills and hitting. It has been a pleasure to coach Erin."
Between the catching and hitting drills, between playing all of the games, Hansel found time to make the honor roll at Allegany, be a cheerleader for four years, be selected for the Homecoming court, and play basketball for three years.
At Alderson-Broaddus, she will major in psychology and play for A-B veteran head coach J.D. Long, a 1980 graduate of A-B, who has coached the Battlers to a career mark of 243-143. Last season, the Battlers finished 17-19-1 after starting 6-14, and placed second in the WVIAC.
"I haven't really talked to Coach Long about it too much," said Twigg, "but I'm sure if she continues to work hard she will be their starting catcher as a sophomore. There is a difference in high school and college, but I am sure she will adapt well."
Erin is the daughter of Steve and Brenda Hansel. Her brother Byran Hansel was the 2005 Times-News High School Football Player of the year and is currently a junior at Shepherd University where he plays football for the Rams.
Contact Mike Burke at mburke@times-news.com.
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