Antelope Valley Carried by the Arm : Healthy Meyer Leads Marauders Into Regional Today

Had the arm not stopped throbbing, had the pain not disappeared and eased the doubts, Heather Meyer might be doing something else today.

“It got to the point where I had trouble brushing my hair,” Meyer said.

But Meyer, a right-hander at Antelope Valley College and the state junior college softball pitcher of the year this season, is throwing stronger than ever and helping the Marauders make a run at the state title.

She will pitch the second game for Antelope Valley (37-9) in a four-team Southern California regional today and Saturday at Cypress, one of four sites for the double-elimination tournament.

The fifth-seeded Marauders, with Shannon Peterson (14-3) pitching, will face No. 12 El Camino (20-17) today at 2. Meyer will pitch against No. 4 Cypress or No. 13 Pasadena City today at 4 if Antelope Valley wins or Saturday at 10 a.m. against one of those teams if the Marauders fall to El Camino.

Two years ago, however, Meyer wasn’t sure how much longer she would be pitching.

After a marvelous senior season at Quartz Hill High, where she was 13-3 and her earned-run average was 0.31, Meyer developed tendinitis in her right forearm. The pain was serious enough that she thought her softball days were over.

Once out of high school, Meyer took a few months off from softball and then started working with Andy Kim, a pitching coach who altered her motion to help alleviate the strain on her forearm and wrist from the risers, curves and drops she uses on virtually every delivery.

With her arm healthier, Meyer decided to test it at Antelope Valley.

“I wasn’t even planning on pitching in college,” Meyer said. “I had told myself going into AV that if it started hurting again, I would have quit. Even now, if it were to come back, I would stop. The pain is not worth it.”

Opposing teams probably wish Meyer had stayed away.

This season, she is 20-5 with an 0.23 ERA and 255 strikeouts in 180 2/3 innings and was named the pitcher of the year in the Foothill Conference after helping the Marauders to their second consecutive championship.

Her victories included two no-hitters, giving her three at Antelope Valley, and 16 shutouts. In 1993, she was 17-5 with an 0.80 ERA and 194 strikeouts in 158 innings. She was an all-conference first-team selection.

That success naturally attracted recruiters from major colleges. Meyer said she will sign with Washington soon and major in communications with an eye toward television advertising.

“It’s beautiful (in Washington),” Meyer said.

“All of their teams and facilities are outstanding. The academics are great and they have a real good communications program. I love commercials. They win you over in 30 seconds and that’s incredible.”

That Meyer is interested in that line of work might come as a surprise. She is quiet and shy.

But Marauder Coach Gene Pagliaro says people often misread her.

“She’s very polite but she’s not gregarious,” Pagliaro said. “It’s almost like she doesn’t like you but that’s not the case. She just doesn’t like to talk about herself.”

Others, like the frustrated batters Meyer routinely strikes out, no doubt mention her name under their breath. But she hears plenty of compliments from her teammates and coaches.

“I think that overall, she is the best pitcher ever at Antelope Valley,” said Steve Buffalo, the Marauder pitching coach. “She has more movement on the ball than any pitcher I’ve ever been around. She has an incredible curveball and a great rise.”

She also has, and senses, a lot of pressure heading into the regional. The Marauders were 33-7 last season but could not advance past the regional.

The team is seeking redemption, Meyer said. The Marauders are also looking for a trip to College of the Sequoias for the state championships May 20-21.

“I feel like this weekend I have so much to live up to,” Meyer said. “It’s hard because everyone expects me to throw the no-hitters and strike out 15 batters (per game). . . .

“I’ve been working really hard this week. We are ready to play. We are ready to go all the way. Last year we got knocked out and we are not going to let it happen this year.”