April 10, 2007

Story by Kyle Burch, Community Press (Cincinnati, Ohio)

Cincinnati Country Day graduate and Anderson Township resident Asif Shah is enjoying his best season on the diamond and it's happening at the perfect time.

Shah, a senior at Southeast Missouri State University, is leading his team from both the mound and at the plate. Not only has his performance helped the Redhawks to a 21-11 record, but it also has garnered some attention from Major League Baseball scouts.

"Getting drafted has definitely been on my mind," Shah said of the annual June Major League Baseball draft. "But my main focus is to help my team win and hopefully we can get a conference championship."

Through the weekend, Shah is second on the team with a .348 average, hitting five home runs and driving in a team-best 36 RBIs. On the mound, Shah has posted a 4-0 record with a 2.45 earned run average, striking out 48 batters in 47 innings pitched.

Shah's production on the mound comes as no surprise, but his performance at the plate has turned some heads.

"Last year I started in right field and I struggled quite a bit on offense," he said. "This year I've actually taken a better approach at the plate and I'm using all fields."

Shah has garnered more interest at the professional level for the work he has done on the mound.

He found his way to Southeast Missouri State based on his pitching while at Wabash Valley Junior College. While he expected a big year on the mound this year, his large strikeout numbers have taken him by surprise.

"I know my future is going to be throwing strikes and letting the other team hit the ball," Shah said. "Surprisingly, this year I've been a little more of a strikeout pitcher and I'm not exactly sure why that's happened."

Shah has helped the Redhawks to a 7-2 record in the Ohio Valley Conference, leaving them tied for first place with Jacksonville State. His top performances this season include four hits and six RBIs, including a grand slam, against Freed-Hardeman; an eight-inning, eight-strikeout complete game victory over South Dakota State and a seven-inning, eight-strikeout complete game victory over Murray State.

Shah said he hopes to carry his performance into the second half of the season. From there he hopes to reach his goal of playing baseball professionally.

"Right now, I want to stay consistent with the pace I'm at right now at the plate and pitching," he said. "Hopefully, that will help put myself in a position to play at the next level."