Incoming from enemy territory: Hecht ready for debut

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He’s back in a familiar place.

Redshirt junior pitcher Ben Hecht started his collegiate baseball career in enemy territory at Missouri Valley Conference rival Illinois State. Now he bears a Shocker jersey.

Hecht played for the conference foe in 2014 before transferring to Lincoln Land Community College in Illinois, where he redshirted a year, then played in 2016.

While in junior college, he trusted his pitch and attacked the zone. Now, returning to a conference he’s already played at, he knows the great level of talent the hitters have. He learned what it takes to get a batter to hit. He also knows what it takes to get through a season injury free.

Hecht made 19 appearances at Illinois State, pitched 23.1 innings and had 22 walks and 29 strikeouts. At Lincoln Land, Hecht appeared in 13 games, all of which were starts. He pitched 81 innings with 38 walks and 92 strikeouts.

Hecht was named first team all-region, first team all-conference and Lincoln Land Male Athlete of the Year while at Lincoln Land.

“[Hecht] is a ballplayer in the fact that he could do a lot of things,” Wichita State head coach Todd Butler said. “I think that he will be an impact to us late in the ballgame.”

After he lost a coach and key player on his team at ISU, Hecht felt more reasons than one to transfer.

“I had a really good relationship with the pitching coach Bill Mohl and I heard he was leaving to South Florida,” Hecht said. “On top of that we lost a lot of players and I was really unsure of what was going on. We didn’t have a coach yet so I thought it was probably safer for me to go and transfer, ultimately leading me to Lincoln Land.”

For Hecht, WSU was love-at-first-campus visit.

“I just fell in love with WSU right away when Butler called me and brought me on campus,” Hecht said. “I believe in the process they are doing here and I just bought in right away.”

Everything seemed to go well for Hecht. He especially has great chemistry on and off the field with his teammates.

“From the first time I walked in the locker room, they’ve been open, trying to get to know me,” he said of his teammates. “They’re making me feel like I’ve always been here.”

Hecht is eyeing the series rematch with his former team on April 28 at Eck Stadium.

“I don’t think there’s going to be any tension. I sure hope not,” he said. “I don’t have any hard feelings for them and I hope they haven’t developed any hard feelings for me. It’s going to be different seeing those jerseys and knowing I’m on the other side of them now.”