By CONOR NICHOLL

cnicholl@dailynews.net

Sophomore Jessika Anastos, Fort Hays State University softball's first team all-region softball catcher this spring, will not return to the Tiger program.

Head coach Tonja Hadley said today that Anastos' scholarship was not renewed.

"We just felt like it was our best interest to move in a little bit different direction," Hadley said. "It was just about making a decision that was best for the program."

Since the Fort Hays program was restarted in 1999, Anastos fashioned the greatest offensive season in school history for the 32-26 Tiger squad.

She batted .462/525/835 (batting average/on-base percentage/slugging percentage), set school records in all three statistical categories and led the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association in all three numbers.

Anastos, a catcher and designated player, also set school records for home runs (13), total bases (132) and runs scored (45) and tied the school record for doubles (18). The sophomore, who battled a shoulder injury and suffered a concussion, ranked among the NCAA leaders in several offensive categories and even led the nation in batting average for several weeks during mid-season.

She was named first team all-conference and first team Daktronics All-North Central Region Team as a catcher. Anastos was also named to the second team NFCA All-North Central Region team.

Anastos was the second player in Tiger history named to a first team region squad, joining outfielder Heather Hitschmann in 2005.

"Her numbers this year speak for themselves," Hadley said. "She has battled injuries, but in terms of production, I think her numbers say a lot."

Anastos, a business major from Broomfield, Colo., was academically eligible.

"She was a very talented player and she was a good student," Hadley said.

John Anastos, Jessika's father, said his daughter has not yet chosen a school. Anastos returned home Wednesday night. John Anastos cited "irreconcilable differences" between Jessika and Hadley and said "it was not a very good situation."

"She loves Fort Hays, loves the town of Hays and loves her teammates," John Anastos said Thursday. "She broke into tears when she left there (Wednesday). She was just saying that she hoped everybody knows the truth that she loved Hays."