Ever since she was a little girl, Amy Tompkins knew she wanted to be a business woman yielding a briefcase.

But, for now, the Sacramento State Hornet shortstop wants to drop the briefcase and pick up a bat.

Heading into her final season with the Hornets softball team, Tompkins is ready to continue her streak of appearing in consecutive games.

Her streak sits at 106 games, 105 of those being starts.

“You got to bust your butt?you earn your spot every single day,” Tompkins said.

In the 2007 season, Tompkins started every game at shortstop for the Hornets, who finished with a record of 20-33.

Being a shortstop for the Hornets is challenging, which is the major reason Tompkins loves playing there.

“It’s extremely challenging and I think that’s why it’s my favorite thing,” Tompkins said. “You have a lot of responsibility there and I like that.”

With a majority of last year’s squad returning, Tompkins and others will serve as the leaders for the handful of newcomers.

Hilary Johnson, also a senior and the team’s centerfielder, said Tompkins is a vital asset to the team and to those in their first year with the team.

“They can learn a lot from her. She’s very smart and knows a lot about the game,” Johnson said.

The knowledge Tompkins has about the game of softball didn’t come over night, it’s been a long road.

Growing up in Salinas, Tompkins began playing softball at the age of five.

It was then that Tompkins, along with her father and older sister, realized Bobby Sox would be where her softball career would commence.

Each different stage in softball, heading up to and including college, has provided different learning experiences for Tompkins.

“It has been a big learning experience?it takes a lot of mental preparation,” Tompkins said.

Early in her collegiate career, a barrier would be placed for Tompkins to clear.

During her sophomore season, Tompkins injured her right hand causing her to switch from being a traditional right-handed batter to a left-handed slap hitter.

The major difference between the two styles is the motion the batter makes as she leaves the batter’s box.

In the season in which she changed her batting style ,Tompkins would hit her only home run to date, coming against Miami University.

Before her injury Tompkins preferred spending her playing time in the field, but now admits she enjoys batting and fielding equally.

“Both batting and fielding are very intense, but so different,” Tompkins said.

For the past two seasons, junior Whitney Loomis has shadowed Tompkins on her left side while playing second base for the Hornets.

Loomis describes Tompkins as being very positive and one who has high expectations for everyone.

“Her drive and expectations to be the best at everything she does are what I will miss the most after she leaves,” Loomis said.

Currently majoring in marketing, Tompkins hopes to become a marketing manager for a sports team.

Hornets coach Kathy Strahan has built a strong bond with Tompkins.

“The relationship I have with her is very special?she puts her heart and soul into everything she does and she is very unselfish about outcomes,” Strahan said.

Both of Tompkins’ parents have served as role models for her as she has grown up. Her father is an athletic figure and her mother is a career woman Tompkins said.

A career woman is what Tompkins hopes to become in the future.

Lindy Winkler, an ex-teammate of Tompkins, serves as her role model in the softball world.

Tompkins describes Winkler as being a good team player and a teammate that led by example.

The Hornets take the field in Tompkins’ last season opener on Feb. 12 against San Jose State, but Tompkins doesn’t think sports will ever be out of her life.

Soon after dropping the bat for the last time as a Hornet, Tompkins hopes to be picking up a briefcase.

Jose Martinez can be reached at [email protected]