Oregon St. pitcher won’t go to Omaha
Oregon State pitcher Luke Heimlich, who as a teenager pleaded guilty to molesting a 6-year-old girl, will not accompany the Beavers to the College World Series.
The 21-year-old lefthander made the announcement in a statement released Thursday through a family representative.
“I’m sad to say I am not joining them because doing so would only create further distraction for my teammates, more turmoil for my family and given the high profile of the national championship, direct even more unwanted attention to an innocent young girl,” the statement said.
Details about the molestation were revealed last week in a story published by The Oregonian/Oregon-Live. In an editorial accompanying the article, the newspaper said it learned about Heimlich’s 2012 conviction in Washington state after running a background check it routinely does for in-depth profiles.
“I want to wish my teammates the best. I hope they understand this decision as my family and I continue to work through this together. My hope is to return to OSU next year as a studentathlete and continue to earn the trust of my community,” Heimlich’s statement said.
Heimlich was the top pitcher during the regular season for the Beavers, who have lost just four games while winning 54. He went 11-1 with a 0.76 ERA.
He had been projected to be an early round pick in the MLB draft, which ended Wednesday without his being selected.