ELIZABETHTOWN, Pa. --- The Normal CornBelters of the independent Frontier League have announced the signing of former Elizabethtown College right-handed pitcher Sam Heaps to a contract for the 2010 season.

Heaps earned Commonwealth Conference Pitcher of the Year honors for the second straight year in 2009 after going 6-3 with a 2.95 earned run average in 11 starts. In 73 1/3 innings, Heaps led the Commonwealth Conference with 87 strikeouts and issued just 15 walks, while allowing just six extra-base hits in 262 opponent at-bats.

Heaps finished his career with a 24-11 record and a 3.06 earned run average in 46 games (40 starts), with 246 strikeouts in a school-record 264 2/3 innings pitched.

A standout hitter as well, Heaps hit .390 with 16 doubles, five triples and 38 runs batted in along with a team-high 33 walks and 20 stolen bases last season. For his career, he hit .362 with two home runs and 87 runs batted in along with 121 hits, 89 runs scored, 63 walks and 28 stolen bases.

The CornBelters will open their inaugural season on Tuesday, June 1 at home against the Windy City Thunderbolts. Normal, home of Illinois State University, has a population of over 51,000 and is located approximately 125 miles southwest of Chicago in central Illinois, adjacent to the city of Bloomington.

For more information on the team, visit www.normalbaseball.com.