By PERRY L. NOVAK, Sports Editor, Oneida Dispatch

   HAMILTON, N.Y. - Vickie Sax was California Dreamin a four years ago, but it had nothing to do with surf and sand. No, the Colgate softball coach had her sights set on a 5-foot-11 first baseman named Melissa Rawson.

In 10th grade she started to excel, junior year she started taking AP classes and senior year I recruited her heavily, Sax said. And we were up against Stanford and Canisius.

Rawson was up against a lot from the beginning. Born with autism, she didnt speak a word until a miraculous day when she first went to school as a five-year-old.

She had never said a word in public, Sax told of that day. Then she said, 'I love you, Mommy.

Rawson was a polite kid but bad things happened to her. She was taunted by some of her grade school and junior high classmates because of her learning difficulties. It made the soft-spoken Mormon determined.

In high school things started to kick in, Sax said. Senior year I recruited her heavily when she was taking AP classes. Thats why its so special. Kids told her she was stupid, dumb and a retard. When she walked across that stage at graduation she told me (she) looked at the people who called me dumb, stupid and retard and said, Im going to Colgate.

And when the Highland (Calif.) High School product arrived to play for the Raiders, Sax knew her teams fortunes were about to change. Rawson cant do much about global warming, but Madison County feels much hotter when the Psychology major swings a bat. The senior recently broke Amanda Paoluccis school record of 19 career home runs when she belted her 20th in a 7-1 loss to Lehigh. The roundtripper also left her one short the Patriot League career mark. Rawson has a chance to eclipse it Tuesday at Siena.

Shes able to put the bat on the ball, no matter where it is, teammate Dorothy Donaldson said of a key to the seniors success. She has a good base swing and she can adjust. That everybody strives for.

She has raw talent but shes also very focused, fellow senior Amanda Brickell said. And she doesnt think when she hits. Thats what makes a great player.

She been great since day one (but) this year it seems theres more desire because its her last year. Melissa can do it all.

Rawson had a career batting average of .361 entering this spring. Last year she hit three home runs, had 25 RBIs, batted .341 and was .516 with runners in scoring position.

In high school I was thought of more as a contact hitter, Rawson said. Id hit home runs now and then. I still think of myself as a contact hitter.

With six homers to date in 2003, shes more than that. Not one to tout herself, Rawson does admit to some of the changes that have helped her near a coveted league record.

Its a result of the right fundamentals, lifting, strength and conditioning...Im a lot stronger, she said. And smarter. After a tough adjustment to the rigors of the schools academic demands her freshman year, Rawson has blossomed on and off the field.

I like it here, she said. Its a small school and a lot more personal. The professors, coaches and teammates Ive become better friends with. My high schools bigger than Colgate.

One holdover from her high school is her sister Natalie. The sophomore followed her to Raiderland and has carved out a nice niche for herself while sharing an apartment with her older sibling.

When I got here I was so glad she was here, Natalie said. My last game in high school with her I was crying with her. To play with her again is cool. And I didnt know what I would have done academically or with the transition without her.

Natalies helped me, Melissa said. I try to be relaxed. Before each at bat I look over to her and she picks me up and gets me pumped.

The senior Rawson was really pumped up last year when three siblings took the field in a game. Natalies twin sister Nicole pitched for Marist when the teams met and Melissa went 2-for-3.

That definitely was the funnest game of my life, Melissa said despite the fact she didnt homer and did strike out once.

The Rawson clan is versatile as another game when Natalie pitched to Melissa proved last year. Melissas switch from first base to shortstop this spring is another example and her being a member of the schools volleyball team is another.

When first I talked to her I knew she was a cut above, assistant coach Jim Ciccone said of Melissa. Shes a typical California girl. Shes very laid back. But the way she carried herself...she wasnt in awe. Shell be a success at anything she puts her mind to. Nothing bothers her and she isnt afraid to fail.

No, Melissa Rawson doesnt fail much of anything. And the Palmdale, Calif. native will probably be just as successful after she pursues her masters degree and enters the social work field.

Id like to work in foster care, she said. I like working with children. We always had foster children coming through our household and it seemed like a neat profession.

When she gets into it, no one will be surprised if she hits another home run.