Oil and water they aren’t, but softball and fashion don’t often match up, either.

So why, then, was 2010 Roseville High School graduate Emily Wagner-Davis scheduled to depart home Wednesday for Hesston College just north of Wichita, Kan.? Because she’s living proof that collegiate softball indeed exists beyond UCLA and Arizona for quality players.

Wagner-Davis signed a letter of intent to play for the two-year liberal arts college, which competes in the National Junior College Athletic Association.

“One of the challenges for Emily is she wants to study fashion design merchandising, which doesn’t go always with softball unless she goes to a really huge Division I school, which is not what she wants to do,” said Emily’s mom, Mary Wagner-Davis.

Emily plans to juggle softball with the business side of her major, including art classes. In two years, she said she’ll “probably come back to California” to “take the fashion part” of her studies at a state college or university.

“And I’d keep playing,” she said.

Hesston coach Andrew Sharp spotted Wagner-Davis – well, heard her – at a tournament in Denver. Wagner-Davis was playing for the Capital City Comets traveling team.

“It was my spirit,” Emily said. “In the dugout, I’m loud, I support everybody. I try to be a leader, and he really liked that. He could hear me. That was something that brought him toward me. I’m scared, happy, nervous. I’m really excited, though. I want to see what’s out there.”

Emily, a 5-foot-4 left fielder, hit .346 in helping Roseville to an 18-8-1 record and a third-place finish in the Sac-Joaquin Section Division II playoffs last spring. Sharp was impressed with more than her batting average.

“I was impressed with her play, as well as her demeanor on and off the field,” said Sharp, who doubles as Hesston’s sports information director. “Emily is simply a positive person, and she’ll make a big impact on our roster.”

Who knows? Maybe she’ll design their next set of uniforms.

Bill Poindexter can be reached at billp@goldcountrymedia.com.