As far as Lincoln-Way East’s Mackenzie Gallagher is concerned, every day is a good day to play softball.
Opening day, though, is different in a special way.
“It’s a joy to get back on the field with the girls,” she said. “And we got some good weather for this one.”
But Thursday was even extra special.
“Last year, I was only able to play at the end of the season,” Gallagher said. “It feels really good to be here at the start to play my last high school season with my teammates.”
Along with several Griffins, Gallagher celebrated in a big way during a 15-4 nonconference victory over host St. Laurence.
Katie Stewart and Maddie Pomykalski both hit home runs for Lincoln-Way East (1-0). Amanda Martineck finished with four hits, while Danielle Stewart and Maddy Hickey shared the pitching duties.
Sophia Sanchez and Maddie Davis each had two hits for St. Laurence (0-1).
Gallagher, a Minnesota State Moorhead recruit, started Thursday with fly outs to left and center. The senior infielder, who switched defensively between first and third base, closed it out with two singles and a double.
It was a happy, long-awaited, opening day indeed.
As a freshman, Gallagher played on the JV team. Her sophomore season was lost due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Her varsity debut as a junior was delayed because of left hip surgery in November 2020 for what was diagnosed as a torn labrum.
Gallagher couldn’t pinpoint when she suffered the injury. But she has a hunch.
“I played basketball freshman and sophomore years,” Gallagher said. “With softball, I was playing year-round.
“I was getting worse pain during basketball season and into softball season, so I finally went to the doctor and had surgery to fix things up.”
Gallagher returned for the final month of the 2021 season. She batted .478 with a whopping 13 home runs.
What a comeback.
“After rehab, I went to hitting lessons to ease back into it,” Gallagher said. “I went out to a field to have my travel coach hit me some balls.
“When I finally got to hit at the end of the season, it felt really good.”
And not just for Gallagher.
“It was amazing,” Danielle Stewart said. “For the first part of the season, she was our manager, so we stayed connected. When she worked back in with us, it was so much fun.
“We just tried to keep it loose and fun and have her just come in and play her heart out. The end of the season is the most fun part of the season.”
The Griffins were a power-hitting machine in 2021. Chloe Geijer hit 17 home runs, followed by Katie Stewart with 14, Danielle Stewart with 11 and Pomykalski with five.
Just among the returnees, East launched 60 homers over the fence.
“It’s so much fun to have all of these power hitters,” Danielle Stewart said. “We play every game like we don’t know what’s going to happen and we all just swing for the fences. It’s so great when all of us can hit together again.”
Including a happy, healthy Gallagher.
“I think it’s a tribute to Mackenzie,” Lincoln-Way East coach Elizabeth Hyland said. “It shows how much hard work and dedication she had for the sport and the will to get back. She had enough confidence in herself, as we had confidence in her, to make it.
“She said, ‘Hey, I came off this injury and I’m coming back to prove myself.’ And she did. The last half of our season last year she played unbelievably. Now this season, she’s starting in the first game and we’ll go from here.”
