My most recent surgery was
this past May 30. Three weeks
into the spring season we
were doing a drill and bam
it just happened, the pop the
pain I knew right away,” stat-
ed Andrews. “I was unable
to play the rest of the season
and traveled with the team
still and was there every day
no matter what. That took
a huge toll on me not being
able to play my first year at
Brockport. I recently just got
released at the end of January
right in time for this season.
So for 2019 I am coming out
a guns a blazing making my
comeback. I expect myself
to be right back at the plate
racking in as many RBI’s as
possible, and very limited er-
rors in the field. I am expect-
ing nothing but for success
this season and I will not take
anything else.”
It has been a grueling run
for Andrews. Injuries have
derailed her career so far, but
that hasn’t allowed her to get
down on herself. Instead An-
drews has been going about
her business just doing the
grueling rehab that will allow
her to get back on the field.
Andrews loves the game so
much that she won’t let this
little setback get her down.
This past offseason was all
about doing what she needed
to do to get back on the field to
help out her new teammates.
“This off season I was at PT
twice a week working my hip
to the best possible shape it
has ever been in,” stated An-
drews. “Working out every
day and trying to hit two to
three times a week to just get
back into everything like I
was never out of it.”
Even with all the rehab she
was doing there were still no
guarantees that she would be
back on the field. Hip injuries
aren’t like most injuries. A
softball player uses their hips
for everything. They use their
hips for power at the plate and
for all the work in the field.
Having one surgery is bad
enough, having four sets
some doubt up. Andrews
might never be the type of
player she was at Lake Shore
High School, and she had
to come to understand that.
But, the junior wasn’t going
to give up fighting.
Andrews is determined to
show everyone that she is the
player that was recruited to
play Division II softball out of
high school.
“This past rehab process
was the longest and hardest
one I have gone thru out of
the four surgeries. I had to
get a lot of work done this
time and take so much extra
time. I was told I had no guar-
antees that after this surgery,
and this being the third one
on this hip, that I’d be able to
play softball again - let alone
just get thru my regular life
with no pain,” said Andrews.
“I had to rehab twice a week
for six months. Constantly
stretching to try and get back.
Yes, the cold does bother my
hip a lot, it gets super achey
and tight. This season I have
spent so much time in the
trainers room constantly get-
ting stretched out to prevent
anything from happening.”
Andrews, however is ready
to go and show people what
she’s got. A talented player,
Andrews was hoping to step
right in last season for the
Golden Eagles. Transferring
from a Division II college to
be closer to home, Andrews is
exactly what the Golden Ea-
gles need.
She is a steady first baseman
that has power and drive in
runs. She is the type of player
that you want to have in the
middle of your lineup game
in and game out.
“My approach when getting
into the box is to just focus
on the big yellow ball that
is in this pitchers hand and
that I’m going to do whatev-
er I need to do to make solid
contact. I really make sure
that I watch the ball in at all
times, ball or strike no matter
where it is,” stated Andrews.
“I’ve really mastered figuring
out what pitchers are going
to throw to me because of
being left handed it’s always
the same, so I really have
worked out hitting those cer-
tain pitches. I personally be-
lieve it’s all about being lose
and using your legs as much
as possible and not thinking
you are going to kill the ball,
just stay in your mechanics
and driving a solid hit up the
middle.”
While she may be known
for offense, it’s her defense
around the bag that has
drawn praise as well. A solid
first baseman, Andrews puts
a lot of effort into her defen-
sive game. She is making sure
that whatever happens at the
plate doesn’t creep into her
MAY 2019 | SportsUnion
game defensively.
Andrews is constantly
working on her foot work
around the back to help the
fielders out when the throws
come across the diamond. It’s
the little things that are add-
ing up to make her a success-
ful player.
“Man first base has a place
in my heart. I work my butt
off to try and make sure I have
my teammates back on any
bad throws coming my way,
being the loudest one on the
field about where the play is
going and what is going on.
Doing “daily” drills for glove
work around the bag. Then
just your typical ground ball
work staying alert ready to
move where ever,” stated An-
drews. “Foot work is extreme-
ly important at first base,
your foot comes off that bag
the runner is safe and that is
on you for not doing your one
job. Being able to move lat-
erally and stretch for throws
is definitely important there
and being ready for any
ground ball at any type be-
cause there is a gap between
you and second.”
Andrews has made the
transition for everything look
easy. She went from high
school, to a Division II school
to now Brockport without
31
blinking an eye. But, in real-
ity, the transition from one to
another isn’t always smooth.
Andrews had to make sure
that between rehab and go-
ing to a new school that her
grades were always intact.
Andrews wanted to make
sure that while she couldn’t
make a difference on the field
that she was making a differ-
ence in the classroom.
“Being a student athlete
is one of the most amazing
opportunities I think I have
ever received. It teaches you
to grow up so fast and take
on responsibilities right away
with life and how to manage,”
stated Andrews. “A typical
day for me trying to balance
everything is go to classes all
day then go to practice and
then after that get ready and
head to the library and get
my work done. You are held
at higher expectations being
a student athlete from your
professors so there is no time
to slack off and be lazy. They
take the time to work around
our schedules so I feel it’s ex-
tremely important to respect
them and try and do the best
you can for them.”
A healthy Machala An-
drews is ready to prove people
wrong. And, that’s a danger-
ous thing for the opposition.