Lehigh University Athletics
McGaheran back manning the middle for Lehigh
4/1/2010 8:26:00 PM | Baseball
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BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Passionate, competitive and fiery are just a few of the words that describe Lehigh junior shortstop Brendan McGaheran’s play on the baseball field. So you can imagine how hard it would be for McGaheran to miss one game, let alone an entire season. McGaheran was faced with that situation when he suffered numerous season ending injuries right before the 2009 campaign started.
As a Nazareth, Pa., native McGaheran was one of Lehigh’s top recruiting targets for the class of 2011. McGaheran committed early in his senior season and Mountain Hawks’ head coach Sean Leary knew he got a great player. “Brendan was one of the top kids in the area and one of the first things that stood out about him was it was like having another coach on the field. He went out and led by example.”
Leary had enough confidence in McGaheran to start him right away as a freshman in arguably one of the hardest positions in baseball at shortstop. McGaheran thrived in the role during his freshman season and ended up starting 49 games for the Brown and White. He finished the year batting .287 with 26 RBIs and had an impressive .931 fielding percentage.
“His very first game we started him at shortstop and hit him in the three hole,” Leary said. “He struggled a little bit his first game, but afterwards we told him we put you in this spot because this is the type of player we know you can be. We wouldn’t put you in this position unless we knew you would become a frontline player.”
After his strong first season McGaheran continued to work to better himself and get ready for the 2009 season, but a week before his sophomore season was slated to begin things changed drastically for McGaheran.
While driving to an early practice McGaheran fell asleep at the wheel and drove off the highway. The result of the car accident left McGaheran with a broken left hand, a broken neck, a separated left shoulder and minor leg injuries.
It didn’t take long for McGaheran to find out that he would miss the entire 2009 season and worst of all have to spend most of his time on a couch in the months ahead.
“It never occurred to me that I couldn’t play again, it was just a matter of how long until I could play again,” McGaheran said. “The hardest part about the injuries was not being able to help the team. To have it happen a week before the season started after working hard all fall to get ready was hard.”
McGaheran continued throughout the season to rehab his injuries, but he still struggled coming out to watch the team knowing he couldn’t be out on the field with them.
“I came to a few games, but it was hard for me to watch and not be able to help,” McGaheran said. “It was tough sitting there and knowing I couldn’t help fix some of the problems we had in the field.”
Despite struggling with the fact that he couldn’t contribute to his team on the field, McGaheran did help in the dugout.
“It was a difficult time for him to not be able to contribute on the field,” Leary said. “He was able to come and help the other shortstops, while also helping to scout our opponents.”
After almost a year of working his way back, McGaheran completed his comeback this past February in the 2010 season opener against UNC Wilmington. Not only did he make his return to the field, McGaheran did it in style as he knocked in the game winning run to help Lehigh defeat the Seahawks 5-4.
“It was great being able to wear the Lehigh uniform once again,” McGaheran commented. “I had a lot of built up energy, but the hardest part of coming back was dealing with the mental side of baseball.”
Now with the Mountain Hawks approaching Patriot League play it looks as if McGaheran is fully settled in at shortstop. McGaheran’s super range and vacuum of a glove have the entire team feeling confident in the field.
“It’s a confidence builder for the entire team having Brendan back out there,” Leary said. “He’s our field general that controls the defense and is the stabilizing force out on the field. Offensively he adds another element to our lineup as the leadoff hitter.”
McGaheran carries high expectations for the team and he’s ready to help lead the Mountain Hawks back to the postseason. “I think we started the season a little slow, but everything is starting to come around. I expect the best from everyone on the team, but I wouldn’t be that hard on us if I didn’t think we could succeed. We have far too much talent to waste this season.”
Off the diamond McGaheran is a history major, but there is only one thing he wants to do when he finishes up at Lehigh and that is play baseball. “Baseball is the only thing I’ve ever wanted to do and I won’t be ready to give it up.”
He shouldn’t have to worry about giving up his dream anytime soon because as only a junior, McGaheran is rated the No.11 best collegiate baseball prospect in the state of Pennsylvania according to web site Perfectgame.org. The only Mountain Hawk to ever achieve a higher ranking was Matt McBride who’s currently enjoying great success in the Cleveland Indians’ minor league system.
McGaheran and his teammates will open up Patriot League play this weekend with doubleheaders on Saturday and Sunday against Navy. The action will get underway each day at noon from Annapolis, Md.
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