Marist’s Evan Smith is anything but fragile in the way he hits, runs the bases and plays defense.
But two years ago, when he had two surgeries performed after an ACL injury that he suffered while playing basketball for the RedHawks, that’s how he was treated. And he didn’t like it.
He planned on returning, even though he missed his sophomore season in baseball.
“They weren’t letting me do anything,” Smith said of the doctors. “For a little minute, they were treating me like I was made of glass. That made me want it that much more.”
The senior infielder/pitcher has been making up for lost time.
Thursday’s performance will go down as a highlight for Smith, who stole home on a double steal in the fourth inning and also drove in three runs with a bases-loaded double in the fifth as the host RedHawks rolled to a 7-3 nonconference win over Providence in Chicago.
Sophomore pitcher Tommy Hosty, who scored two runs, started and settled down on the mound after giving up two unearned runs for Marist (10-7). Junior reliever Ryan Rosas threw 2 2/3 shutout innings to record his first varsity win.
Cincinnati recruit Enzo Infelise had a solo homer among two hits for defending Class 4A state champion Providence (12-6). Minnesota recruit Nate O’Donnell added two hits. SIU Edwardsville commit Cooper Eggert threw 2 2/3 innings of no-hit ball but left with an injury after picking off a runner.
The Redhawks jumped on the Celtics with two runs in the fourth and five in the fifth.
Marist coach Kevin Sefcik, however, is happy to see Smith, a North Central College recruit who leads the team with 14 RBIs, enjoying success after having his sophomore season wiped out.
“He was going to be brought up to the varsity that year,” Sefcik said of Smith. “He has a great attitude every day. He pitches for us. He hits in the middle of the lineup. His average probably isn’t what he wants it to be because he’s had little hard luck.
“But when we face good pitchers, he can be as good as anyone.”
Rojas was happy Smith, who’s hitting .216, could come through with a bases-clearing double.
“Evan is a great player,” Rojas said. “He’s great out there hitting and he’s great out there in the field. He’s helped me out a lot during my years here.
“He’s one of my favorite guys to be around and he gets hits when you need him.”
Although Marist’s overall record is modest, the RedHawks have gone 6-1 since April 14. That includes an East Suburban Catholic Conference series split with state powerhouse Nazareth and a tough two-game ESCC sweep over Benet by scores of 2-1 and 5-3.
And now, a win over Providence, which means these are good times for Marist and Smith.
“I love this team and I love these guys,” Smith said. “This is the best team I’ve been on. We hang out outside the school and inside the school, and it’s a great group of guys.”
Smith confirmed it was tough to sit out an entire season. He hurt his knee coming down after a layup during the final play of a scrimmage in practice.
“It was just awful,” he said. “After the layup, I guess my muscles weren’t strong enough. I landed all funny.”
He gave up basketball to concentrate on baseball, and missing that spring fueled his comeback.
“Watching a game was hard because I would think about what I could be doing to affect it,” he said. “I really wasn’t supposed to do this, but I was doing baseball stuff two months earlier than I was supposed to.
“The recovery process was pretty fast-paced.”
Jeff Vorva is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.
