Lincoln-Way East’s Mackenzie Bacha is a soprano with a beautiful left-handed swing.
The junior infielder’s sweet sound also can be heard booming over the public-address system.
“That’s my voice singing the national anthem before every home game,” Bacha said, beaming. “I used to take singing lessons when I was younger and sing at charity galas.
“When I got to high school, I started to focus exclusively on softball.”
The host Griffins sang a winning tune Wednesday as Bacha smashed a two-run single in the third inning to spark a 3-1 SouthWest Suburban Conference victory over Sandburg in Frankfort.
Junior designated player Zoey Bullock also contributed two hits with an RBI and scored a run for Lincoln-Way East (21-2, 8-2). Sophomore outfielder Mia Balta picked up the pitching win, striking out three in the final four innings of relief.
Freshman infielder Shea Durkin had two hits and scored the run for Sandburg (8-14, 2-9).
Bacha, a Louisville recruit, finished 2-for-3. Like any talented singer, she has an impeccable sense for timing and rhythm. She also knows how to improvise or change chords.
“I was swinging for the fences on my first two pitches,” she said. “I had to adjust, shorten up my swing and wait back on it as much as I did.
“Once I realized the pitcher’s pattern and figured out what she was going to throw, just as I was about to swing, I told myself to wait two seconds.”
Her dedication to the craft and pursuit of the subtle parts of the game have been constant.
“She’s been a great part of the program,” Lincoln-Way East coach Elizabeth Hyland said of Bacha. “Even when she was in middle school, she’d come to summer camps or come to the games.
“Her best qualities are positivity and communication with teammates, both on and off the field.”
Junior infielder Cassidy Jagielski, for one, enjoys hearing Bacha’s voice before every home game.
“Her singing the anthem means so much to me because my dad is a lieutenant colonel in the Marines and I love my country,” Jagielski said. “Our whole team is so competitive, so she fits in perfectly with us.
“She’s a great leadoff hitter and gets the momentum going for us offensively.”
Bacha began playing organized softball at age 4, the byproduct of a familial passion.
”My mother (Carrie) grew up in a small town in Iowa and she was a softball addict,” Bacha said. “I’m just like her. Even though she’s much older, we’d compete against each other in games in the yard when I was younger. I love that competitive aspect.”
As an only child, Bacha also has a special affinity for working with kids and coaching in youth programs. She wants to become a pediatrician.
Her early exposure to the game amplified her love and developed a desire to master all aspects.
“I think I’m a very good student of the game,” Bacha said. “I like to learn the game and make observations about how my body moves compared to other people and use that to my advantage.
“I also love listening to other people’s opinions and learn new things, anything that will make me one step quicker.”
Her singing voice puts her in the spotlight before she ever steps onto the playing field, but the last thing anybody would call her is self-conscious.
“I talk to everyone,” Bacha said, laughing. “I just love the energy on the field. The other Lincoln-Way teams are really good this year and I love the fun of that.
“I love seeing the whole team succeed, getting into the dugout and everybody is at the fence screaming. Or hit after hit, just passing the bat.”
Patrick Z. McGavin is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.
