Initially, it appeared that Colorado's top baseball prospect wasn't going to make an out his entire senior year.
That wasn't necessarily a good thing.
Regis Jesuit outfielder
Connor McKay, after all, wasn't going to record a hit. The senior doubles as a wide receiver for the football team, and he suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament in a state championship game loss to Mullen on Dec. 4.
His high school baseball career, it appeared, was finished.
"One of the things I kept hearing is, ‘Connor McKay's season is wiped out,' so I kind of saw that as a challenge," he said. "I wasn't sure I'd be physically healed enough to be back, but I wanted to do everything in my power to try."
In recent weeks, the University of Kansas-bound McKay was cleared to pinch hit, although he was not cleared to run the bases. After each time he reached base, a pinch runner would enter the game for him.
Then, over the past few days, fate aligned perfectly. On Sunday, the 6-foot-3, 190-pound McKay was medically cleared to run the bases with a knee brace. On Monday, in the Class 5A District 2 championship game, McKay batted third in the Raiders' 14-2 win. Sure, he went 0-for-2 with a walk and a sacrifice fly, but now the Raiders have advanced to the double-elimination state tournament and have their slugger back as a full-time designated hitter.
"Coming back was something of a surprise to even me," McKay said. "I knew I was ahead of schedule for most of the time, but I didn't think I'd get a chance to bat in a game, much less run the bases and bat. I got approved from my doctor, and it helps my team more than it helps me, so I'm glad to be back."
For a hint of how highly McKay is regarded, consider he played in the Futures Game at Wrigley Field in 2010 and is a candidate to be selected high in the amateur draft despite the injury. For now, it feels as if his Raiders (15-6) just made a big free-agent splash before the postseason.
"Connor's been great at supporting these guys this year, but it had to be tough for him," Regis coach Steve Cavnar said. "In the back of their minds they had to be thinking how nice it'd be to get him back. He fouled off a pitch with the bases loaded (Monday) and just missed, and you could hear the dugout saying 'Ohh.' They know he's close."
Last season, McKay hit .429 with 10 home runs and 34 RBIs in 70 at-bats, and compiled a 2-1 pitching mark after a few cameos on the mound. He's gone 2-for-6 with four RBIs in his brief appearances this season, but those numbers now will have a chance to elevate with regular at-bats. The Raiders open state competition Friday against Doherty (10 a.m., All City Field).
"It's great with his bat back," Raiders outfielder
Tanner Ernst said. "He's a big threat with his home runs, doubles, triples, everything. I think the whole team's excited because it just puts extra energy in our lineup."
Of note, Cavnar, a longtime Smoky Hill skipper before taking over at Regis, has said this will be his final season as head coach. Former major league shortstop Walt Weiss, a longtime assistant, will take over the reins in 2012. Weiss' son,
Brodie Weiss, is the Raiders' starting shortstop. The sophomore is batting .319 with three homers and 15 RBIs.
For McKay, his initial appearance against Littleton on April 29 was four months and one week after knee surgery. He has yet to make a decision on whether he'll go to college or go pro if he is drafted in a round to his liking.
"That's one of those decisions that, because of my injury, it will happen at the twilight hour," McKay said.
With the way his season has unfolded, McKay understands the better-late-than-never concept.
Paul Willis is a regular sports freelancer for The Denver Post and covered high school, college and pro sports for the Rocky Mountain News from 2000-09. You can reach him at gdpdub@aol.com.
