215 ATHLETICS As the Harding baseball team geared up for a promising season, one player was especially ready to play again. Senior Andrew Bradshaw returned to the field after suffering a shoulder injury in 2021. Bradshaw transferred to Harding to play baseball and took the field as a Bison for the first time in spring 2020. The team played only a third of the season before it was cut short due to COVID-19. A year later, baseball was back in full swing, and Bradshaw pitched most of the season until his injury occurred. “When we were playing SAU, I tore my labrum, finished out the season, and then had labrum surgery that summer and was trying to recover from that,” Bradshaw said. “And then after the spring 2021, I tried to come back and play the spring of 2022, but it just wasn’t working.” Bradshaw said when he tried to start pitching again he had issues with his ulnar nerve. In summer 2022, he had another surgery and an ulnar nerve transposition. As a strong competitor, easing back into pitching after a setback at an exciting point in his college career was difficult. “Times were frustrating; times when he wasn’t throwing as hard as he wanted to,” Bradshaw’s roommate, senior outfielder Cody Smith said. “For example, a month ago, he was 100% healthy, but he’s still getting his velocity back up. So it was frustrating for him whenever he wasn’t throwing as hard as he did when he pitched two years ago or longer.” In fall 2022, Bradshaw saw his improvement when he pitched for the first time completely healthy. “Andrew is one of the most hardworking guys I know, and he’s also super competitive,” Smith said. “That definitely showed in his recovery. He was doing everything right and working really hard.” Bradshaw acknowledged that although this was a step in the right direction, his fight was not over yet. “I’ve still got a lot of work to do in order to find a serious role in the pitching staff, but I’m excited, and I’m eager,” Bradshaw said. Coach Patrick McGaha spoke to Bradshaw’s perseverance and contributions to the team. “I am so proud of Andrew’s hard work to get back to a point where he has a chance to help us on the mound again,” McGaha said. “He is such a fierce competitor with a great work ethic — I knew he would return from this injury ready to help the team in any way possible.” Bradshaw and Smith expressed their excitement about the 2023 season. “The main thing I’m excited about with the team is obviously getting to spend one last year with the guys,” Bradshaw said. “Being around a team every day — you can’t get that anywhere else.” Written by: Morgan Wrigley BATTER UP, After two years of recovery, senior Andrew Bradshaw returns to the mound. Bradshaw STRONGER TOGETHER The baseball team gathers for a group prayer. Bradshaw spoke of how much the players and coaches supported him. Photo courtesy of: McKenna Oliver
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NTc5NA==