By John Raffel
It was a disappointing spring season for Carson City-Crystal player Meriah Gallagher, but she’s hoping to ease that disappointment with a strong collegiate career.
She signed a letter of intent earlier this spring with Indiana University Southeast in New Albany, Indiana.
Gallagher attended a recruiting combine and caught the eye of Southeast coaches.
The Carson City-Crystal senior plans on going to the school as a catcher. She will double major in chemistry and biology.
“I’m a utility player, but I can’t pitch,” Gallagher said. “I played catcher and shortstop.”
Southeast is an NAIA school that plays in the Kentucky Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.
“Their coach wants me to catch really bad,” Gallagher said. “In January, he had me do a bunch of catching workouts, and he liked the way I handled that position.”
Before she sustained a leg injury, Gallagher was batting in the .300s and enjoying a productive season. She has been out since April 27 and will not be returning. She overextended her lateral collateral ligament (LCL).
“I’m in physical therapy right now,” she said. “I’ve already talked to my coach, and I’ll be ready to play for them when I go down there.”
Needless to say, Gallagher was disappointed to have her season shortened.
“It was terrible,” she said. “It had previously happened two weeks before I went in that Friday. I had a crazy rotation…a girl landed on my leg. It was hurting a little bit.”
Eventually Gallagher realized the seriousness of the injury.
She’s hoping to help Southeast continue its winning ways. The team had a Cinderella run during the 2012 season which included a 34-20 record. Southeast went 0-2 in the NAIA national tournament.