Two-sport athlete Macey Linke emerging as a top hitter for Kernel softball
May 16—MITCHELL — Mitchell junior Macey Linke has become a central figure of the Kernel softball lineup this season.
She leads the team in several batting categories, including home runs (four), hits (17), slugging percentage (.861), OPS (1.409) and average (.472).
And she's done it while balancing between softball and track and field, where she's one of Mitchell's top javelin throwers, boasting a personal-best throw of 105 feet and 7 inches.
Softball coach Kent Van Overschelde is fully supportive of her participating in both sports, and is impressed with how she's handled it.
"She appears to be making the most of it," he said. "I think she's been able to attend all the games. She has to prioritize her day and with that, hopefully the benefit is a sense of accomplishment on her part."
After school, Linke will go to half of track practice, where she practices throwing the javelin, discus and shot put, then goes over to the diamond for the second half of softball practice. She prioritizes softball on game days, but will work on throwing drills on her own if she misses track and field practice because of it.
Being a thrower may have some correlation to her ability at the plate — Linke said throwing a javelin and hitting baseball both require you to harness power through your hips — but she credits most of her slugging skills to her efforts in the offseason.
"Throughout the whole summer and winter, I put in the work at The Playground in Tea. And I think that had a lot to do with my success," Linke said.
In Tea, Linke practiced her mechanics while working on the mental aspect of the game, both of which helped her unlock her power at the plate.
The results have been on display throughout the spring. When the Kernels' offense is rolling, it's often due to Linke's production.
In a 9-7 win over Pierre on May 4, the Kernels' third baseman belted a three-run home run and a two-RBI double. In a 7-3 win over Brandon Valley on May 10, she delivered four RBIs on two hits.
"We think that she has that ability to be an important part of our hitting lineup," Van Overschelde said.
While Linke recognizes she's had a great individual season, she tries to avoid thinking too much about it, to avoid psyching herself out when she's up to bat.
"I hold myself to a pretty high standard. So when I'm not doing as well as I want to, I let it get to me too much and then I struggle a little bit more," Linke said. "So I try to not look (at the stats). But when I do look, it makes me happy because they're pretty good right now."
With a 7-9 record and 10th-place ranking in the seed-point standings, Mitchell will continue to rely on Linke's hot bat as the regular season winds to a close.
Mitchell will play Spearfish and Rapid City Stevens in a split doubleheader on Friday, then face Sturgis in the regular-season finale on Saturday before turning its attention to the SoDak 16 on Tuesday, May 21.
"I'm hoping to keep pushing, keep working as a team and keep going," Linke said. "We're not done yet."
"We'll continue to just work and focus on the process and try to bring as much joy as we can into play in this game," Van Overschelde added. "And if we focus on the process, the outcome will be there."
