Borgeson's rehab pays off in a senior season of baseball
May 11—BYRON — Jordan Borgeson could have let a second knee injury sideline him for the rest of his sports career at Lourdes. But he wanted to play his senior season of baseball.
Borgeson has overcome a dislocated kneecap last fall in just the second game of the season and he has now returned and is a key hitter for the unbeaten Eagles baseball team.
"He and I talked before the season because he was still in rehab and wasn't cleared to play," Lourdes coach Dave Jenson said. "In the beginning of April he said 'Coach, what do you see my role being?' His role is, he's going to DH and hopefully, we can get him in a few innings in left field for the end of his senior year."
For Borgeson, being the team's designated hitter is becoming a big role. On Monday, in his fourth game back since being cleared to play, the right-handed hitter smacked a two-run double in a five-run first inning and then he capped a five-run second with a grand slam as Lourdes defeated Byron 13-2.
"I'm feeling great right now," Borgeson said. "I'd like to give credit to my teammates, they picked me up and helped me through this so much. Without them, I definitely wouldn't have had the motivation to keep pushing through this."
Borgeson put in a lot of hard work to rehab his knee since last fall, the second time he has suffered a dislocated kneecap.
"He's worked extremely hard to come back from a dislocated kneecap," Jenson said. "It's a tough injury. So for him to do strength training, and he's had to do the flexibility, he's had to work with our training staff. Amber Johnson does a great job, and now he's gotten to the point where he's hitting the same varsity pitching everyone else is."
Borgeson put in the work because he wanted to be part of one last Lourdes team.
"I've been playing baseball for a long time, probably since about the first grade," he said.
His first game back this season was a bit emotional, especially for his coach. In that game, Borgeson played as if he was in mid-season form and he collected three hits, including a double.
"I was in the third-base coaching box crying because I knew how hard he worked," Jenson said. "For him to have this success — it's not guaranteed — it makes you feel so good for a great kid like that."
A with high hopes for the rest of the season, Borgeson is excited to see how far this year's Lourdes team can go. Especially since he and the rest of his teammates didn't get to play last spring.
"We're just happy to have a season this year because last year it got taken away by COVID," Borgeson said. "We're just blessed to have this season."
"It's fun to see all the work pay off for him," Jenson said.
Jordan Borgeson, who hit a 2-run 2B in 1st, hits a grand slam in the 2nd and Lourdes leads Byron 10-1. pic.twitter.com/dilVLW6ytk
— Guy N. Limbeck (@PBglimbeck) May 10, 2021
