Lynch on the Road to Recovery
By: Adam Alter
Updated: February 10, 2013
"There's been days when we'd have a game and I'd just sit in the training room during batting practice with a towel over my head just trying to get some relief," Arkansas senior pitcher Cade Lynch described.
Extreme migraines have plagued Lynch since his senior year of high school. Two head surgeries in 2011 temporarily eased his anguish but it returned at the end of the 2012 regular season forcing him to sit out the Hogs' run to the College World Series.
"What he went through last year was terrible," junior pitcher Barrett Astin said. "I don't know anybody that could do that besides him."
"It was tough. It really was," Lynch admitted. "But at the same time, I'm just glad I was able to be with the guys and cheer on my team."
Since then, Lynch went under the knife two more times and had to drop out of the Fall semester.
"It was pretty rough," Lynch said. "Going to class, trying to maintain a good GPA, it got pretty stressful. Trying to come out (to the field) and compete and play the best that I can, it took a toll. It was rough."
"We talked about him daily," junior 2nd baseman Dominic Ficociello explained. "Just wondering how he was doing, seeing if anybody had talked to him, see if he was getting any better."
"(The doctors) really do have high hopes because there's really no other places they could look. Everywhere they've gone in, they've found the problem. So far, it's helped out a lot. I've been doing really well."
The senior has re-enrolled in school and received an NCAA waiver to be eligible to play right away.
"I was kind of worried about it just because I didn't want to miss this season," Lynch said. "I didn't want to miss being with these guys. Once I got that waiver, I was just elated."
But after six months away from the field, the journey back to the mound would not be easy.
"He's just got to get back in shape," head coach Dave Van Horn said. "With his situation, he can't really do a lot of running. He has to condition other ways."
"I've been wearing out the bike, the stationary bike," Lynch said with a smile. "I've been trying to swim a little bit but that's really about the extent of it."
Not only is Lynch back practicing, there's a good chance he'll pitch in this weekend's opening series.
"I'm really excited for him," Van Horn said. "To me, it's like a miracle seeing him out there. I thought there was no way."
"In my eyes I've already won just being back out here," Lynch said. "But I really want to get back to Omaha and win the national championship and contribute. Just do whatever I can to help the team."
Extreme migraines have plagued Lynch since his senior year of high school. Two head surgeries in 2011 temporarily eased his anguish but it returned at the end of the 2012 regular season forcing him to sit out the Hogs' run to the College World Series.
"What he went through last year was terrible," junior pitcher Barrett Astin said. "I don't know anybody that could do that besides him."
"It was tough. It really was," Lynch admitted. "But at the same time, I'm just glad I was able to be with the guys and cheer on my team."
Since then, Lynch went under the knife two more times and had to drop out of the Fall semester.
"It was pretty rough," Lynch said. "Going to class, trying to maintain a good GPA, it got pretty stressful. Trying to come out (to the field) and compete and play the best that I can, it took a toll. It was rough."
"We talked about him daily," junior 2nd baseman Dominic Ficociello explained. "Just wondering how he was doing, seeing if anybody had talked to him, see if he was getting any better."
"(The doctors) really do have high hopes because there's really no other places they could look. Everywhere they've gone in, they've found the problem. So far, it's helped out a lot. I've been doing really well."
The senior has re-enrolled in school and received an NCAA waiver to be eligible to play right away.
"I was kind of worried about it just because I didn't want to miss this season," Lynch said. "I didn't want to miss being with these guys. Once I got that waiver, I was just elated."
But after six months away from the field, the journey back to the mound would not be easy.
"He's just got to get back in shape," head coach Dave Van Horn said. "With his situation, he can't really do a lot of running. He has to condition other ways."
"I've been wearing out the bike, the stationary bike," Lynch said with a smile. "I've been trying to swim a little bit but that's really about the extent of it."
Not only is Lynch back practicing, there's a good chance he'll pitch in this weekend's opening series.
"I'm really excited for him," Van Horn said. "To me, it's like a miracle seeing him out there. I thought there was no way."
"In my eyes I've already won just being back out here," Lynch said. "But I really want to get back to Omaha and win the national championship and contribute. Just do whatever I can to help the team."
