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He’s had three reconstructive ACL surgeries — two in high school and one in college. Not lucky. He’s survived them and managed to play college sports. Maybe that’s lucky, but it’s probably more his work ethic and determination.
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SMU shortstop Brandon Haugh makes an unbalanced throw to first base during the first game of a MIAC doubleheader against Bethel Wednesday at Loughrey Field in Winona. (Photo by Andrew Link/Winona Daily News) |
The luck for the Saint Mary’s University senior comes from his 21-game hitting streak.
Sure there is some skill to it, but even Knudsen admits he’s had some lucky bounces keeping it alive.
Wednesday, however, the streak ended. Knudsen went 0-for-3 in the first game of a doubleheader with Bethel at Loughrey Field.
He made up for it to some extent in the second game with a solo home run, though SMU lost both games 4-1 and 7-4.
Knudsen’s battle back from injuries make for a funny, traumatic, heart-warming story all wrapped up in a little 175-pound, 6-foot body.
You see, Knudsen only just likes baseball. He loves soccer. Yes, soccer. That’s the funny part.
At Racine Park (Wis.) High School, he was getting recruited to play Division I soccer.
The heart-warming part comes from the aftereffects of Knudsen’s knee surgeries.
It’s why Knudsen is in college. He wants to be a physical therapist. He wants to inspire people who have had to go through what he’s gone through like Dr. Gian Gerra did for him.
“He was so positive,” Knudsen said of the Creighton University doctor who performed his first two knee surgeries. “But not just with surgery, but with his attitude in how I could come back.
“I’m a physical therapy major because of that. I want to help kids get back.”
The traumatic part comes in when Knudsen talks about how he blew out his knees and what happened afterward.
The first time he tore his ACL was playing soccer. The second was kind of playing soccer. He scored a goal and was celebrating when an opponent took him out from behind after play had stopped.
After two reconstructive right-knee surgeries, Division I soccer teams stopped calling.
Knudsen was determined to prove them wrong. He worked hard to get his knee back into playing shape.
Former SMU men’s soccer coach Eric Luzzi recruited Knudsen to play. So did SMU baseball coach Nick Whaley.
Knudsen had a successful freshman soccer season, but hung up the soccer cleats for baseball ones.
“I just felt uncomfortable,” Knudsen said. “I felt like I was maybe pushing my luck with soccer.”
In his sophomore season playing fall baseball, Knudsen got unlucky again and blew out his left ACL.
“I just stepped into a divot in the outfield,” Knudsen said. “They heard it snap from home plate. I knew exactly what happened.”
There was about four months until baseball season and a seven-month timetable for recovery from an ACL tear.
“I knew what it was going to take to get back,” he said. “I did it twice already. I knew the risk, but I felt I owed it to the team to get back.”
Knudsen didn’t miss a game. He was designated hitter for the first couple of weeks, then worked his way to left field before, finally, he was back home in center. He hasn’t left his home since.
Now he’s a senior and the man for the Cardinals.
“He’s one of the most talented players I’ve ever played with,” SMU senior outfielder Kevin Black said.
Knudsen leads the team in just about every offensive category. He’s batting .358 with three home runs, five doubles, three triples and 24 RBIs — pretty good for a gimpy soccer player, pretty good for anyone.
