After rough start, Rachel Burkhardt is back in Syracuse’s starting lineup

This past summer, Karen Burkhardt nagged her daughter about an inspirational book she should read. Its bland white and grey professional-looking cover didn’t interest the Syracuse utility player. Rachel Burkhardt was busy training for her third season as Syracuse’s right fielder, not joining her mother’s book club.

But after just two hits in the first nine games of 2017, Burkhardt spiraled into a slump. During the next road trip, Karen received a picture from her daughter flaunting her latest purchase. It read “Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance by Angela Duckworth,” the book that Karen had recommend.

“There are so many parallels between life as a student athlete and business lessons,” Karen said. “I just thought (the book) would be something that she would enjoy and have some takeaways that she could relate to, especially with softball.”

For Burkhardt, this season was supposed to be a step forward. But after starting 41 of 52 games in her sophomore season, Burkhardt stalled at the onset. She tallied only four hits in her first 17 games. Over her next 14 appearances, Burkhardt reached base 15 times. Despite her struggles, her .259 batting average is the best of her career. She has four hits in the last three games for Syracuse (19-15, 3-9 Atlantic Conference). She’s finally finding her stride, despite her rough start.

“I started off rough,” Burkhardt said. “It was not how I wanted to start and nowhere near what I was capable of doing. I’m still trying to get back to that.”

The trip to Barnes and Noble initiated Burkhardt’s reemergence to the Syracuse lineup, though the effects weren’t immediate.

In her first trip with Duckworth’s book in her backpack, Burkhardt was given a gold opportunity to break through. Against No. 3 Florida on Feb. 24, with two down and runners on the corners, SU head coach Mike Bosch pinch-hit Burkhardt, an at-bat that turned into one of the “most embarrassing hits ever.” A dribbling grounder right back to the pitcher didn’t score the run. Syracuse’s scoring opportunity was tarnished, and Burkhardt’s drought prolonged to four games.

The right-handed batter started the next game for Syracuse in the Citrus Classic against Liberty. In three at bats, she mustered only one hit.

“It was really frustrating,” Burkhardt said. “I thought to myself I’m putting in the work I’m doing everything why am I not successful?”

Duckworth provided the answer. In the book’s opening stages, Duckworth recalls her dad telling her she wasn’t “the brightest star in the constellation.” Duckworth went on to become a New York Times bestselling author through perseverance and passion for her craft, or, as Burkhardt put it, “through the grind.” The ideals are repeated ad nauseam in the book.

Burkhardt resonated with the message and recommitted. She stayed for additional work after practice, and she completed additional sets of sprints and hitting sessions.

Since struggling in the Citrus Classic, she’s started in nearly half of SU’s games, including the opening game of Syracuse’s most recent series against then-No. 2 Florida State. With the bases loaded, Burkhardt ripped a groundball off the shortstop’s shin, scoring a run. Sophomore third baseman Hannah Dossett knocked in two runs on the next at-bat, sending Burkhardt to third. Syracuse had tied the game at four with the ACC’s top team.

More importantly, Burkhardt was back.

“She’s started to have a better viewpoint of what she’s doing,” Bosch said.