LAFAYETTE — Sage Hoover’s return to the circle has been anything but ordinary.
The Louisiana junior pitcher earned Sun Belt Conference Pitcher of the Week honors on March 24, continuing a strong comeback season after enduring multiple setbacks that once threatened her career.
Hoover missed significant time due to two season-ending injuries, beginning during her stint at Texas Tech in 2024. She was diagnosed with thoracic outlet syndrome, a condition that causes nerve compression, leading to pain in the neck and numbness in the arm and hand.
“My arm would go numb and my hand would go numb,” Hoover said. “So whenever I would try to throw the ball, it wouldn’t go anywhere. I could throw it hard, but I couldn’t spin the ball.”
After undergoing surgery and completing her recovery, Hoover transferred to Louisiana with hopes of returning to form. But early in her comeback, she suffered another setback — a broken rib during offseason workouts.
“I did the fitness test, did the running test, passed it, and then the second day during warmups for weights I broke my rib,” she said.
Despite the frustration, Hoover leaned on her teammates for support throughout her recovery. One of those teammates, senior pitcher Lexi Delbrey, faced a similar challenge with thoracic outlet syndrome.
Hoover shared her experience and offered guidance to Delbrey during her recovery, helping her navigate the process.
“I truly believe that God placed her in my life for that reason,” Delbrey said. “I always tell people she’s my blessing friend because without her, I probably would have never made it through that year.”
Now pitching in her first full season since 2023, Hoover said the adversity has shaped her both personally and as a competitor.
“I think everything happens for a reason,” Hoover said. “I’m a big believer in that, and I think the hard that I’ve gone through is maybe the person I am today and the pitcher I am today. Going through hard things creates that.”
Hoover and Louisiana will look to continue their momentum this weekend when they host Troy in three-game series. First pitch for Thursday night game one showdown is scheduled for 4 p.m.
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