My Signature: Mackenzie Boesel Reflects on Home Run Record & Career
Graduate student Mackenzie Boesel recently became South Carolina softball’s career home run leader after leaving the yard for the 34th time on Saturday in the regular season finale at Kentucky, breaking the record set by Alaynie Page (2013-2016) in 2016. The second baseman from Yorba Linda, Calif., has been a fixture in the middle infield as a five-year starter, and she is also the Gamecocks career-leader in doubles and walks. She has batted over .300 every year of her career and ranks fourth in the SEC this year with a .419 average. The three-time Academic All-American gives her perspective on her latest accomplishment and career.
“I don’t think of myself as a home run hitter. Whenever I talk with (assistant) coach (Kaela) Jackson, I always make the joke that I’m really a gap-to-gap hitter, and the ball just happens to occasionally go out! I definitely describe myself as a gap hitter, rather than a home run hitter.
“When I hit it off the bat, I thought, is has a chance to go out. I was sprinting to first while trying to stare at the ball, but once it finally got over, I was just happy. When I rounded third, I said, ‘Coach Jackson, I finally did it!’
“It was a really exciting and happy moment, especially since it was one of my last at bats of the regular season. I was running out of at bats, but I finally got it done.
“This record is not something I ever thought about. Once I got within reach, I thought why not? I’d like to have that record. Going into college, and even my first few years, it’s not a record I thought I would be breaking.
“It means a lot to hold any record and to know that my legacy is going to be in the record books for years to come. It will be exciting to see future Gamecocks trying to beat it.
“I’m also proud of the relationships I’ve built with my fellow teammates and coaches that will last well beyond my career here.”
“One of the things I’m most proud of in my career is the fact that I received multiple academic All-American honors. I think that combines my academic success with my athletics success. It shows that I’ve been hardworking in the classroom and on the field. It shows the work that I’ve put into my academics and how important that is to me as well as being a successful softball player.
“My best memory of playing here was Whitey’s (Krystan White) walk-off homerun in the (2018) NCAA Regionals. Nothing tops that feeling! That was such a special moment and special year. I’m just so glad that I got to be a part of that. Everyone was crying in the stadium. It was just such a beautiful moment.
“What I’ll miss the most about playing here is playing with all my teammates. It’s so fun to be able to compete at a high level with such amazing people, day in and day out. Having that competitive atmosphere with people I just love to be around is what I’m going to miss the most.
“I want to be remembered for the impact I made on this program. When I was being recruited, one of (head) coach Bev’s (Smith) points was to come to South Carolina and make an impact on this up-and-coming program. I want to be remembered for the impact that I made in really elevating our status as a program.
“I’m also proud of the relationships I’ve built with my fellow teammates and coaches that will last well beyond my career here.”
