Mercyhurst University softball coach Leanne Baker asked her players to bring something important to them to a team Zoom meeting a few months ago.

Family photos. A family heirloom. A special piece of jewelry. A favorite book.

Freeport graduate and Lakers' freshman Ally DeJidas brought none of those things.

“She brought her bat,” Baker said. “Ally lives with the bat in her hands.”

A bat has been an important part of DeJidas' life for almost as long as she can remember.

And that became quickly apparent to Baker.

“Her love of the game shows,” Baker said. “(Her) work ethic each day has made a great impact on this team.”

Unfortunately, DeJidas wasn't able to make as big an impact as she had hoped.

That had nothing to do with her play on the field.

She batted .295 in 16 games while playing a stellar right field and hitting fifth in the lineup. In her first collegiate game she homered. She also had a penchant for getting on base.

But the coronavirus pandemic cut the season short, stunting her season.

It was a devastating blow to DeJidas and the rest of the team, which went 6-3 on a spring trip and was looking to put a 9-34 season in 2019 far in the rearview.

“We worked so hard throughout our fall season and the winter — from hell-week practices and lifting and conditioning,” DeJidas said. “We knew that this year was definitely going to be something special — our team had great chemistry and a lot of talent, which I think we proved in the little bit of the season we had.

“It was definitely hard to see the season end.”

And it ended abruptly.

The team had just returned from their trip to Florida and were in the middle of a practice when they were told to shut it down.

“Everyone was so devastated,” DeJidas said.

Just like that, season over.

But DeJidas didn't stop working.

She hit the weight room. Hard. She worked on her swing. She worked on her glove.

Part of it was mental survival, she said — a way of coping with quarantine.

“I have been training I think harder than I ever had before,” DeJidas said, laughing. “I am lifting almost every day and just trying to get swings in. I am so excited to get back to school and start playing again because (2021) is going to be a great year for Mercyhurst softball and I think we're going to surprise a lot of people.”

The core of the team is young. The Lakers will lose only one senior.

DeJidas may turn out to be the linchpin in Mercyhurst's resurgence.

“I see a really big future for Ally,” Baker said. “She has a positive attitude, curiosity to learn and a willingness to grow.”

DeJidas said there was a steep learning curve.

At Freeport, she dominated. DeJidas batted .591 with five home runs, seven doubles and three triples in just 14 games as a senior.

She finished with a career average of .631 with 20 homers and 83 RBI in just 186 at-bats.

DeJidas was also a standout volleyball player at Freeport, earning all-state recognition twice and helping the Yellowjackets win a state title in 2017.

In fact, DeJidas toyed with the idea of playing volleyball in college, too.

“I miss volleyball more than anything,” DeJidas said. “When people ask what I miss the most about high school, I immediately say volleyball. No questions asked.”

Softball, though, has always been DeJidas' No. 1 sport.

And it keeps her busy.

“The biggest adjustment was the very busy schedule, having class until 1 every day and then lifting and then straight to practice and then team study hall,” DeJidas said. “And the fact that everything was softball — I am so used to having both softball and volleyball. It felt weird with no volleyball.”

DeJidas said she was pleased that she was able to contribute as a freshman at Mercyhurst.

“I didn't care where I played,” DeJidas said. “I would play anywhere I was needed.”