From February 13 to 18, Devin McGrath was in an induced coma, while doctors worked around the clock to help her overcome a life-threatening infection.

This week, she wrapped up her junior season at shortstop for the Our Lady of the Sacred Heart softball team.

In a span of less than three months, McGrath has gone a long way to overcome her battle with meningoencephalitis -- an infection of the brain and surrounding membranes -- to return to both school and sports.

The struggle for McGrath now isn't a matter of life or death. It's a struggle to return to the way things were before the infection, when she was the star of OLSH's volleyball, basketball and softball teams.

"I think I'm still at about 80 percent," McGrath said after her team's game against Avonworth on Monday.

"I get tired still, and I'm not as quick as I used to be with my jumping, but overall, I'm feeling pretty good."

McGrath has always been an intense competitor, and during her three years at OLSH, she's been accustomed to winning. In her first eight seasons playing varsity sports, McGrath's teams have been to the playoffs every time.

This spring, the Chargers will miss the softball playoffs. McGrath, who batted .569 last year, has found it difficult to get her timing back at the plate. Her frustration has been evident at times.

"My hitting has been terrible. I just don't have quick hands and quick reaction yet," she said.

"I was very frustrated when I came back. I'm a pretty impatient person, and I was mad when I couldn't do things that I could before."

"It's been a slow recovery," OLSH softball coach Bill Wills said.

"You can see she has the desire. That never left her. It's just not coming as fast as she'd like it to come."

McGrath was immobile for nearly two weeks and lost over 20 pounds during her hospital stay. As she finishes softball and heads into volleyball and basketball, two sports more demanding on her endurance, she will be tested in a way she never was before the infection.

"I used to go from sport to sport and it would come easy," she said. "Now I have to work hard, just to get back to where I was."

The rapid recovery of McGrath, who was originally expected to be in the hospital for at least three months, has put things into a new perspective, both for McGrath and the people around her.

"I definitely think it happened for a reason. Maybe I did take things for granted before," she said.

"I had so much support from everyone at OLSH and it really helped me with my recovery. I'm definitely going to appreciate things more, now."

"If you look at what she went through and where she's at now, I just thank God she's alive," Wills said. "The softball and the athletics are secondary."

But there is a silver lining for McGrath. Her doctors have told her that after recovering from meningoencephalitis, the risk of recurrence is very small. She is nearly caught up on missed schoolwork, and has had little difficulty with memory and cognition -- two major worries after any disease relating to the brain.

Best of all, she has a way to make up for lost time on the court and in the field -- her senior year.

"I'd have been pretty mad if all this had happened in my senior year and I didn't get another chance," she said.

"I just want to have a good senior year and finish things out well at OLSH."