Lincoln-Way West’s Jack Linko doesn’t remember the incident.
But his father, Greg, reminds him of it every once in awhile.
“He said when I was in first grade, I got hit,” Linko said, relating how the family story goes. “I wanted to quit baseball because I was too scared, but my dad forced me to keep playing.
“And, obviously, I’m here now.”
Linko, a Concordia Chicago recruit, took care of the here and now Saturday.
The senior first baseman produced a pair of hits for the Warriors in a 6-1 victory over the host Eagles in the Class 4A Sandburg Regional championship game in Orland Park.
Junior pitcher Conor Essenburg, a Kansas State commit, struck out 11 and allowed only one run and one hit for Lincoln-Way West (29-4). Lucas Acevedo also struck out two in the seventh.
Ian Hazelip, Anthony Massa, Jacob Willis and Acevedo each drove in runs for the Warriors. AJ Macak and Dominic Palumbo came through with hits for Sandburg (21-12).
Lincoln-Way West’s Conor Essenburg (8) throws a pitch against the host Eagles during the Class 4A Sandburg Regional championship game in Orland Park on Saturday, May 25, 2024. (Vincent D. Johnson / Daily Southtown)
Top-seeded Lincoln-Way West takes on fourth-seeded Lincoln-Way Central (24-6) at 2 p.m. Wednesday in the semifinals of the Providence Sectional in New Lenox. The Knights have beaten the Warriors twice, 6-1 and 10-4, when the two teams played in the SouthWest Suburban Red.
If Linko can order up weather for Wednesday, it will be for blue skies. He went hitless with a cloudy backdrop Wednesday during a 13-0 win over Rich Township.
“My swing felt great and I was seeing the pitches well,” he said of Saturday’s outing. “Unlike our last game with the light background because of the clouds, it was nice to have a blue sky.
“A lot of it was practice, practice, practice. Both of my hits came with two strikes. It was keeping my eyes set up and trying to go the opposite way.”
Lincoln-Way West coach Jake Zajc appreciates Linko’s ability.
“He battled and had a great game,” Zajc said. “He’s able to drive the ball to all fields, which is what you want in the middle of the order. He’s done a good job and has been real consistent all year.”
Lincoln-Way West’s Jack Linko connects against the host Eagles during the Class 4A Sandburg Regional championship game in Orland Park on Saturday, May 25, 2024. (Vincent D. Johnson / Daily Southtown)
Linko is capable of delivering a big hit or two, too.
“He’s super competitive,” Essenburg said of Linko. “He ends up finding a walk-off every time we need a walk-off. He’s a good opposite-field hitter, has a good approach in the box, and he looks for his pitch.”
Essenburg also was on top of his game Saturday after having a rough outing in 2003 against the Eagles in an 8-6 victory for the regional title at Sandburg.
“I couldn’t really sleep,” Essenberg said of Friday night. “I was really excited for this game. This one was special to be because I didn’t do very well against them last year.
“I had to come back out this year and prove something.”
Lincoln-Way West’s Jack Linko chases a ball into foul territory against the host Eagles during the Class 4A Sandburg Regional championship game in Orland Park on Saturday, May 25, 2024. (Vincent D. Johnson / Daily Southtown)
The Warriors are trying to prove something as well after opening the spring with a 22-0 record but then going 5-4 to close out the regular season.
“I think a lot of it was a lack of focus,” Linko said of the late-season slump. “We were a little complacent, even though we were trying to get better. A lot of us woke up and realized we couldn’t do that.
“The playoffs are good — they are lighting a fire under us.”
Last summer, Linko played travel for the Black Diamond Taters and got an accidental look, followed by a longer look, from Concordia.
“They were recruiting the catcher of the older team,” Linko said. “(The Taters) pulled me up for a game to pitch. They saw me there. Then they came to see play at my age level.
“I ended up going 3-for-4, and they wanted me to go there.”
Jeff Vorva is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.
