Situation fit for King
Junior pitcher dominates in relief as Lincoln-Way West rallies past Lincoln-Way Central for regional championship
Junior pitcher Reagan King is accustomed to coming into tight situations and settling things down for his Lincoln-Way West teammates.
When things get tough, his composure provides a calming influence.
At the same time, King also knows how to fire up the Warriors by reacting with a passionate celebration following a big strikeout.
“I just try to come in, throw strikes and get out of the inning fast,” he said. “When I can get those strikeouts, I know that gets everyone going.
“I just want to get our hitters fired up and let them do their work.”
King was on fire Monday in the Class 4A Shepard Regional championship game.
He allowed just one run over five innings in relief to lead second-seeded Lincoln-Way West to a 5-2 victory over seventh-seeded Lincoln-Way Central.
Tyler Koscinski had a two-run double, Luke Swallow added an RBI double and Kaleb Wilkey went 2-for-3 with an RBI for the Warriors (23-6-1), who won their first regional title since 2017.
Jack Novak homered and Collin Mowry contributed a double and an RBI for LincolnWay Central (14-15).
After taking down the crosstown rival Knights, Lincoln-Way West will play Providence, another New Lenox foe, at 4:30 p.m.
Thursday in a Lockport Sectional semifinal.
“It feels good to finally get a regional championship,” King said. “This group of guys, we deserve it.”
Typically a late-inning reliever for the Warriors, King was called upon in the first. The Knights, who had already scored once, had the bases loaded with two outs. King got a strikeout to end the threat. “The first inning was tough,” King said. “I just wanted to get the inning over with so we could come up to bat.”
King hopped off the mound with a fist pump and a yell — and the Warriors were ready to due some damage with their bats.
They answered with a four-run surge in the bottom of the first.
“I love when he’s pitching,” Koscinski said of King. “He brings the energy every pitch. After he strikes someone out, he gets hyped up and that gets everyone else hyped up. “That’s what pushed us to a victory.” Koscinski delivered the game’s biggest hit in the bottom of the first with a two-out, two-strike, two-run double to right that made it 4-1. That followed an RBI single from Wilkey and a run-scoring groundout by Harrison Scroggins.
Known mostly for his defense at shortstop, Koscinski has come through offensively against the Knights. He hit a three-run homer May 12 in a 7-3 win that clinched the SouthWest Suburban Red title.
“The crosstown rivalry brings it out,”
Koscinski said. “Makes me want to do my best and get after it against these guys.”
King, meanwhile, continued to hold the Knights in check aside from Novak’s solo homer in the fifth that made it 4-2.
Lincoln-Way West coach Jake Zajc knows he can always count on King, a three-sport athlete who also plays football and basketball, to bring a competitive edge.
“On every team, you have guys that go out there and you can just see everyone’s confidence step up a couple notches,” Zajc said. “Reagan’s one of those guys for us.
“He keeps battling. He has a great attitude and gives a great effort. He’s been successful in that bullpen role all season long.”
Swallow’s RBI double in the sixth gave the Warriors a big insurance run and Colton Kachinsky worked a scoreless final 1⅓ innings for the save.
As a result, LincolnWay West gets it chance to complete the New Lenox sweep against Providence.
“It’s special winning the
crosstown classic, winning three in a row against Central,” Koscinski said. “Now, we get Providence. We want to take all of New Lenox for ourselves.”