Washington County Enterprise-Leader
Endacott Goes Yard Three Times In A Game
SENIOR LINCOLN FIRST BASEMAN TIES THE STATE RECORD
LINCOLN — Lincoln senior Jackson Endacott powered his way out of a hitting slump by homering three times in one game in a 15-1 win over West Fork.
Not one to make a name for himself, Endacott did just that by going 4- for- 4 while hammering three home runs and a double in game two of a 3A-1 Conference baseball double-header at West Fork on Tuesday, April 5, 2022, tying a state record.
Lincoln High School Principal Stan Karber, whose son, Kyler Calvin, plays third base for the Wolves, has had eyes on lots of baseball games as a player, umpire for 15 years, and as a parent and fan.
“I’ve never seen that hitting display in person, 4- for- 4 with three home runs and a double, that is so rare to even think of on any level of baseball and it’s super impressive for it to happen in Lincoln. It’s really awesome,” Karber said.
Last year as a junior Endacott was named 3A-1 All-Conference, pounding out 21 hits for a. 349 average with 4 doubles and a pair of home runs. Defensively, he earned the team’s Gold Glove Award and had coach J. Keith eager to get him back into the lineup for 2022.
New Leadoff Role
Keith recently tweaked Endacott’s role in the batting order by moving him up to leadoff hitter. His first appearance as the Wolves’ leadoff man came in Lincoln’s game one, 3-2, win in the doubleheader.
Keith outlined his expectations telling Endacott he just needed to do a better job of getting on base. Before his breakout against West Fork, Endacott struggled against Greenland the previous week. He was just trying to hit the ball hard and put the ball in play.
He kept telling himself, “just keep swinging, you’ll hit it eventually, you’ll find contact.”
The switch proved strategic with Endacott knocking the first pitch of the game out of the ballpark off Tiger starter Conner Allen.
“When you struggle, you’re really in your own head. Against West Fork, I felt so pure, so clean, just swinging to have fun,” Endacott said.
Endacott’s second home run of the day again facing Allen came on a 2-0 count.
“That one might have been the best baseball I’ve ever hit my whole life. I’m pretty sure I hit it over the scoreboard,” Endacott said.
He dropped the bat, barely glanced up and started jogging because he knew it was gone.
Humble Personality
Karber sees Endacott as a good, humble kid, who’s unique and rejoices that he got to witness in person an extraordinary baseball feat comparable with ESPN highlights, that maybe some college guy in some other state somewhere does something like that.
“I know that he has kind of a corky personality and it seems that even the success of something like that he even shunned. You could tell kind of by the way he even ran the bases. It was like, ‘Ah, and I’m going to have to talk to the press about it,’ and he doesn’t even want the notoriety of it which makes it all the more special,” Karber said.
Endacott admits he’s a little self conscious about being thrust into the limelight. Endacott’s never been the biggest guy at talking to people and going on social media. When he hit three home runs he thought, “Dang, I’m going to be on social media everywhere,” realizing there’s probably going to be a story or two written about him because he had a game that almost no baseball player will ever experience.
Driving home from the West Fork game he processed how to prepare.
“Oh, it’s crazy, but I think I’d be fine maybe after just a little bit,
maybe a little bit uncomfortable, but after I get through everything I think I’d be fine,” Endacott said.
He’s seen videos with Karber highlighting individuals through a student spotlight where he gets students at random and puts them live on social media. The quiet, unassuming first baseman is confident he can even handle that play.
“They look pretty good. It’s just maybe a little awkward for me, but I’d get there,” Endacott said.
Fans Anticipate Homer
Endacott doubled down the third base line in his third at- bat and when he came up a fourth time Lincoln fans were on the edge of their seats. Karber was among those anticipating something big, like the probability of another home run.
“Their pitchers were throwing hard, they were good little pitchers, too, so it wasn’t like just serving him up. He put another one over, just tattooed it. Each one of them landed within probably a 50 feet circle. If you had to hit a target behind the fence it would look like they all went right over the same spot and he just tattooed each one of them. It was really something,” Karber said.
Endacott’s double and his 2-run blast came off Ethan Howerton, who thew the most pitches (47) of any of the five Tiger pitchers in 1.2 innings. Endacott had forgotten he was batting leadoff and got in the dugout late and had to be reminded to get out to the on- deck circle.
All the while he was taking in the sounds of the game drawing inner strength from the crowd yelling, ‘Let’s go Jackson, hit it out right here.”
“[ Sophomore] Jace [Birkes] put the ball in play so I didn’t even get any warmups. I got up to the plate and the first pitch I saw, I hammered it over the left field wall,” Endacott said.
As he ran around the bases Endacott recalls thinking, “‘This is crazy,’ especially on my third one when I hit it I was thinking ‘this is crazy’ because I knew I had to have some type of record.
West Fork issued an intentional walk on his final at-bat fearing they might be on the wrong end of a state record.
“They didn’t want to be in the history books,” Endacott said.
Bittersweet Moment
Part of the feat was bittersweet. Endacott’s uncle, Adam Hutchison, brother of his mother, Haley Endacott, passed away March 4, 2022, at Pittsburgh, Penn.
“It’s been a really rough time for me and my family. I’m playing these games with him in mind and after hitting those home runs I was thinking, ‘ Man, he would have texted me and been so proud of me like, nice job, Jacks,’ but it’s just kind of sad,” Endacott said.
Endacott’s father, Jason Endacott, has helped him along the way as his No. 1 supporter. He also counts the community of Lincoln as a strong pillar to lean on through the ups and downs of baseball. He appreciates the Lincoln community in general, how much everyone seems to care about him and how they put forth an effort to bring him up.
“Very rarely I feel like I’m going to be torn down by anyone,” Endacott said.
His teammates greet him with encouragement when he gets back to the dugout. If he strikes out or has a bad at-bat, they say, “Hey, you’re good, you’re good.” He tries to do the same for them. The encouraging atmosphere goes beyond baseball.
“The parents, the coaches, even the teachers at the school, everyone just seems so uplifting and always caring about you. I’ve never felt so cared about in a place before,” Endacott said.
This young man, who excels on the baseball diamond, stands to benefit from that type of support in the days and weeks to come leading up to his graduation.