Hitting behind Pittsburgh recruit Tyler Bell in Lincoln-Way East’s lineup, senior catcher Aiden Knipper has seen teams decide they would rather challenge him than pitch to Bell.
So, when Lincoln-Way West intentionally walked Bell to get to Knipper with Monday’s game on the line, Knipper was not surprised. He was ready.
“When we were down in Tennessee, that happened multiple times,” Knipper said. “I didn’t do the job then, but I was happy to get it done (Monday).”
Knipper got it done indeed, ripping a walk-off single to left field as the host Griffins rallied for three runs in the bottom of the seventh to stun Lincoln-Way West 3-2 in a SouthWest Suburban Conference crossover in Frankfort.
“It feels amazing,” Knipper said. “I couldn’t ask for anything else. It was the first (walk-off hit) for me. I’ll remember it.”
Jack Cosich and Matt Hudik each had an RBI single earlier in the seventh for Lincoln-Way East (16-5). Ball State recruit Zach Kwasny was terrific on the mound, allowing just two unearned runs over six innings, striking out 10 and walking one. Illinois State recruit Aaron Scott pitched a scoreless top of the seventh to earn the win.
Kansas State recruit Conor Essenburg, an impressive sophomore left-hander, was brilliant through five shutout innings for Lincoln-Way West (15-5), allowing just three hits and striking out eight. Dominic Saso went 2-for-3 with a run.
Trevor Fishman started the rally in the seventh for the Griffins with a single and Blake Binkowski reached on an error. After a sacrifice bunt by Jared Velez, Cosich and Hudik produced back-to-back singles.
Hudik’s hit came on a bunt and tied the game 2-2.
“I was just excited to get it down,” Hudik said of his bunt. “This just shows that we don’t give up. There have been a lot of games this year where we’ve struggled and then came back in the late innings and won the game.
“We’re never going to give up and we’re going to keep fighting until the last out.”
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Bell was intentionally walked to load the bases, setting up Knipper’s heroics. Hudik was confident about what was coming.
“I knew it was going to be a hit,” Hudik said. “There was no doubt. Aiden’s been hot all year, and with the infield in, I knew he was going to get a hit. I had no worries.”
Knipper has been a catcher since his days on an 11U team, and there’s no place he would rather play.
“I like being involved in every play and not being left out of anything,” he said.
Kwasny said he and Knipper are starting to form a great connection despite some differences in personality.
“At the start of the season, we were a little off,” Kwasny said. “I’m more of a fiery player and he’s more laid back. My swing-and-miss stuff has been up this year but my strikeouts were down, so I told him, ‘Let’s try to get off the plate a bit more.’
“The last two outings have been way better. I think we’re starting to fine-tune between me and him, which is huge.”
Kwasny enjoyed the battle with Essenburg.
“We both threw a heck of a game, and whoever came out on top was going to come out on top,” Kwasny said. “It’s good I was able to keep it tight and we were able to pull it out at the end.”
Knipper made sure of that.
“Ultimately, a lot of the time, you count on your seniors,” Lincoln-Way East coach Eric Brauer said. “Aiden is a senior. He’s in there every day and he’s not coming out.
“We have a lot of confidence in him. We always expect him to do great things.”
Steve Millar is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.
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