Lockport’s Adam Kozak felt a blast of air that was moving in his preferred direction.
Immediately, the senior outfielder realized that winds gusting up to 28 mph were creating a perfect storm for himself and the Porters. And he was in the perfect spot to take advantage.
“Ever since I was young, I always knew how to take a big hack,” Kozak said of his batting approach. “I’ve had great coaches here. They’ve taught me how to have a great swing.”
To say Kozak was swinging for the fences would be an understatement.
He hit two solo home runs and scored three times Monday afternoon, leading Lockport to an 8-3 victory over host Brother Rice in a Do It Stevie’s Way Tournament game in Chicago.
Senior outfielder David Kundrat also contributed a three-run homer for Lockport (3-4). Junior starter Austin Winge picked up the pitching win, striking out eight and scattering five hits.
Sophomore outfielder Gavin Helpingstine hit a two-run homer for Brother Rice (3-4), while junior infielder Luca Agne also drove in a run.
Kozak, meanwhile, went 3-for-4. The Lewis recruit totaled nine total bases.
“He’s just a fierce competitor who’s very aggressive up at the plate,” Lockport coach Scott Malinowski said. “You didn’t see too much of it because he was hitting the ball out of the park.
“But his speed is next level. For a thin-framed player, he’s got some juice in his bat.”
Senior designated hitter Zack Skrzypiec, who finished 2-for-4 with two RBIs, also praised Kozak.
“He brought great energy and was just getting it rolling from the start,” Skrzypiec said. “He’s a quick and athletic guy who knows how to get on base. He just does it all for us.
“He’s a leader who helps get people when they’re down.”
Kozak, who bats left-handed, went against the math with his home run in the third inning off senior lefty Braydon McKendrick
More Top Picks Best Cymbals For Beginners
.“All I did was get up to the plate and dare him to throw me a fastball,” Kozak said. “It’s a challenge, but I love making that play against a left-handed pitcher. I knew I had to get the ball into the air.”
He punctuated his career-best performance with an opposite-field blast off senior right-hander Shea Leahy. It was his first two homers of the season and first multi-homer game of his career.
“I was ready the whole day for first-pitch fastball and getting it into the zone,” Kozak said. “The first one was a great confidence booster for the team. We started our season a little slow.
“Everybody was just ready to create something exciting out there.”
Kozak was a running back and kick returner in the fall for Lockport’s football team that reached the Class 8A state semifinals. He showed an electric burst in space with the ball in his hands.
The physicality, toughness and discipline has transferred over to baseball. At 5-foot-11 and 155 pounds, Kozak is lean and wiry but generates tremendous bat speed.
“We have a lot of guys on the team who play football,” he said. “It carries over with confidence and chemistry. We have a bunch of athletes on this team, so there’s a lot of trust and chemistry.
“The coaches do a great job of bringing us all together.”
Kozak also breaks down his mechanics by watching videos of his at-bats to refine and develop his swing. That hard work has paid off.
More recently, he has taken up golf. He also likes to go bowling with his friends. Animated and intense on the field and amiable in person, he has found his niche in his third varsity season.
“I was like a young kid as a sophomore,” he said. “Now, I just love my teammates and give everybody confidence. We’ve won a lot of ballgames. I couldn’t ask for a better situation here.”
Patrick Z. McGavin is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.