In his first varsity season, Lockport’s Kaden O’Leary had to have some patience as he waited for a chance to prove himself.
On the Porters’ season-opening trip to Tennessee, O’Leary did not start in any of the four games, but the junior infielder/pitcher stayed ready.
“When we went to Memphis, I didn’t play much and I was OK with it,” O’Leary said. “I was just on the top step, cheering on my teammates and waiting for my moment.
“When the moment came, I just did what I did best.”
O’Leary came through with a big pinch-hit double in Lockport’s fifth game of the season. He’s been in the starting lineup ever since, working his way up to batting fifth in the order while swinging a hot bat.
O’Leary continued that surge Saturday, going 4-for-4 with four singles, a walk and two runs as the Porters mounted a big rally before losing 8-7 to Joliet West in nine innings in the WJOL Tournament championship game at Slammers Stadium in Joliet.
Grand Valley State recruit Drew Satunas drove in two runs and scored another for Lockport (5-5), while Purdue Northwest commit Jack Schiek produced a game-tying two-run double with two outs in the seventh. Lewis recruit Adam Kozak scored two runs.
Bobby Malinowski, the son of Lockport coach Scott Malinowski, delivered the game-winning RBI single in the bottom of the ninth for Joliet West (6-2-1), which won its first WJOL Tournament title.
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“You’re completely torn,” Scott Malinowski said of watching his son beat his team. “I experienced it last year when I coached against him for the first time, but obviously this moment, with the championship on the line, was something else.
“I just feel really grateful. Not many people are going to be able to live that moment.”
O’Leary, meanwhile, was one of the biggest reasons Lockport even got the game to extra innings. The Porters trailed 4-1 after one inning and 7-4 entering the seventh.
He reached base all five times he came to the plate and two of his four singles came in the middle of big rallies for Lockport. His two-out hit in the seventh set the table for Schiek’s tying two-run double, with O’Leary scoring the equalizer.
“Kaden’s awesome, dude,” Satunas said. “He steps in there and just swings the bat. I love to see it. He’s played a key role for us. He started out the season not playing, he got a pinch hit and then he just took off from there.
“He’s starting every game in a key spot, hitting in the five hole or the two hole, and he’s been great for us. I love to see it.”
O’Leary, who also threw 1 2/3 scoreless innings in relief, is feeling locked in on the mound and certainly at the plate.
“I’m feeling really good now, and if something bad does happen, I just shake it off,” he said. “Baseball is a hard sport. Don’t let the bad things get to you. If they get to you, then you’re going to dig yourself into a hole.”
Malinowski has been thrilled by O’Leary’s breakthrough performances over the last couple weeks.
“I don’t want to call it a pleasant surprise because we expected good things from him,” Malinowski said. “But he’s the type of kid who you can put anywhere on a baseball field and he’s going to be completely comfortable and know exactly what to do.
“And with the way he’s swinging the bat, we’re really happy with him.”
O’Leary’s love for baseball goes way back.
“My dad bought me this Hammer Easton bat and I picked it up when I was like 1 1/2 years old,” O’Leary said. “I started doing tee work at 3.
“It clicked right away.”