McCabe’s Three-Hit Day, Panos’ Steady Start Power Lincoln-Way Central Past Stagg 5-2

The Lincoln-Way Central varsity baseball team utilized a consistent offensive attack and a steady performance on the mound to defeat Stagg 5-2 in a Friday road conference matchup.

Senior Conor McCabe was the catalyst for the Knights’ offense, putting together a stellar 3-for-5 performance at the plate. McCabe ripped a double, scored twice, and drove in a run to keep the pressure on the Stagg defense. Sophomore Des Gill also delivered in clutch moments, driving in a pair of runs on a 2-for-3 day that included a sacrifice fly and a stolen base.

Lincoln-Way Central set the tone immediately, pushing two runs across the plate in the top of the first inning. Stagg answered in the bottom half of the frame with a run of their own, but the Knights’ pitching staff ensured the home team would never pull even.

Senior right-hander Alex Panos earned the win for Lincoln-Way Central, navigating five innings while scattering five hits. He allowed two earned runs, walked just one batter, and struck out five on 81 pitches. Panos successfully worked around three hit batsmen to keep Stagg’s lineup at bay.

The Knights extended their lead with a single run in the third inning to make it 3-1. Stagg showed resilience in the bottom of the fifth, scratching across a run to cut the deficit to 3-2 and apply late pressure.

However, Lincoln-Way Central’s offense responded by manufacturing single insurance runs in both the sixth and seventh innings. The Knights capitalized on their opportunities, utilizing seven drawn walks and taking advantage of three Stagg fielding errors to continually put runners in scoring position. Senior Luke Tingley contributed an extra-base hit with a double, while Brady Rossa added an RBI.

With a 5-2 lead, Lincoln-Way Central turned the ball over to senior Nolan Bartkus to slam the door. Bartkus was highly effective in relief, throwing two scoreless innings and allowing just two hits while striking out one on 35 pitches to seal the conference victory.

Game Summary

Score by Quarters

Scoring Drives

• First Inning: Lincoln-Way Central strikes early with two runs. Stagg answers with a single run in the bottom half. (Lincoln-Way Central 2, Stagg 1)

• Third Inning: The Knights add a run to extend their lead. (Lincoln-Way Central 3, Stagg 1)

• Fifth Inning: Stagg scores a run to cut the deficit to one. (Lincoln-Way Central 3, Stagg 2)

• Sixth Inning: Lincoln-Way Central responds with an insurance run. (Lincoln-Way Central 4, Stagg 2)

• Seventh Inning: The Knights tack on one final run to secure the victory. (Lincoln-Way Central 5, Stagg 2)

Individual Statistics

LINCOLN-WAY CENTRAL BATTING:

• Conor McCabe (Sr): 3-5, 1 2B, 1 RBI, 2 R

• Des Gill (So): 2-3, 2 RBI, 1 SB

• Luke Tingley (Sr): 1-5, 1 2B, 1 R

• Brady Rossa (Sr): 1-3, 1 RBI

• Tyler Arnold (Jr): 1-1, 1 R, 1 BB

• Daniel Houston (Jr): 1-4, 1 R, 1 BB

• Connor Kelch (Jr): 0-3, 1 BB

• C. Lovingfoss (So): 0-2, 2 BB

• Austin Welch (Sr): 0-2

LINCOLN-WAY CENTRAL PITCHING:

• Alex Panos (Sr) (W): 5.0 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 5 K, 81 Pitches

• Nolan Bartkus (Sr): 2.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K, 35 Pitches

STAGG STATISTICS:

• Individual statistics not provided.