Sandburg’s Victor Zaragoza remembers learning a valuable lesson about hitting at age 10.
Don’t think.
So, when the senior catcher steps up to the plate, he’s not trying to figure out if a fastball or a curve is coming. He’s not playing guessing games with the opposing pitcher.
“I really don’t think much as all when I’m up there,” Zaragoza said. “I can’t think. If I think, I’ll go 0-fer, most likely.
“I was told to say a phrase in my head when I’m hitting or sing a song. (Friday) I was singing a song.”
Although he couldn’t name that tune afterward, Zaragoza did rap two doubles Friday for the host Eagles in a 2-1 nonconference victory over Richards in Orland Park.
Those were also the only two hits Sandburg (4-1) could muster but it was enough.
Richards (2-1) was led by senior Kevin Golinski, who produced two hits from the ninth spot in the batting order and allowed just one run in three innings of relief.
Zaragoza wasn’t thinking in the first when he doubled to right field to bring home Nick Zimmerman. The St. Xavier recruit wasn’t thinking in the sixth when he doubled to center.
Pinch-runner Adam Durkin then scored what turned out to be the winning run on a fielder’s choice from Colin Kissane.
“You will have your good days and bad days at the plate, but you can’t change your approach,” Zaragoza said. “After months of work, there isn’t really anything you can do in the moment. It’s just all the training you put in and all the hours.
“That’s where it all comes into play.”
Sandburg used a trio of pitchers as starter Cole Vazzana struck out five and gave up a run in three innings. Sophomore right-hander Ethan Neakarse also struck out five and fired three shutout innings for the win.
Neakarse faced a tense situation in the fifth inning with a runner at third base with no outs. He got out of it with a pop out, groundout and strikeout.
“I didn’t focus on him,” Neakarse said of the base runner. “I was concentrating on the hitters. If that guy scores, it’s fine. I know what our hitters can do.”
Nick Bestrick struck out two of the three batters he faced in the seventh for the save. He said temperatures in the mid-40s didn’t bother him.
“I got pretty warm in the bullpen, so it wasn’t that hard for me,” he said. “We’ve been playing in this weather a lot, so I’m kind of used to it.”
The Eagles were coming off Thursday’s 11-10 loss to Lincoln-Way East, a game they trailed 8-1 after two innings.
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The Bulldogs, meanwhile, opened the season with a 9-8 victory over Stagg and a 7-5 win over Marist. Despite the loss, Richards coach Jeff Kortz felt it has been a successful start.
“We competed well all week,” Kortz said. “We’re playing a lot of younger guys and I think we had some nervous guys in the Stagg game. We battled back in that game and battled back against Marist.
“I thought we came out and played pretty well here.”
After finishing with a 12-17 record last season, Sandburg is pretty pumped up right now, with wins over Class 3A contender Lemont and Class 4A power Brother Rice.
“This is one of the most special teams I’ve played for,” Zaragoza said. “This team has toughness and heart. A lot of people didn’t expect us to be doing what we are doing.
“We’re beating all of these good schools, and we get excited after those wins because we had to work for them.”
Jeff Vorva is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.
