Senior right-hander Alex Panos treats pitching like it’s an art form for Lincoln-Way Central.
Not blessed with a blazing fastball, Panos relies on placement and smarts to get batters out. He’s a throwback, something apparent after he was asked if there are any MLB pitchers he emulates.
“No one in particular,” Panos said. “It seems like everyone in the majors throws 100 (mph) now.
“It’s kind of lost art.”
Panos painted a masterpiece on the mound Thursday for the Knights, throwing five scoreless innings in a 3-1 SouthWest Suburban Conference victory over host Sandburg in Orland Park.
Sophomore third baseman Desmond Gill led Lincoln-Way Central (10-4, 3-0) with two hits and also drove in two runs in the sixth inning. Earlier, Conor McCabe came up big in the first.
The Illinois Wesleyan recruit made a heads-up play on a misplay of the throw between pitches involving the Eagles’ batterymates by racing home from third base to score a key run.
McCabe had never stolen home in his career but has been on the lookout for the opportunity.
“I always watch the catcher to see if he just lobs it over or if he throws it back hard,” McCabe said of that scoring sequence. “I watch the ball and I’m never going back to the base until he throws it.
“But I saw the ball go four feet over (the pitcher’s) head, so I had to go.”
Quinn Durkin doubled and later hit a home run in the seventh for Sandburg (10-5, 2-3), which has lost five straight games after opening the season with a 10-0 record. Senior righty Peter Jurcenko also pitched a gem, allowing only one earned run on three hits in five-plus innings.
Panos, meanwhile, struck out just three and allowed only four hits. He was effective until giving way to senior reliever Nolan Bartkus. The most trouble Panos got into was in the fourth.
With runners at second and third, Panos made a tumbling catch on a pop-up on the first base line. He followed it up in the fifth by fielding a slow roller off a bunt and firing to first for the second out.
“He’s a multisport athlete and an athletic kid,” Lincoln-Way Central coach Ryan Kutt said of Panos. “He fields his position and does everything that’s necessary to help win baseball games.”
Panos improved to 2-0 and lowered his ERA to 1.56. In 18 innings, opponents are hitting just .221 against him with an on-base percentage of .312.
“Panos has been a consistent one or two pitcher for us the last couple of years,” Kutt said. “He does an outstanding job day in and day out. He can land multiple pitches for strikes.
“He’s extremely aggressive. He gets after guys.”
McCabe admired Panos’ performance against Sandburg.
“He was landing everything for strikes, especially his curveball,” McCabe said. “He trusted our defense, and that’s all a pitcher can do.”
Panos is coming off a strong senior season for the Knights in basketball. He averaged 24 points in three games at a holiday tournament in Kankakee. He delivered a 29-point performance in a double-overtime win over Lockport in early December.
While he has made a lot of good memories on the court and on the mound, Panos’ athletic career is coming to a close after this spring.
“I’m going to the University of Tennessee to study business and live the college life,” he said.
Still, Panos will miss the competition.
“I started both sports at a young age and played my whole life,” he said. “I love competing. When it comes to pitching, I’m not the hardest-throwing player but I still love to compete against hitters.”
Jeff Vorva is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.
