Sandburg pitcher Lucas Rosas wasn’t about to be thrown off by a change in his routine.
The senior left-hander earned the rare start Wednesday, so it would be understandable if he needed some extra time to find his footing on the mound. The opposite ended up being true.
”I’m usually a reliever,” Rosas said. “I don’t usually know when I’m going to come in and I do the best that I can. On days I’m starting, I just focus on being warm and ready on the mound.
“I worry about my own hitting when the time comes.”
That time was now for Rosas, who struck out three and drove in a run, leading the Eagles to an 11-1 win in five innings over Shepard in a Class 4A Andrew Regional semifinal in Tinley Park.
Junior shortstop Jake Tomczak went 4-for-4 with three RBIs for third-seeded Sandburg (20-12), which advanced to Saturday’s 11 a.m. championship game. Junior outfielder Quinn Durkin contributed two hits and an RBI.
Senior infielder Jayden Galvan singled and scored for Shepard (13-20). Junior infielder David Nelligan added a double.
Batting leadoff, Rosas singled and scored the first run by stealing home. He went 1-for-2 with a sacrifice fly, a run, an RBI and two steals. He scattered three hits and three walks in four innings.
“He’s just a great, versatile, all-around player who’s a very good pitcher,” Tomczak said of Rosas.
“He throws hard and has a lot of great off-speed stuff.
“He’s a jack-of-all-trades as a switch hitter and infielder who brings a lot of energy to the team.”
Durkin pointed out that Rosas’ impact transcends numbers or statistics.
“He’s an electric player,” Durkin said. “At home, he has this awesome walk-up song that always gets the team fired up. He’s an all-around athlete who’s very energetic. He’s a firecracker.”
On the mound, Rosas settled in after allowing two hits in the first inning.
“I had to calm my nerves,” he said. “I do a lot of funky stuff on the mound. I like to go submarine. I didn’t want to get too wound up. I thought my curveball and underneath fastball were working.”
Rosas, a Benedictine recruit, has emerged this season as a primary force after playing more of a secondary role during his first two seasons on Sandburg’s varsity.
As a junior last spring, Rosas only saw time as a reliever. He wasn’t part of the regular batting order. His ability as a switch hitter has made him a crucial piece of the Eagles’ attack.
The natural left-handed batter has been able to hit equally well from either side of the plate.
“Growing up, I guess I never remembered from which side I started, so I would just go both sides,” Rosas said. “I can also put down bunts, especially left-handed where I’m closer to first base.
“I also have more home runs with three than I ever expected.”
Most impressively, Rosas has become a fixture playing first base when he’s not pitching. He had never played the position until this spring.
Realizing the need to improve his offensive profile, he spent the travel season working to refine and sharpen his skills at the plate.
“Last year, I never really hit,” he said. “I just came in as a reliever in big games to try and shut the other team down. I spent the whole year working on showcasing my hitting.”
Building off the trust shown by his coaches, Rosas has become Sandburg’s spark plug.
“My personality definitely changes whenever I’m on the field,” he said. “I’m loud and energetic. I hate losing and I always want to perform at my best.”
Patrick Z. McGavin is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.
