Josephine Jager wasn’t going to fly under the radar as a softball player at Lincoln-Way Central.
Jeff Tarala, who’s now her coach, had known for years that Jager, who goes by Josie, was a pretty solid player and could eventually become a big contributor on the varsity for the Knights.
You tend to learn things like that about your coworkers’ kids. Maggie, Josie’s mom, is a travel coach and taught for years at the school. And Josie is exceeding those lofty early expectations.
“She’s our best pure hitter by far,” Tarala said. “Everything is sound in the box. She knows what she’s doing up there. She knows how to make contact. She knows how to foul pitches off.
“She’s a really good, smart hitter.”
Jager, a senior who pitches and plays first base, leads the Knights (20-4) with a .534 batting average. She has 39 hits and an on-base percentage of .591. In the circle, she’s 3-1 with a 2.41 ERA and 27 strikeouts.
Those are stellar numbers, but as they say, there’s no substitute for hard work.
“If you want to be this amazing hitter, you need to put in the reps,” Jager said. “It’s all about reps. That’s where I feel like I’ve gotten better. I put in numerous amounts of time hitting, pitching and fielding.”
Maggie Jager said a major change came at age 10 when her daughter switched from the right side of plate to the left, turning her into the hitter she is today.
Being several steps closer to first base allowed her to get more hits, making all the difference.
“The more times you get on base is a boost of confidence,” Maggie said.
Fast forward to high school, and Josie Jager’s hitting has improved for other reasons. For example, she leads the Knights in doubles with 14 while batting third after leading off as a junior.
“She usually gets on base with an extra-base hit,” Maggie said. “Instead of hitting flat, it’s tilting with the bat more and trying to elevate that ball.”
Even so, Jager’s ability to hit is impressive, according to senior catcher Lucy Cameron.
“She really knows how to adjust pitch to pitch,” said Cameron, a fellow captain with Jager. “Many people adjust at-bat to at-bat or game to game.
“She’ll go up there, and sometimes she does a little shuffle move in the box if it’s slower so she gets better timing on it. Doing a nice, easy swing, you can really drive the ball.”
But here’s a bit of a paradox. If Jager has to choose between playing first base and pitching, she would take the circle, thank you very much.
“You get to lead the field,” Jager said. “You are the main aspect in every inning, and everyone relies on you to be the best you can be.”
Lincoln-Way Central’s Josephine Jager (16) makes contact against Lincoln-Way East during a SouthWest Suburban Conference crossover game in Frankfort on Tuesday, April 11, 2023. (Steve Johnston / Daily Southtown)
Still, not having Jager’s masterful bat will be the challenge next season.
“She is going to be one of our biggest losses — that consistency in the middle of the lineup,” Tarala said. “Even when she doesn’t have her best games, she’s a tough out, no matter what.”
Jager knows where she will be moving forward, having committed to Indianapolis. With her future in softball secure, she wants to leave her mark at Lincoln-Way Central.
“As a senior, I feel greater pressure to perform for younger athletes that maybe want to look up to me,” she said, adding she will study occupational therapy in college. “Kids that you know, I was in that same position as they are in now. I want to be that varsity player.”
She’s adamant about one more thing concerning her high school career.
“I just want to go out with a bang,” she said.
Gregg Voss is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.
