As a sophomore last season, Austin Paskewic manned third base for Streamwood. But during practice, he had his eyes firmly planted on playing his position of the future at catcher.
This spring as a junior, Paskewic knew he would be tasked with replacing Nick Weaver, one of the program’s all-time greats. So Paskewic tried to take away as much as he could from him.
“In practice especially, he really helped me with my receiving and work behind the plate,” Paskewic said. “Situational stuff, especially sitting behind him, he was really good at that.
“That carried over to me.”
Weaver’s knack to drive in runs with runners in scoring position rubbed off on him as well. Paskewic put that on display Monday in a 9-5 Upstate Eight Conference win over Larkin.
Paskewic went 3-for-4 with four RBIs for the Sabres (12-12, 9-6). Miguel Rodriguez earned the win, pitching a complete game. He struck out two and allowed two earned runs on seven hits and a walk. Antonio Alanis added two RBIs.
Peyton Wemken had three hits and an RBI and scored a run for Larkin (12-12, 8-7).
Weaver just wrapped up his first regular season at Elgin Community College, continuing the dominance that made him an all-state selection last season. He’s hitting .423 with 22 extra-base hits, 53 runs and 47 RBIs in 46 games.
Streamwood coach Dan Jennings knows being the understudy to a player like that would only benefit Paskewic.
“Sitting behind him was great,” Jennings said. “During practice, he would do a lot of things with Nick. He was the best defensive catcher that I’ve ever coached.
“(Paskewic) has done a really good job back there for us.”
Jennings sees a similar development path for Paskewic.
“The little things between pitches, helping pitchers, showing signs early, he’s getting it,” Jennings said. “Nick eventually moved on to calling his own game. I think Austin can do that for us.
“He’s been doing really well just helping our pitchers and things like that.”
Paskewic also took his approach to RBI situations from Weaver.
In the first inning Monday, Paskewic got the Sabres on the board with a two-run single. He also singled and his courtesy runner scored in the third. He then put the game away with a two-run single in the sixth.
“He was our best bat overall all year,” Paskewic said of Weaver. “Even if he wasn’t hitting the ball hard all game, if he knew his swing was a little off, he would just slap it through the infield and get some hits and RBIs. I try my best to do that.
“(Monday) was one of those games where my swing didn’t feel the best. I was just trying to hit the ball well enough to get through the infield, and I think I did that.”
Rodriguez danced with danger the whole game, but Larkin couldn’t capitalize often enough. The Royals stranded five on base and had two runners thrown out at the plate.
“We were right there, a couple missed opportunities from possibly breaking that game open,” Larkin coach Niko Morado said. “(Rodriguez) did a good job of mixing speeds, mixing locations, kind of keeping us off balance.
“Funky delivery — doesn’t blow it by you but is effective.”
Speaking of effective, replacing an all-state player can be nerve-wracking, but Paskewic credited his teammates for easing the burden.
“It’s a little bit, but not that much because I have a couple guys that help me around the lineup,” he said. “Dylan King is getting on base, so he’s giving me those RBI opportunities. Chris Cole is hitting the ball really well.
“If I don’t get them in, I feel less pressure because (Alanis) is behind me.”
Paul Johnson is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News.
