When Mychal Lanik became Lincoln East’s baseball coach in 2018, the Spartans had made the state tournament twice in 23 years. Still, Lanik saw potential in the program and he hoped others would, too.
Since then, an all-star assistant coaching staff has assembled at Lincoln East, and this year’s Spartans are reaping the benefits. It all starts at the plate, where hitting coach Kirby Killion and former Lincoln Southeast standout Taylor Doggett place more emphasis on mentality than on mechanics.
“Kirby just really understands that hitting’s about your approach and your confidence, maybe even more so than your mechanics,†Lanik said. “Him and Coach Doggett spend a lot of time talking to our kids about what pitches to look for and what they’re trying to do. We have a lot of kids with a lot of different swings, and we feel really comfortable about that.â€
That approach at the plate has led to just about all of Lincoln East’s starters hitting above .300 this season, including Charlie Mosser (.396), Cooper Erikson (.390), Jaelyn Welch (.385) and Brayan Van Meter (.382).
Most impressive of all has been junior Keegan Brink, who is the only Class A player to hit above .500 this season. Brink’s average of .511 is third best in the entire state, while his five home runs and 37 RBIs are also good for top-10 marks. Fastballs away, hanging curveballs and anything over the plate have been Brink’s go-to pitches to hit, and it doesn’t hurt that he’s sandwiched between Van Meter and Erikson as the Spartans’ No. 3 hitter in the lineup.
“Confidence at the plate has probably led me to the most success,†Brink said. “They really can’t pitch around any of us in our lineup, so that allows all of us to see quality pitches that we can do damage with.â€
The only holdover on the coaching staff from before Lanik’s tenure is Keegan’s father, Ben Brink, who also spent a season as Beatrice’s head coach. The elder Brink helps to coach the infield, and Keegan Brink said he’s looking forward to "making lifelong memories†together at the state tournament, which begins Saturday at Sherman Field and Den Hartog Field.
“It’s pretty nice; he’s been coaching me ever since 8U select, so it’s just become normal for me,†Keegan Brink said.
A recent addition to the East coaching staff has been former major league pitcher and Lincoln Saltdogs pitching coach Dan Reichert. Pitchers such as Sam Wragge, Ryan Clementi and Jaelyn Worthley have made tremendous progress this season, and Reichert’s influence is a big reason why.
“If they’re not feeling comfortable about something, they can go ask a guy who struck out Derek Jeter and Manny Ramirez about what this looks like,†Lanik said. "He’s just brutally honest with them and they love him for that; he’s been an incredible addition to our staff.â€
With the help of two additional assistant coaches in Noah Kulhanek and Trey Montanez, Lincoln East has between five and seven coaches available to help players take individual drills during practice on specific issues or skills. The final contributor to Lincoln East’s success this season has been an assistant coach Lanik never saw coming — senior Brady Bell.
If not for season-ending Tommy John surgery in the offseason, Bell would have been one of the Spartans’ most important players on the mound and in the field. He hasn’t been able to play a single inning this season, but that hasn’t stopped Bell from helping his teammates get better. During practices he runs the pitching machine, helps the catchers or assists in the batting cages while learning the tricks of what it means to be a coach.
“Brady’s been unbelievable; there’s been times where he’ll ask me a question about the strategy of the game or a decision I made, and it kind of makes me rethink something or have to have a reason why,†Lanik said.
The coaching staff may have helped Lincoln East get to the state tournament, but it’s now in the hands of the players to keep their season going. Considering the Spartans lost out on the 2020 summer Legion tournament due to COVID-19 issues, some of their seniors haven’t participated in a postseason tournament at the varsity level.
That’ll change on Saturday, when the No. 3 Spartans face city rival Lincoln Southwest in a 2 p.m. game at Sherman Field.
“They’re just excited to go out there and play,†Lanik said. “They’re excited to show people what they can do and what kind of team they are. I’m telling everybody we’re bruised, we’re battered and we’re beat up, but we’re going to give it our best shot on Saturday.â€
Photos: A roundup of our favorite staff images from the high school spring sports season