Virginia Tech-bound Lyndsey Grein didn’t like ‘tougher start’ to season for Lincoln-Way Central but finishes off West with 15 strikeouts.

Lincoln-Way Central pitcher Lyndsey Grein is such a nice kid.

Before she reached the batter’s box to lead off Thursday’s game against host Lincoln-Way West, she picked up the home plate umpire’s mask.

She delivered it to him with a smile.

“Well … I appreciated him being out there in the cold,” Grein said. “My first baseman, McKenzie (Murdock), she always picks up my mask, so I was like, ‘I might as well.’

“It doesn’t hurt to be a little friendly. He had a great zone and he was a good guy. I was happy to help him.”

In the circle, the Virginia Tech recruit was zoned in for the Knights during a 9-0 SouthWest Suburban Red victory.

Grein, a senior right-hander, threw a four-hit shutout and struck out 15 for Lincoln-Way Central (12-3-1, 4-0). Grein, Kendall Pearson and Jamie Widule each had two hits. Murdock hit a home run.

Abbie Gregus contributed a double for Lincoln-Way West (13-3, 2-1).

The strikeouts keep piling up for Grein. Thursday’s effort gives her 115 in 72 innings. She’s also hitting .449 with nine home runs and 20 RBIs.

“I had a little bit of a tougher start this season,” Grein said. “I put in some extra time. I worked with my family and my dad and my catchers Lucy (Cameron), Lexi (Youngren) and Mia (Guide).

“We just really got to working. I buckled down and was like, ‘I’m going to do it and I’m going to do it right.’”

Lincoln-Way Central coach Jeff Tarala almost didn’t pitch Grein against the Warriors.

“Our shortstop (Youngren) is gone because her grandfather passed away,” Tarala said. “I moved our second baseman (Widule) to short, and I was toying around with the idea of moving Lyndsey over to second base.

“Then I thought, ‘You want to know what? Lyndsey has done so much for Lincoln-Way Central, she has to throw in this game. That’s all there is to it.’ It ended up being the right choice.”

The matchup pitted Grein against another all-area pitcher — Lincoln-Way West right-hander Allie Wondrasek.

The duo each threw three scoreless innings before Murdock broke through for the Knights in the top of the fourth with a one-out home run to left field.

Wondrasek pitched four innings for the Warriors, allowing two hits while striking out four.

“I tried to treat this game like any other game,” Grein said. “But at the same time, yeah, there is that little aura of, ‘It’s Lincoln-Way West or it’s Lincoln-Way East.’

“Kudos to West. They’re all really great girls. They’re a strong and competitive team and they can hit the ball. My goal was to do my job, hit my spots, have faith in the whole process and see how it goes.”

To that end, Grein allowed just one runner to reach second base. She snuffed the two-on, two-out threat with a strikeout.

The home run by Murdock was her fifth of the season. It came on a 2-1 pitch from Wondrasek.

It was a big swing in a big spot against a longtime friend and future college teammate.

“I just felt ready to go,” Murdock said. “I’ve grown up playing with Allie. I’m going to college with her at Lewis. She’s one of the big pitchers I can’t always square up against. I just knew today I was going to change that.”

She squared up and then some.

“I watched it a little bit,” Murdock said, smiling. “It felt nice. Through the whole swing … it was one of those where you don’t feel the ball hit the bat.

“When it’s hit like that, it hits that part of the bat where you don’t really feel it. It’s interesting.”

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