GNN PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Changes at plate help Niagara Wheatfield’s Lindsay Tylec pile up hits (2024)

SANBORN — Lindsay Tylec was already efficient at the plate. But, in her mind, there was always a problem to solve.

Last season, as a freshman, she helped Niagara Wheatfield finish as the runners-up in the Section VI Class A1 tournament. Tylec stood out as a reliable lead-off hitter for the Falcons, batting .536 with three home runs and 24 RBIs.

While also having a strong presence in the outfield by not committing an error last season, hitting is where she felt she made the most impact. A good start to her varsity career at the plate left her hungry for more opportunities.

She kept swinging any chance she could in the offseason, competing in travel tournaments across the country, including in Tennessee and California. Tylec’s output only increased as a sophom*ore this season.

Named the Niagara Frontier League Player of the Year, Tylec had a .589 average and 10 home runs, the most by a Falcon in 20 years. Plus, she drove in 32 runs and scored an additional 34 for the red-and-black, which defended its league title and reached the AA semifinal.

Exceeding her numbers from last year earned Tylec Greater Niagara Newspapers Player of the Year, becoming the fourth Niagara Wheatfield player to receive the award in the last five years, joining teammate Julia Kwitchoff (2023), Elanna Lysiak (2021) and MacKenzie Franks (2019).

“It was definitely an improvement, I think, from last season,” Tylec said. “... I think I just put the ball in play a lot more. And I think my power definitely rose a little bit from last season. So that's probably what I noticed most.”

Tylec’s meticulous attack at the plate and in her training can be traced back to how she approaches her work in the classroom. Tylec currently has a 4.0 GPA, with grades in the high 90s in her classes.

Out of all the classes she takes, Tylec enjoys the math and sciences courses the most, with Algebra 2/Trigonometry her favorite due to its difficulty. Solving for problems, like using the Pythagorean Theorem, keeps her mind engaged, with the skills transferring over to softball quite easily.

Tylec had some power in her swing last season, which resulted in an .841 slugging percentage. But she wanted to work on developing a better, more efficient swing by the time she returned to school ball.

To adjust, Tylec focused more on throwing her hands towards the bat in her swing and more force from her legs, along with better eye contact, during her time in the batting cages and competing in tournaments. Focusing on her effort at the plate and out of her head allowed her to stay motivated after starting the season with only two home runs through her first 11 games.

“I think I just stopped thinking about pleasing everyone around me (and) just really focused on all my work,” Tylec said. “And, just using my mechanics and just figuring it out myself without thinking about how to make myself look good in front of everyone. Just doing it for myself and my team.”

As a result of her hitting growth, Tylec also drove in at least two runs in seven contests — with a three-home-run, seven RBI game against Niagara Falls — including three games with at least four RBIs. After accounting for 14.5% of Niagara Wheatfield’s 166 RBIs last season, Tylec was responsible for 19.1% of its 168 RBIs this season, while also making up the same percentage of the team’s 178 runs.

Tylec’s problem-solving abilities and quick thinking has also helped in the dugout for the Falcons. By processing the information she sees in her own at-bats, Tylec makes in-game adjustments and relays the information to her teammates.

“Lindsay does a great job of talking to the hitters when they come up,” Niagara Wheatfield head coach Kevin Schucker said. “So, after Lindsay hits, I know she’s talking to the next kids coming up on what the pitcher’s tendencies (are), where she’s going to call, where she’s not going to call, what’s her strength. So, (Lindsay’s) constantly communicating to the next hitters coming up.”

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Joe Kraus can be reached via joseph.kraus@niagara-gazette.com or on Twitter @ByJoeKraus.