Lyle-Pacelli senior Daniel Bollingberg has learned to embrace being a big game pitcher, but even he admits it wasn’t always that way.

It wasn’t that long ago when Bollingberg was a nervous freshman pitching in a Section 1A West opening game against Southland. The Athletics lost that game 7-1, but a young Bollingberg allowed just two earned runs in the loss.

“As a freshman going against those Southland teams, you know how good they were,” Bollingberg said. “They were established and we were up and coming. I was pretty nervous back then, but I’ve grown more comfortable and now I want to be on the mound pitching in those games.”

This past week Bollingberg pitched his team to playoff wins over Southland and Faribault Bethlehem Academy. In those games, he allowed just two earned runs and he struck out 16 in 14 innings of work. The No. 3 Athletics (17-3 overall) will play No. 1 USC (15-5 overall) in the Section 1A West title game in Riverland 5 p.m. Thursday.

There is a chance that Bollingberg, who has committed to play baseball at Division III University of St. Thomas, could see more time on the mound against USC, depending on how his arm feels on that day. If he can go, it would be his third start in a week.

“I’m not going to take the ball away from him, but if his arm is a little sore it’s not worth it to ruin somebody’s future over a high school baseball game,” LP head coach Brock Meyer said. “He’s got bigger and better things ahead of him.”

Bollingberg received a big honor in the state of Minnesota recently as he was invited to play in the Let’s Play Ball Minnesota All-Star Series, which will be held June 23-25.

Bollingberg had made it one of his goals to play in the game and he’s excited to get the chance to play with the state’s best.

“To be recognized as one of the better players is a huge honor,” he said. “[This year has] been amazing. Every year we’ve built as a program and this year it’s all come together. Right now we’re playing some of our best baseball. All four of us seniors have come together and it’s been really fun. We’ve worked hard and to have it all come together, we just want to have it go as long as we can.”

Meyer said that Bollingberg has grown both mentally and physically over the last four years. He also has all of the faith in the world when he hands Bollingberg the game ball in a playoff situation.

“Every time he’s on the mound I think the defense plays a little bit tougher,” Meyer said of Bollingberg. “They know they’re going to get balls, because he’s going to throw strikes. He’s always around the zone. Whenever he’s pitching, it means something.”

With a win on Thursday the Athletics will advance to Section 1A tournament play in Rochester Saturday and it’s been a long time since the Athletics have gone that far in the postseason. Meyer pointed to Lyle grad Jordan Hart, who plays at Minnesota State and has been helping the Athletics as a coach, as an example as to how hard it is to go deep in the playoffs.

“I told the kids not to take it for granted. I told them to ask the seniors and ask Jordan, it doesn’t happen very often,” Meyer said. “You have to live in the moment, because you never know when you’re going to get back there.”