Matt Mikolajczak, Lincoln-Way Central. Fall sports photo day at Andrew High School in Tinley Park, Illinois, Sunday, November 18, 2012. | Joseph P. Meier~Sun Times Media
When did you decide to take baseball over basketball?
It’s always been my love, so I’ve always known that I wanted to play college baseball. Basketball is just kind of something that I like to do, but it’s not something that I want to do in college.
What was it about Ohio University that attracted you?
Everything seemed to fit when I was down there. It’s a beautiful campus, I liked the coaches and it’s a Division I school. They made a good offer. It was something I couldn’t pass up.
What is MAC (Mid-American Conference) baseball like?
It’s pretty competitive. It’s a mid-major conference. Kent State just went to the College World Series. They have a lot of good baseball.
Left-handed pitchers are rare, aren’t they?
Yes, they are kind of something special. I think it’s a huge advantage in baseball and it draws a lot of attention from college scouts, because there aren’t a lot of us in the high school game. I think this year was a down recruiting class for left-handed pitchers.
What advantage do you have over a hitter?
Hitters don’t see left-handed pitchers often, and the ball is hidden from the batter. They don’t see the ball until later in the motion.
Will you be a starter or a reliever?
My freshman year I’ll probably start in the bullpen. You have to work your way up and prove to the coaches that you can be a starter.
As told to Tina Akouris
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