The RoundHouse | 5/26/2021 11:35:00 PM
Jace Kaminska is the call-back to the Wichita State past and the preview.
Think about pitchers such as Aaron Shafer (2006) and Jordan Cooper (2009), both Baseball America Freshman All-Americans. They came in with talent and stuff. More important, they came in with advanced baseball brains.
They were drafted in the 16
th(Shafer) and 17
th(Cooper) rounds before wisely choosing college as a way to mature and improve their skills and draft status. Both played big roles on the staff as rookies. Both pitched on the weekend. Both started NCAA regional games with superior results.
Those are the types of pitchers the Shockers thrived with for years – accurate, confident and savvy. Kaminska, the American Athletic Conference Newcomer Pitcher of the Year, is that type of pitcher, as he proved again Thursday.
"I love his composure, especially for a young person," coach
Eric Wedge said. "He stepped up time and time again. Hopefully, we're going to give him another opportunity to step up."
Kaminska, undrafted out of Caney Valley High School, went 8 1/3 innings to beat Houston 5-3 in an elimination game in the AAC Championship in Clearwater, Fla. He allowed three hits, struck out six and walked one.
"I knew how important it was, but it was a little different," Kaminska said. "I didn't feel pressured at all. I felt pretty loose the whole game."
The third-seeded Shockers (31-22) play either sixth-seeded USF or second-seeded Tulane late Friday afternoon in another elimination game. Seventh-seeded Houston (19-34) went 1-8 against the Shockers this season.
Kaminska didn't allow a hit until Ian McMillan singled to lead off the sixth inning.
Wichita State's defense helped Kaminska with three double plays. Third baseman
Paxton Wallace made two highlight plays – one grabbing a low line drive and the other a back-pedaling, falling catch of a pop fly in left field that left him flat on his stomach.
Kaminska took care of the rest by inducing weak contact. He moved the ball around, unafraid to pitch inside and then using that to go away from hitters. He went to a three-ball count three times and used an economical 92 pitches to work through the Cougars.
He foreshadowed his spot on the all-conference team in late March with five strong innings in a win over Kansas State. Since those early days of the season, he credits an improved breaking pitch as a vital addition.
"My breaking ball has come a long, long way," he said. "I was in the pen earlier in the year and I didn't really have much of a breaking ball. Then I developed one. Being able to hit spots and throw three pitches for a strike, I think that helps a lot."
Kaminska came out after giving up Kyle Lovelace's first home run of the season. He understood the decision, even if it bothered him.
"I wish I would have finished it," he said. "I was kind of upset. If we lose, we're done, so I can see (Wedge) not taking any chances."
That is the attitude that sustained Shafer and Cooper.
In 2006, Shafer won Sunday starts three consecutive weekends to save the Shockers from a sweep. He beat Houston ace Brad Lincoln, soon to be the No. 4 pick in the draft, in the regional opener 2-1.
Cooper, in 2009, beat Pepperdine, Long Beach State and Nebraska. In NCAA play, he struck out 10 in eight innings and allowed three hits and three runs in a 3-2 elimination loss to Washington State.
Those are good role models for Kaminska and a reminder of how a program such as Wichita State can win with good arms and better pitching personalities. Kaminska is a worthy part of that line of freshmen.
Paul Suellentrop covers Wichita State Athletics and the American Athletic Conference for university Strategic Communications. Story suggestion? Contact him at paul.suellentrop@wichita.edu.
