For his performances this season Kash Kalkowski is again an honorary captain of the Journal Star Super-State team, this time sharing the honor with future Husker teammate Jake Kuebler of Lincoln Southeast.
RYLY JANE HAMBLETON / Lincoln Journal Star | Posted: Friday, May 30, 2008 7:00 pm
When Kash Kalkowski got off to a slow start this spring, it was something of a mystery.
After all, the Grand Island senior was a two-time Super-Stater and was the honorary captain of the team last spring. He is a Nebraska recruit and will likely be drafted in the Major League Baseball Draft next month.
“I didn’t tell anybody because I didn’t want to make excuses, but I separated my left shoulder at the beginning of the basketball season,” Kalkowski admitted. “It went right back in, but I had a lot of pain during the basketball season. When I started working out for baseball, my throwing motion was off.”
When it came back, Kalkowski was as good as ever, and then some. He helped lead Grand Island to its first state baseball championship with a pair of wins and a save in the state tournament.
For that performance, he is again an honorary captain of the Journal Star Super-State team, this time sharing the honor with future Husker teammate Jake Kuebler of Lincoln Southeast.
“Baseball is my sport, but we thought we were going to have a really great season in basketball,” Kalkowski said. “It didn’t turn out as good as we had hoped, and not throwing might have been bad for me.
“My stats weren’t good the first half of the season, but you have to admit that this spring was awful. We just didn’t get any good weather.”
When some decent weather finally rolled around, Kalkowski was ready.
“I started hitting a ton. I just decided I had to pick it up. We got guys back from injuries and we just focused on each game,” he said. “It turned out to be a great run.”
The right-handed pitcher and shortstop for the Islanders is honored as a utility player for the third time, acknowledging his abilities at both positions.
“I like being called a utility player. It means I’m good at more than one position,” Kalkowski said. “I still want to play the field. I know Ben Kline (Husker freshman shortstop) is doing an excellent job. I could play just about any position, although probably not catcher. I still take infield at third.”
Husker coach Mike Anderson will have to wait until after the draft to find out if he has the kind of problem any coach would love — multiple outstanding players at the same position.
“I hear a lot of things. People call me every day and I know I’ll get drafted. It’s just a matter of when,” Kalkowski said. “I have drawn a line. If I get to that mark, I’ll go pro. If not, I’ll go to Nebraska.
“Division I college teams play 50-some games and then you can play summer, so it’s not like you don’t get any good baseball.”
Kalkowski was 6-2 with three saves and a 1.74 earned-run average. He hit .471 with 32 RBIs.
Kuebler made his biggest mark on the mound, posting a 7-0 record and a 0.17 ERA. He also was the Knights’ offensive leader, hitting .548 with 33 RBIs and a slugging percentage of .844.
“I know pitching is my big thing, but you never know what’s going to happen,” Kuebler said. “So I still spend a lot of time taking batting practice and taking grounders.”
The Knights’ right-hander missed the state tournament, serving a two-week suspension for violating team rules.
“I know I let a lot of people down. I didn’t get to do what I love at a time that was really important,” he said. “I just have to learn from it. This American Legion season will be my last time to play high school baseball, so I’ll enjoy it, but then I’m eager to move on.”
Like Kalkowski, he spent the winter playing basketball, as well as getting ready for baseball season.
“I think there’s a mentality that I brought to basketball. I’m not the most talented in that sport, so I have to learn to accept failure,” he said. “I’ve had a lot more success on the baseball field.
“But by doing that, I understand guys who just want to be out there. I’m a leader on the baseball field and I tried to help guys on the basketball team the same way. I had the mentality, but maybe not the skills.”
That certainly isn’t the case on the diamond.
Kuebler and Kalkowski became friends while on a Nebraska recruiting visit and talk or text often. They’re even talking about being college roommates — if the draft doesn’t separate them.
Reach Ryly Jane Hambleton at 473-7314 or rhambleton@journalstar.com.