MikeKaczmarek

• SEC Academic Honor Roll (2009)
• SEC Academic Honor Roll (2010)

Outlook
Talented senior has been a workhorse on the UK pitching staff during his career … A highly recruited southpaw out of Illinois, has seen effective time as a midweek starter and as a key, late-inning reliever … Has the ability to be one of the top left-handed specialists in the SEC … As a junior, was used strictly out of the bullpen, functioning as a set-up and middle reliever … Had a dynamic outing against Louisville in 2010, going four shutout, high-pressure innings in relief … An athletic talent, has been working as a two-way player since the fall, emerging as a legitimate contender for playing time in the outfield … Will be a vital member of UK’s pitching staff.

2010
Appeared in 22 games out of the bullpen, the second-most appearances on the team … Used primarily as a set-up and middle reliever … Extremely effective as a left-handed specialist … Posted a 1-0 record and a 5.32 ERA in 23.2 innings, allowing 21 hits and walking only six with 23 strikeouts … Pitched in 12 of UK’s 30 SEC games, charting a 5.40 ERA in 10 innings, with 13 strikeouts … With only six hits allowed in SEC play, held opponents to a .171 batting average … Appeared in 13 games at Cliff Hagan Stadium posting a 1-0 record and a 3.14 ERA … In games UK won, Kaczmarek had a 1-0 record and a 2.25 ERA in 11 relief outings … Was dominating in night games, posting a 1-0 record and a 2.84 ERA in 10 relief outings at night … Had a good month of March, appearing in his first six outing of the year with a 2.57 ERA … Did not make first appearance of the year until March 2 against Morehead State … In a pressure-packed situation against Murray State, UK used Kaczmarek to come in and get two outs against the top left-handed hitters in the lineup, the first taste of a role Kaczmarek would excel in during 2010 … Had a good outing against Wright State, tossing 1.1 shutout innings with one hit and two strikeouts … Made first SEC appearance of the year against Ole Miss, tossing a perfect inning … Had the best outing of his career in relief of a good Jordan Cooper in the first game of the series against Louisville … Against the Cards, came on and tossed four shutout innings, allowing only one hit, a pop-up double to rightfield that was lost in the lights by UK’s rightfielder … Struck out two in the game with UL … Allowed only one homer all year, a go-ahead grand slam from Alabama’s Jake Smith in the eighth inning of the series finale … Struck out a season-best four in a gutty performance at Auburn, going two innings, allowing only one hit and two runs … Pitched in 10 games with nine starts during the summer for the Covington Lumberjacks of the Valley League … Tossed a team-best 51 innings, earning a 2-6 record and a 7.24 ERA … Allowed 71 hits and 41 earned runs, issuing 22 walks with 25 strikeouts.

Mike Kaczmarek

2009

Pitched in 12 games with four midweek starting assignments, totaling a 1-1 record and a 5.11 ERA … Tossed 24.2 innings, allowing 33 hits and 14 earned runs, issuing 13 walks and striking out 25 … Pitched in UK’s final game of the Caravelle Resort Invitational at Coastal Carolina, allowing four hits and five runs – one earned – getting two outs … Allowed one hit and one run in 1.1 innings against Eastern Kentucky … Got first start of the year against Indiana, going 2.2 innings with five hits allowed and two unearned runs, striking out four … Got second start at New Orleans, allowing three hits and two runs in one inning … Best start of the year came against Marshall, going five-scoreless innings, allowing only one hit, walking three and striking out five … Allowed two hits and two runs, getting one hit at eventual SEC Champion Ole Miss … Tossed a scoreless frame against Western Kentucky, striking out the side … In final start of the year, tossed six innings against Lipscomb, allowing one earned run with two walks and five strikeouts … In the final game of the year, at Florida, went 1.1 innings, with two hits allowed and no runs.

2008
Had an outstanding freshman season, appearing in 15 games with three starts … Earned a 1-0 record and a 2.13 ERA … Worked 25.1 innings, striking out 23 and walking 10 … Started mid-week games vs. Eastern Michigan, Morehead State and at Western Kentucky … Worked three innings in two of his three starts, lasting just one in an electric atmosphere at WKU … Struck out all three faced in an inning vs. Wright State … Pitched 1.2 innings in the NCAA Tournament, both on June 1, with the Wildcats facing elimination … Had a good summer in the New York Collegiate Baseball League … Numbers were dominant for much of the summer, before arm fatigue developed … Worked in seven games with five starts, tossing 25.2 innings, striking out 29 … Posted a 2-1 record and a 5.26 ERA.

High School
Played under Coach Frank Ganser at Victor J. Andrew High School … As a senior, went 6-3 with a 2.38 ERA, striking out 76 in 42.1 innings … Named an All-Conference and All-Area performer … Senior season, batted .360 with 39 hits, 32 runs, nine doubles, three home runs, 41 RBI and nine base thefts … Junior year, went 7-2 with a 1.73 ERA, pitching in 47.1 innings and striking out 93 … Junior year, batted .440 with 50 hits, 35 runs, 15 doubles, six homers, 43 RBI and seven stolen bases … Named All-State, All-Conference and All-Area, as well as Honorable Mention All-American … Led summer league team to a state final four appearance … Member of National Honor Society.

Personal
Full name is Michael James Kaczmarek … Son of Michael and Helen Kaczmarek … Born October 5, 1988 in Palos, Ill. … Has two sisters, Brittany (27) and Kayla (18).