WalterWijas

• 2013 preseason No. 49 NCAA senior (Perfect Game)
• SEC Academic Honor Roll (2012)
• SEC Freshman Academic Honor Roll (2010)

Outlook
Senior reliever will help anchor a dynamic UK bullpen in 2013 … Is especially skilled as a middle-innings reliever who specializes in getting right-handed hitters out … Is coming off a dominant performance in the Cape Cod League, going 1-0 with a 0.91 ERA in 16 outings with a save in 19.2 innings … Has improved his velocity over the last two years and has advanced with his command and control of an effective breaking ball … One of three seniors on the roster … Made an impromptu start vs. No. 7 Florida as a freshman as scheduled starter Alex Meyer battled mononucleosis … Did not allow a run over his final seven appearances in 2012.

Summer
Had a breakout summer in the Cape Cod League as a middle reliever for Hyannis, joining UK outfielder Zac Zellers … Earned a 1-0 record and a 0.91 ERA in 16 relief appearances with one save … Tossed 19.2 innings, walking six, allowing 12 hits and striking out 13 … Picked up his win in a two-inning outing on July 3 … Notched his save with a perfect nine inning on July 22 vs. Chatham … Didn’t allow a run in 15 of his 16 relief appearance in the summer, just surrendering two runs in a June 24 inning vs. Bourne … Final 15 innings went without allowing a run, a span of 12 appearances … Without his one outing allowing runs, had a 0.00 ERA in 18.2 innings, surrendering 10 hits and striking out 12.

2012
Was a key right-handed reliever for a UK bullpen that went 40-0 when leading after seven innings … Pitched in 20 games in relief, with a 2-0 record and a 5.57 ERA … Tossed 21 innings, allowing 22 hits and seven walks, striking out 17 … Inherited 22 runners, allowing only five to score (23-percent) … In eight SEC games, posted a 1-0 record and a 4.32 ERA, working 8.1 innings, allowing seven hits and four walks, striking out six … Excelled in seven night games, posted a 0.00 ERA in 7.1 innings, allowing three singles and one walk, holding opponents to a .143 average … Was perfect in his last seven appearances, tossing 5.1 innings without allowing an earned run … In his season debut in the opener, was given the chance at a three-inning save after a pair of dominant innings, before allowing three runs on a grand slam … Rebounded with three shutout innings with four strikeouts vs. Buffalo … Worked two innings with one run allowed vs. UIC … Allowed five runs in two outs vs. Caniusius in a pair of outings … Responded with two shutout innings vs. No. 2 South Carolina in the opener, striking out two on just 20 pitches … Tossed another solid 2.1 shutout innings for a win vs. USC in the series finale to help UK clinch the sweep … Got a key out to start his outing at No. 18 Georgia, before allowing a pair of runs in his next inning … Worked a shutout frame vs. Dayton … After allowing two hits and two runs without getting an out vs. No. 10 Ole Miss, rebounded to fire seven consecutive shutout outings to end the year … Worked two shutout innings at No. 9 Arkansas, a shutout frame vs. Cincinnati and at No. 20 Louisville and getting two outs each at Vanderbilt and Indiana … Had a great summer as a late-inning reliever for the Danbury Westerns in the New England Collegiate Baseball League … Appeared in 17 relief outings for Danbury, posting a 0-2 record and a 4.08 ERA, with eight saves … Struck out 20 in 17.2 innings, walking only five and allowing 20 hits.

2011
Was a workhorse out of the bullpen, appearing in 20 games with a 3-0 record and a 4.58 ERA … Tossed 35.1 innings, walking 13 and striking out 30 … Appeared in nine games in SEC play, posting a 6.38 ERA in 18.1 innings, striking out 14 … Went 3-0 with a 2.65 ERA in 11 non-conference games … Was excellent at home, posting a 2-0 record and a 2.57 ERA in 10 games at Cliff Hagan Stadium … In road games, ranked third on the club with 20 innings, going 1-0 with a 5.40 ERA, striking out 18 … Pitched in seven games that UK won, posting a 3-0 record and a 0.73 ERA in 12.1 innings … Pitched in 13 games that UK lost, posting a 6.65 ERA … Tossed 14 games during the day, owning a 3-0 record and a 3.10 ERA … Tossed six night games, charting a 11.37 ERA and a 1-0 record … Through his first 13 games in 2011, went 3-0 with a 1.19 ERA … Inherited 19 runners on the year, allowing 10 to score … Made season debut at No. 20 College of Charleston in the 2011 lidlifter, going 1.2 shutout innings … Tossed a season-high 3.2 shutout innings in his next game vs. Morehead State for his first career win … Allowed first runs of the year vs. Rice in the 2011 Houston College Classic, allowing two runs in 1.1 innings … Went 2.1 innings vs. Tennessee and picked up his third win of the year with 1.2 innings vs. Canisius … Was great in 3.1 shutout innings vs. Alabama … Hit a rocky patch to end the year, allowing runs in his last seven appearances from April 9 vs. Auburn to May 21 vs. Florida … After allowing three runs with one out at Western Kentucky, didn’t pitch for 10 days, before pitching in two games during the LSU series.

2010
Had a great freshman season as a key reliever … Appeared in 14 games with one start, posting a 0-0 record and a 3.60 ERA … Made one start, coming on a Saturday against eventual SEC Champion Florida, earning BluGrass Baseball Freshman of the Week accolades … Tossed 25 innings, allowing 23 hits, walking only seven and striking out 19 … Appeared in six SEC games with one start, tossing 15 innings with a 3.60 ERA, striking out 12 … Had a 3.60 ERA in eight non-conference appearances … In six games at home and one start, had a 0.73 ERA, tossing 12.1 innings with only one run allowed … Was the surprise starter in UK’s series-salvaging win over Florida, putting UK in position to win … Went 3.1 innings against Florida, allowing three hits and one run, walking one and striking out three … Was dominating into the fourth inning against UF, before the UK bullpen relieved him with one out in the inning … Had a crucial outing against LSU on Friday night, setting UK up for the series sweep over the defending NCAA Champions … Came on in relief of Friday night starter Logan Darnell against LSU and kept UK in the game with 4.1 shutout innings, with Lance Ray’s walk-off homer in the bottom of the ninth giving UK the win … Had another 4.1 innings pitched at Georgia on Friday night, allowing three hits and three runs, striking out a career-high four.

High School
One of the top pitchers in Illinois, Wijas was named all-area and all-conference in 2009 … As a senior, struck out 100 in 73 innings, posting a 1.63 ERA and a 5-5 record … Posted a 0.76 ERA and a 2-0 record in 2008, striking out 40 in 28 innings … As a sophomore, earned a 6-1 record and a 0.42 ERA, working 33 innings with 66 strikeouts … Owns the single-season ERA record at Conant … Hit .482 with seven doubles, two homers and 17 RBI as a sophomore and .419 with four doubles and 11 RBI as a freshman … Coached by Jerry Song … Led team to the regional championship as a sophomore and senior … Played basketball as a freshman.

Personal
Full name is Walter James Wijas … Born Feb. 13, 1991 in Chicago, Ill. … Son of David and Patricia … Has a brother, Kevin (15) and two sisters, Kate (19) and Bridget (18).