Quiet, shy and humble: three words that describe Utah’s big hitter Nick Kuroczko off the field.
When he’s on the field, though, he turns into a completely different person.
Throughout an agonizing season, where the Utes have lacked consistency, one thing has held true8212;Kuroczko. The team can’t praise him enough for the effort he puts into every game, even though it has had some losses that have deflated the team mentally.
“Kuroczko’s been carrying us through this whole time,” said Utes pitcher Bryn Card. “It’s time for the whole team to start picking it up.”
Hailing from San Rafael, Calif., the junior third baseman has been stellar this season. In 37 starts, he is hitting .345, with 50 hits and 18 RBIs. Although he is second on the team with 30 strikeouts, he leads the team in on-base percentage, getting on almost every other at bat.
He’s ranked No. 16 with his batting average and is No. 4 in the league with six triples. Not only has he been getting it done on offense, he’s also become a defensive specialist, looking like a pro at times on the diamond.
His .952 fielding percentage is one of the best in the league for third basemen. Kuroczko has great range and rifles balls across the field with speed that looks like a Stephen Strasburg fastball. Hitters are doomed when laying down a bunt his way.
“Defense is key, and we’ll just work off of that,” said Utes outfielder Zach Jones.
Kuroczko has been a productive member of the Utes since his sophomore year on the squad. In 2008, he hit .330 in 91 plate appearances. In 32 games, he only recorded four errors at third base, and accumulated a .927 fielding percentage. It was apparent that he would become a star on the team this season, and he’s stepped it up for Utah.
He ranked in accolades during his senior season at Marin Catholic High School, and helped his team win a league championship in 2006. After batting .476 with a slugging percentage of .726 as a senior, he was named the Marin County Athletic League Player of the Year. Kuroczko was also selected to the Connie Mack Western Region All-Tournament team along with all-state honors. The list goes on and on for him, and he’s made major contributions for the Utes.
Perhaps his best attribute is faith in his team this season.
“We know that we got a good team,” Kuroczko said. “Even though some people look at our record and they don’t see that, we know we got a good team.”
Tyler Cobb/The Daily Utah ChronicleU baseball player Nick Kurozcko runs to the dugout after scoring a run against Washington State. His consistent play has been a team staple throughout the season.