GRAND RAPIDS – Following a baseball stint at Alpena Community College in 2024, Kaleb Blaskowski wasn’t sure if he’d continue to play.
But deep inside, he wanted to.
Because he loves the game more than most people do.
So, on a random day, Blaskowski did his best to keep his dream alive by firing out a Twitter X post, seeing if anyone was interested. While the post only generated three likes at the time, one coach noticed.
It was Grace Christian University’s Colton Wolfe, who quickly contacted Blaskowski. A trip down to the Grand Rapids campus followed for Blaskowski with his uncle Matt, another true baseball guy.
The very next day, Blaskowski had himself a new home at GCU, where he’s currently thriving as a pitcher with the Tigers as his collegiate career closes.
“I love it down here,” Blaskowski said. “It helps having family down here that I’m able to live with. Coming out of high school, there’s two different times where I was done playing baseball, and just the fact that I’m able to keep finding a way back, it’s funny but it’s sweet. It’s hard to put into words because I just never thought I’d be able to be doing what I’m doing.”
It’s been quite an intriguing senior baseball journey for Blaskowski, who started to build confidence during the last fall season, when he performed against opponents like Sault College, Muskegon Community College and Aquinas College. Blaskowski’s impact with GCU has been felt most this spring, as he’s posted a 9-3 record with 70 strikeouts and a 3.83 earned run average. Taking on Maranatha Baptist University on Saturday, April 25, Blaskowski earned the win by fanning a season-high 12 batters in 6 2/3 shutout innings for the Tigers, who won 9-0.
“The coaches here help a ton, the players here help a ton, and after this fall I really realized what type of pitcher I could be,” Blaskowski said. “Trust is a huge thing the coaches have instilled down here, and it’s really helped me.”
At the college level, pitching has been the main point of emphasis for Blaskowski, who was a member of the 2022 district champion Cheboygan Chiefs. Blaskowski pitched then, too, but because the Chiefs featured pitching stars Henry Stempky and Daniel Wilson, who currently play at Saginaw Valley State University, he was Cheboygan’s No. 3, and he was good with it.
As well as things are going for Blaskowski on the mound this spring, perhaps his biggest college achievement was when he was recently named GCU’s male athlete of the year.
“It’s just unbelievable,” Blaskowski said. “I never thought I’d be in this position.”
The college baseball ride has undoubtedly been a successful one for Blaskowski, but he knows emotions will be running high as senior day with the team and graduation approach.
In the end, he’s just grateful Wolfe and GCU provided him a chance.
“I’m just trying to soak up every moment with the guys, with the team and coaches that I can, so it’s definitely going to be sad, for sure,” Blaskowski said.
Contact sports editor Jared Greenleaf at jgreenleaf@gannett.com. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter @sportsCDT
This article originally appeared on Cheboygan Daily Tribune: Cheboygan’s Kaleb Blaskowski excelling with Grace Christian baseball
Reporting by Jared Greenleaf, Cheboygan Daily Tribune / Cheboygan Daily Tribune
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
