By Cameron Boon
A year ago Tim Knesnik jumped onto the scene with the Stony Brook Seawolves’ pitching staff. After striking out 28 and being named to Louisville Slugger Freshman All-America, second-team All-America East, and America East All-Rookie teams, it was clear he was ready to take the next step.
During the summer of 2013, he took his talents up to Rochester, NY and the Rochester Ridgemen. “I had a great time,” Knesnik recalls of his time there. “It was a nice, relaxed atmosphere and we still got our work done.”
He came into the summer as a reliever, but it was clear there were intentions to get more innings for the Milford, Penn. native. “Relief is hit or miss. You never know when you’ll get in,” he said, which led to the transformation of him becoming a starter.
In his first game as a Ridgeman, a June 8th date with the Niagara Power, he started and did pretty well. “It was kind of awkward at first,” Knesnik said of the game. Knesnik walked the first batter of the game, one of five in the contest, but other than that had a solid line.
He would win his first summer ball start, only allowing three runs (two earned) on four hits, while striking out five.
The one big difference in jumping from the NCAA to the NYCBL is that the metal bats are replaced with wooden bats. Some pitchers could get a little phased by this and over-think it. Knesnik stayed with his principles and it worked to his advantage. “You definitely get less bloop hits, but other than that I just wanted to stay with the same technique I used in the spring,” he said.
The gem of his season came in a July 7th game with the Geneva Red Wings. After getting a win credited to him two days earlier against them, a game in which he struck out four of the seven batters he faced, he took the start in the second meeting and had the same impact.
He struck out six batters and only allowed four hits and one run. The right-hander didn’t get much run support, but his effort was more than enough.
Coming back to the Seawolves as they try to win their first conference title since their magical 2012 CWS run, he now has a bigger role than when he left. He is tied for the most starts with team ace Frankie Vanderka, and his ERA is only 6 points lower, posting a 2.89 through April 25th. “I was more comfortable coming back as a starter because of last summer,” Knesnik said.
It’s definitely showing, as is first on the team in runs allowed by starting pitchers.
Go Cowboys