University of Illinois Springfield trusted its 6th-year pitcher. Now it is playing for title
Cameron Zunkel has been around the University of Illinois Springfield baseball program for six years.
The redshirt senior pitcher has never been in anything quite like this.
The Prairie Stars (48-9) punched their first ever ticket to the NCAA Division II championship in Cary, N.C. over the weekend. They earned the No. 7 seed with eight teams remaining and will start the double-elimination bracket against No. 2 Point Loma (48-8) at 5 p.m. on Saturday.
“You can just tell the practices that we've had this week already, it's a different feeling,” Zunkel said. “We've been in a regional before and we've been in the super regional before, but we've never done this. To practice on Memorial Day and play baseball in June, that was the ultimate goal.
“This is going to be a new experience for everyone, but we're excited. We're confident, we think we have the pieces to get it done.”
Moving up the rotation
Zunkel helped cement UIS’ first championship berth as the starter in Saturday’s super regional finale against Great Lakes Valley Conference rival Quincy. He allowed just one run, three hits and one walk in four innings to allow the Stars to build a 4-1 advantage and hold on for the 10-8 win over the Hawks in the winner-take-all showdown.
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The Lombard native and Willowbrook High School graduate rested all of his faith in his teammates.
“I kind of just had to treat it like just another game,” Zunkel said. “Otherwise you let the nerves get the best of you. I had an idea coming in that I was going to start Game 2 that day. There's a little bit of nerves there, but we have one of the best offenses in the country.
“I knew if I can hold them to just one or two runs that our offense would do the rest of the work and the defense behind me would do the rest of the work as well.”
Zunkel has made 15 pitching appearances this season but just five as a starter. That includes three straight starts in the postseason.
He started eight games his freshman year in 2017, but he had just one the following year as a bulwark in the bullpen. His next start didn’t come until this season against Missouri St. Louis on March 29.
“It's fun to have the ball in the big games, for sure,” Zunkel said. “During the regular season, I was mainly a reliever out of the 'pen coming in for the starters. But I mean, it's fun to be a starter in the postseason for sure and be able to be trusted enough to have the ball.”
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Zunkel has mixed in more offspeed pitches and different locations as a starter. Otherwise, he said it just comes down to having a competitive mindset.
“I think coach (Ryan) Copeland does a really good job at instilling that into his pitchers, which is just being able to go out there, compete, throw strikes, pound the zone and let your stuff work and then you live with the result,” Zunkel said. “I think that mindset really helps our pitching staff as a whole. I think coach Copeland does a really good job of doing that and getting our pitchers into that mindset.”
Long journey
Zunkel was tabbed all-GLVC first team as a closer in 2018 but was then diagnosed with Crohn’s disease in September. He had surgery the following April and missed the 2019 season with a medical redshirt. Zunkel estimated he lost about 50-55 pounds as a result. The COVID-19 pandemic subsequently eradicated the ensuing spring.
He ultimately credited the supporting cast of teammates and coaches for overcoming the obstacles along the way.
“It's been hard at times, but I've had some really, really good teammates and some really good guys here to help me get through some of those times that I've been through,” Zunkel said.
The right-handed veteran raked in all-GLVC first team honors again this season and has a 1.40 ERA with 34 strikeouts and just seven walks in 38 2/3 innings. He also has a 5-0 record while limiting opponents to just six earned runs total.
He has a master's degree in communication, but is living in the moment for good reason.
“I think the main thing that I've been trying to do lately and in the past couple of years is just really enjoying the little things and thinking about all of those little things that you have — those road trips with your teammates, just hanging out with the teammates and the games,” Zunkel said. “It's not so much the result anymore.
“Obviously, we're in Cary now and we want to win it all but I think looking back on the past you remember about all of those times that you have with your teammates, your boys and those conversations you have with the coaches and all of that. I think it's enjoying the little things is a really big takeaway for me.”
Contact Bill Welt: (217) 788-1545, bill.welt@sj-r.com, Twitter.com/BillWelt
This article originally appeared on State Journal-Register: UIS baseball trusted its pitcher. Now its playing for NCAA title
