Funny Name, Serious Talent

MaxPreps Student Section.

Having pitched for 11 years at various fields across the nation, nothing feels more like home to the 6'3, 200 pound, southern southpaw Rob Zastryzny, than the pitcher's mound. Whether it is his early beginnings in the Oil Belt Little League, record setting career at Calallen (Corpus Christi, Texas) High School, or taking the mound at Taylor Stadium in Columbia, Missouri as the ace pitcher for the Missouri Tigers, there's no doubt the baseball field lies within his comfort zone.

At this time last year, Zastryzny was well on his way to earning the title of MaxPreps All- American. As a senior at Calallen High School, Zastryzny pitched his way to a 16-1 season, leading the Calallen Wildcats to the 2010 Texas 4-A State Finals. His record proved to be the result of an outstanding senior season, accumulating 190 strikeouts in 104 innings pitched with a .40 ERA.

"Success only comes with hard work," Zastryzny said. "I contribute the success I've had throughout my baseball career, to the amount of work and time I've put into it." His philosophy is a direct result of Orlando Salinas, his youth coach of 6 years, who encouraged Rob's persistence in the game of baseball, molding him into the player he is today.

Rob's hard work is a combination of his drive to win and his love of the game, both of which became notably apparent during the Regional Finals his senior year against rival powerhouse Lake Travis High School, who had made it to the Regional Finals three consecutive years. After acquiring his first and only loss of the season in the initial game of the series, his long time teammate Wyatt Mathisen won game 2 to force the tiebreaker. Less than 24 hours after his first pitching performance, Zastryzny shocked fans as he took the mound once again for the deciding game. After an unparalleled pitching performance of 7 innings, with 13 strikeouts (a total of over 150 pitches for the series), he got the win to advance the wildcats to the state semi-finals.

Since leaving Wildcat Field, he's moved onto Taylor Stadium, home of the Missouri Tigers, where he was quick to make a name for himself. The freshman worked his way to the top of the pitching rotation, securing the Friday starting spot. But, the Friday night lights did not seem to have an impact on his "newcomer" composure. In his matchup against the prestigious Oklahoma Sooners, Zastryzny pitched 8 innings with 8 strikeouts on 5 hits, giving up no earned runs. "College baseball has taught me to try to minimize, not shut out, approaching the situation without underestimating the batters I face. Everyone was once a top player at his high school," he said. With plans to be drafted and play professionally, his location in the future is uncertain, but no matter what stadium his future holds, the pitcher's mound will always remain the same to the freshman starter, Rob Zastryzny. It remains home.