ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) –  Sandia High School’s Zach Kmatz had a solid junior season for the Matador baseball team this year. He held a 1.58 ERA, racked up 61 strikeouts, and he also threw a shutout against La Cueva in the State Quarterfinals.

After that solid performance in the State Tournament, Kmatz announced his commitment to Oregon State. This was a huge feat for the junior pitcher, as he says he mainly received small school offers prior to this year. “At the beginning of the year we played Las Cruces and I hit 92 MPH, and that’s when TCU and Oregon State started reaching out. That Cruces game, that’s when I realized that I could go to a pretty good prestigious baseball school”, said Zach Kmatz.

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Oregon States Baseball program is well known across the country, and it’s also where Zach’s older brother Jacob currently plays. Jacob Kmatz was also a stand-out pitcher for Sandia, and now a sophomore for the Beavers, Jacob is in the starting rotation for Oregon State.

“He was like, I am so proud of you, you have worked your butt off, and you deserve it. Its pretty cool that I might get a chance to go play with him”, said Zach.

Zach went from thinking that he would have to play baseball at a Junior College, to now earning an offer from a prestigious Division I Program. Zach understands that hard work still lies ahead, but he is confident in his work ethic and hopes to win along the way.

“Well, I knew I had the potential in me I just didn’t think I would get to this level. I am just trying to work hard and win every single championship at every single level, and it would be really cool if I got that next year”, said Zach