Kujawa and Sohn Reflect on Summer Ball Experience

KALAMAZOO, Mich.- The baseball season does not end once the final pitch is made at the College World Series. It's really only the beginning of a long, grinding summer. Western Michigan sophomores Jared Kujawa and Andrew Sohn were two of 10 Broncos who spent their summers away from home playing in summer wooden bat leagues.

Sophomore catcher Jared Kujawa last year for the Broncos had a .272 batting average with 39 RBI's. During the summer months, he went on to play for the Chillicothe Paints in the Prospect League. Right away Kujawa figured out that it was going to be a long summer for himself.

"I had to get used to the grind," said Kujawa. "We played six nights a week and they were all 7 p.m. games, it was tough."

There are many changes from collegiate baseball to summer league baseball. The big noticeable difference is the transition from metal bats to wooden bats, which to some can take some amount of time adjusting to as well.

"It's much different because on the wooden bat, the sweet spot is much smaller," said Kujawa. "You have to hit it on the sweet spot or it isn't going anywhere."

Sophomore shortstop Andrew Sohn also had the experience from switching over from metal to wooden bats. Sohn last year for the Broncos had a .234 batting average with 12 RBI's. He then went on to play in Great Lakes League for the Lake Erie Monarchs.

"It was a great experience and a good tool to judge myself on where I'm compared to other great Division I baseball players around the country." said Sohn.

Like Kujawa, Sohn was also playing with wooden bats, but his transition from metal to wood was much easier because Sohn played with wooden bats all last summer as well.

"I love using wooden bats," said Sohn. "I think it makes you a better hitter and that's what you're going to have to use at the next level."

Both Kujawa and Sohn had tremendous summers with their respective teams as they were both named mid-season all-stars. Kujawa while playing for the Paints had a .307 batting average with 22 RBI's and 12 stolen bases.

"Summer ball is all about getting reps in to get better," said Kujawa. "So I did a lot of mechanical work with my swing and it helped me a ton."

Sohn finished the summer with a .331 batting average, also earning him end of the year All-League honors. His batting average ranked 16th best in the Great Lakes League, and he was listed as one of the top 30 prospects from the Great Lakes League.

"Having hit really well this summer helped me get on the radar of more scouts," said Sohn. "I've earned a greater advantage of a huge goal of mine which is getting drafted and playing pro ball."

Both sophomores are set on bringing the successes that they had in the summer leagues into the upcoming season for the Broncos.

"It's going to be a tremendous year," said Sohn. "Excited would be an understatement for the upcoming season."

"Hopefully we will live up to our potential this year and compete for the ultimate goal, a Mid-American Conference championship," said Kujawa.