Lake Zurich's Cash Kaczmarek steps into the box knowing a hit is likely. ‘Stepping away' is likely a reason.
Lake Zurich's Cash Kaczmarek is learning less is more sometimes.
The senior outfielder has never played better, and the timing is notable.
'I ended junior year pretty well, and I didn't do as much baseball-wise in the offseason,' Kaczmarek said. 'I think that helped.'
Kaczmarek, a Wisconsin-Oshkosh baseball commit, decided to play basketball this past season. He didn't play the sport during his junior year so he could give more attention to baseball, but returning to the court at Lake Zurich boys basketball coach Terry Coughlin's invitation turned out to be a win-win.
'Coach asked if I wanted to go to some open gyms in the fall, and I realized how fun it was,' Kaczmarek said.
New baseball coach Mike Manno voiced his support, and Kaczmarek became the Bears' sixth man.
'Junior year, baseball was everything,' Kaczmarek said. 'This year, I couldn't lift as much because of basketball, and stepping away from baseball like that was something that I needed. I worked on my mental approach a lot.'
Manno's arrival also pushed him.
'Two months ago, I really didn't know where I stood,' Kaczmarek said. 'There was some stress and uncertainty, which was good. First impressions are huge for me. I felt like I had to fully reprove myself. It was kind of like being a freshman again.'
Not that he's playing like one. Kaczmarek, who began the season batting cleanup but has moved into the No. 2 hole, is on a tear at the plate for the Bears (11-6, 4-2). Including Lake Zurich's 5-3 nonconference win against Deerfield on Wednesday, he has hit .583 with a 1.810 OPS, four home runs, 14 RBIs and 14 runs scored in the past seven games.
'I'm just going up there wanting to hit it right back at the pitcher and thinking that I'm better than him,' he said.
Kaczmarek, who hit two home runs all of last season, went 4-for-4 with a homer and five RBIs during Lake Zurich's 17-9 nonconference win against Normal West on Saturday. His home run during the Bears' 4-3 North Suburban Conference win against Lake Forest on Tuesday was his third in as many games and couldn't have been more clutch, coming in the top of the seventh inning of a tie game.
'He's always been a hitter at heart, and when he gets hot like he is right now, there's no stopping him,' Lake Zurich senior pitcher Josh Marzec said. 'It looks like he's adjusting really well to pitches and he's hitting beach balls.
'What's also great about him is that he's a great teammate and leader who holds everyone to the same standard.'
Manno didn't know what to expect from Kaczmarek but quickly came to believe he would make a big impact this season.
'He's been easy to coach from day one, and you could tell, even early in workouts, that he carries himself the right way,' Manno said. 'There's a grit about him that is infectious for the rest of the team.'
Kaczmarek also knows how to deal with the failure that is inevitable in baseball.
'I've gotten better at not dwelling on negatives, and I think a lot of that is being a year older,' he said. 'I try to not think about mistakes too much and move on to the next game or the next pitch.'
As the Bears prepare for their next game, they have won five in a row.
'The heart of our lineup is heating up, and we're starting to feed off each other,' Kaczmarek said. 'I'm enjoying this season a lot, and I just want to enjoy my last time playing high school baseball.'
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