MCDONALD, Ohio (WKBN) — McDonald’s Joey Skowron might not be the flashiest pitcher in the Valley.
“I just have a fastball and a curveball. And then I drop down to a sidearm pitch, it is pretty cool,” the senior said.
But with less flash, comes more brain. Take the sidearm pitch for example.
“It is really important because you see fastball, curveball the same arm slot and then you drop down sidearm, it really confuses some guys,” Skowron said.
The Blue Devils senior has used it to his advantage this season. He has helped McDonald win 10 games so far this year, and in his last two games, he has a 2-0 record with a 1.75 ERA including a big win against conference rival Springfield.
“That win was very electric,” Skowron said.
“We just lost to them pretty bad the night before, they stomped us pretty good. So to go to their place, beat them 1-0, I think they only had 2 or 3 hits, it was really good.”
A two-sport athlete, Skowron truly shines in the classroom. He is on pace to be valedictorian, is the National Honors Society vice president, treasurer of student council and class vice president.
“Academics is really important to me, always has been,” Skowron says.
“School came naturally to me at first but the last two years I have really had to amp it up with the college classes. I just felt like NHS, Student Council is something I had to do, it is something I could do, it is a good accomplishment.”
After his time at McDonald, Skowron will head to Youngstown State, accepted into the Honors College.
“When I got the acceptance letter, I was just a big ball of joy, I really was,” Skowron said.
But before then, he is hoping to go out with a bang for the Blue Devils.
“We haven’t gotten out of sectional all four years since I have been here,” Skowron said.
“So it would be really great to get out of sectionals and get to districts and maybe win a District Championship.”
McDonald’s Joey Skowron, our Student Athlete of the Week.
