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UHS alum saved the day — lots of them — for VCU
Donko NCAA’s most prolific closer in ’16
By STEVE WILAJ
Going into the 2016 college baseball season, did Sam Donko — a 2013 Ursuline graduate who served as Virginia Commonwealth University’s closer — see himself leading the entire country in saves?
“Obviously, you don’t really think that at the start of the season,” said Donko, a junior, who notched 20 saves this past season with the Rams. “But I knew what I was capable of doing. So I don’t think I exceeded my expectations.”
To go along with his nation-high save total, Donko posted a 2.63 ERA in 541/3 innings. He also finished with a 3-2 record, striking out 53 batters in 30 appearances.
It was the 6-foot-2, 235-pound right-hander’s first season at VCU (he spent his first two collegiate years at Iowa Western junior college) and it was capped with an All-Atlantic 10 Conference selection.
“I learned what it takes to succeed,” Donko said. “Seeing all the hard work I put in, starting from the fall with all the guys — running, lifting, throwing up during conditioning — just seeing all that hard work does pay off. And if you do it to the max and are always working towards the season, you will be rewarded with success.”
Donko was one of three All-A10 selections for VCU, which posted a 38-19 record but lost in an conference semifinal on May 27. He allowed just 16 earned runs and 14 walks for the season, striking out a game-high seven batters in 32/3 innings in a win against George Washington on May 26.
Donko called his third appearance of the season — a game at UNC-Wilmington on Feb. 28 in which he surrendered four earned runs in 11/3 innings — a turning point for his success.
“I kind of got hit around a little bit and pitchers as a whole weren’t doing really well, myself included,” he said. “[Pitching] coach [Steve] Hay called us in the office, told us what he expected from us and that we were underperforming.
“I think that weekend in UNC-Wilmington kind of changed me as a pitcher at this competitive level. I realized I have to go out there and compete every single time — every single pitch — and I can’t take any pitch off.”
Now, Donko heads to the Valley Blue Sox of the New England Collegiate Baseball League, a top-notch summer league that begins play today. He was a member of the Blue Sox last summer as well.
Coming off a heavy-workload campaign for VCU, Donko said his plan is to pitch no more than one inning per game. He won’t pitch on consecutive days.
“That’s about all the restrictions I have here,” he said. “I think I just need to work on maintaining.
“I have a year left of college ball, so it’s about taking baby steps. Working on the changeup a little bit, trying to increase the velocity a little bit — that’s all I want to do.”
Donko arrived in Massachusetts on Tuesday morning for the Blue Sox’s first practice later that night. He said he wasn’t sure if he would slide into the closer role — but, then again, considering he’s the national leader in saves — it seems likely.
“It was just a fun year at VCU,” Donko said. “I had [shortstop] Matt Davis — another all-conference pick — behind me, which really helped me. And then with the starting pitchers usually getting in seven innings and then Matt Jamer setting it up for me, it all really led to my success.”