ABOUT MICHAEL OCZYPOK: 

After redshirting his freshman season at the University of Alabama, Michael Oczypok will become a CrackerJack for the 2012 summer. Oczypok accepted an academic scholarship to Alabama to major in pre-med and then was a walk-on for the Crimson Tide baseball team. He is from Royersford, Pa., and attended Spring-Ford High School. Oczypok was named the 2011 Southeast Pennsylvania Player of the Year.

During Oczypok’s senior season, Spring-Ford won the Pioneer Athletic Conference Championship. Oczypok started the championship game against the defending champions Owen J. Roberts Wildcats and picked up the win, 4-3. During the season, Oczypok went 14-0 and had an incredible 1.09 ERA for the Rams. Before the Class AAAA Tournament, he had allowed only one earned run in 44 innings. Oczypok also struck out 106 batters in 83.2 innings. Oczypok started the Class AAAA championship, but his team lost to Conestoga 6-3. In seven innings, he gave up three runs (two earned) while allowing 10 hits and striking out six, picking up a no-decision.

Oczypok also played some first base while at Spring-Ford and batted .388. Last summer, he played for the Pottstown Spartans of the Perkiomen Twilight League.

Oczypok is a right-handed pitcher with a fastball that has been clocked at up to 87 mph and also features a curveball and changeup.