Growing up, Zach Zedalis never got to see Founders Park in person.

The right-handed pitcher always saw photos but, like he admitted, “none of the pictures to it justice.”

Sunday on his recruiting visit was the first time he got a first-hand look at it, and a few hours later he was committed in the Gamecocks’ 2022 class.

“We came in kind of on the backside where the students enter through the gate. I’ve never seen the field in person,” Zedalis said. “We pulled in and I’m like, ‘Mom, this is like a minor league stadium.’ The scoreboard, that stood out to me a ton. The seating and when we got to meet coach Kingston and see his offices, we took a stroll around the stadium and you don’t see how big that scoreboard is until you’re underneath it. then it’s like, ‘man, this is freaking huge.’ That, and I love how they have their own baseball weight room and have a strength coach who’s been there for 20-something years.”

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His commitment marks the end of a long journey that saw stops at three different schools and ending with him heading to Columbia after this season.

Zedalis originally started at NC Central before the program folded, then spent a year at Charlotte where he pitched 1.2 innings before transferring in the offseason to Gaston College and will pitch there this season.

The recruitment to South Carolina was a shorter one, lasting around a month and a half to two months.

He reached out to new pitching coach Justin Parker and the two began to talk with Parker heading up to watch Zedalis recently in a junior college showcase and liking what he saw.

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“He and I talked about the developmental side about how he would go about developing me as a guy and where he thinks I’m at,” he said. “He thinks I’m a guy who can come in and help right away and get some good innings. He and I really meshed pretty good talking a few times."

Zedalis says his fastball is one of his best pitches, pairing it with a curveball he’s working to develop into more of a 12-6, a harder slider and a changeup.

His role is still up for debate once he arrives on campus but he could easily start or serve as a key piece of the bullpen.

“(Parker) sees me as guy who bangs a Red Bull then comes in and sits 94 to 96 and tops 97 as a closer,” he said. “It’s all going to depend how I throw when I get down there in the fall in terms of starting. I feel comfortable holding my velocity and commanding my pitches. That’s all going to depend on how I do when I get down there. I still have a year.”

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He comes to campus with two years of eligibility and the chance to play one more year with his younger brother, Tyler, who’s committed to South Carolina in the 2023 class.

Zedalis wants to come in and pitch early but, having stops at a few different places, thinks he can be a good sounding board for some of the younger pitchers on the roster while doing some winning at the same time.

“Just share my knowledge and help those guys and ultimately get back to winning some national championships. I think they can do. They have the best facilities out there. Just help the team, develop myself and help the team. I’m pumped, dude.”

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