Senior baseball player Matthew Kunst announced his commitment to Marymount University on Oct. 6, where he will continue his academic and athletic career studying business.
Kunst has played baseball since he was little, growing up with his older brother, alum Ryan Kunst, who also committed to playing baseball at Gettysburg College, where he is currently playing in his sophomore year. “Matthew began playing baseball shortly after me, and we would always practice together. To this day, we throw and lift together very often. He has developed a great work ethic because the game has taught us just how hard you have to work to be successful,” Ryan Kunst said.
Kunst was rewarded with a presidential scholarship at the University of Marymount. Kunst secured this prestigious scholarship by achieving a 3.7 unweighted and 4.5 weighted GPA. Kunst also scored a 32 on the ACT, helping push his case as a great player outside the field. “I did a lot of studying on the ACT to earn the score I got and a lot of studying every night to maintain the GPA I had. This was challenging to balance with working out and practicing baseball as well. However, I found ways to be efficient and get things done,” Kunst said.
Kunst is coming off a dominant junior year campaign where he was named first-team all-division with a 2.35 ERA (Earned Run Average) in 35.2 innings. He also showed signs of dominance holding the three time-defending state champs to zero earned runs over 7.1 innings pitched this past spring. “When facing talented teams like Sherwood, I looked forward to the opportunity given to me to prove myself as one of the best,” Kunst said.
Similar to other sports, baseball is one where players eat, sleep, and play like a family. “Similar to his brother [Ryan Kunst], Matthew and I have a strong connection on the field. He knows what I need to be successful, and I know what he needs. His discipline and communication allow us to better ourselves and the team as a whole each and every day. Through this, he has been able to take over the responsibility left by his brother and become the most consistent pitcher in our program,” junior Kai Schmelzer.
Kunst also credits his success to his knowledge of nutrition and working out. Kunst takes nutrition seriously, knowing that he needs to pack on size and muscle in a proper way to compete at the level he wants to. Growing up on the skinnier side, Kunst packed on 10 pounds his junior winter, prepping him to have a successful junior season. “I have learned a lot since the start of high school and having a good diet and working out has helped me get very far,” Kunst said.
Kunst is primed for his upcoming senior season and looks to repeat as first team all division and help the team make a playoff run.
