Biography
2016 – Junior Season
Returned to the Bethune-Cookman pitching staff in his junior season, after spending the previous two years as a catcher… Saw action in a team third-most 20 games out of the bullpen for the Wildcats... Posted a 1-1 record in relief duties… Also notched a save on the campaign… Recorded an earned run average of 8.22, combining for one shutout on the year… Worked 23 innings on the bump… Registered 17 strikeouts against six walks… Used an opponent batting average of .300 for the season… Fanned three batters in a season-high tying two innings of relief action in a 17-3 win over UCF (March 9)… Had a strikeout and did not allow a hit in 0.2 innings of situation work at Miami (March 23)… Picked up his only win of the year in the opening game of a doubleheader against Savannah State (April 9)… Tossed two innings, not allowing a hit and surrendering an unearned run with a career-high five strikeouts in the 12-7 victory over the Tigers in Ormond Beach, Florida… Grabbed a save in 1.1 innings of work at Stetson, working 1.1 innings of hitless baseball out of the pen to preserve the 6-2 decision over the Hatters in nearby DeLand, Florida… Helped the Wildcats with an inning of middle relief action, walking a batter in the 10-0 B-CU win over Coppin State in the opening round of the MEAC Championships in Salisbury, Maryland…
2015 – Sophomore Season
Served as a catcher for the Wildcats in his second season on the Wildcats roster… Batted .227 for the Wildcats in 88 plate appearances… Logged 25 starts while playing in 31 total games… Recorded 20 hits, adding four doubles and a home run… Scored 15 runs… Drove in eight RBI… Held a slugging percentage of. 307 for the season… Drew 11 walks at the dish, and was hit by a pitch three times… Used a .330 on-base percentage for the year… Held a .982 fielding percentage behind the dish, tallying 146 putouts and 17 assists… Threw out five runners trying to steal bases… Began the season with a seven-game hitting streak… Produced a perfect 2-for-2 day at the plate against Mercer (Feb. 22), adding a double and four putouts as the starting catcher… Went 2-for-3 at the dish with a pair of RBI and a run scored with a double and a walk against Stetson (Feb. 24)… Collected 12 putouts and an assist as the starting first baseman in the series-opener against North Carolina Central (March 7)… Went 2-for-4 with a season-best three RBI and a run scored against USF (April 22) in Tampa… Added his first career home run against the Bulls, also picking up six putouts, defensively… Backed that up two nights later at No. 3 Louisville (April 24), posting a 2-for-4 night with nine putouts and an assist against the Cardinals… Had a hit and two putouts behind the dish at nationally-ranked Miami (May 6)…
2014 – Freshman Season
After starting the season on the bump, Olszewski was pressed into primary action behind the dish, catching in 42 games and starting in 38... On the mound, he made three (3) appearances in relief, pitching five (5.0) innings with a 5.40 ERA... At the plate, Olszewski batted .252, with two (2) doubles and tying for the team lead with three (3) triples... On the year, the rookie catcher tallied nine (9) RBI and scored 18 runs... Registered a .369 on-base percentage, also walking 13 times and reaching as a hit batter on 12 occasions... Defensively, he recorded a .991 fielding percentage with 195 putouts and 21 assists, including a pair of double plays... Logged his first hit against North Carolina Central (3/9), a triple deep to left field... Registered his best game of the season against Savannah State in the MEAC Championships (5/18), hitting 4-for-4 with two (2) RBI and three (3) runs scored... Tallied at least two (2) hits in nine contests... Made 14 putouts to open MEAC versus Maryland Eastern Shore (5/14)... Named to the MEAC All-Tournament Team... Twice named MEAC Rookie of the Week (3/25, 3/31)…
John Glenn HS
Played his high school baseball at John Glenn High School under Coach Jeff Hartt, aiding the Bobcats to a 26-7 record and District Championship as a catcher and pitcher in his senior season... As a team captain in his final high school season, Olszewski batted .345 with 13 doubles, four home runs and 35 RBI... On the mound, he pitched 53.1 innings in 10 games, finishing 6-3 with a 1.84 ERA, striking out 62 opponents... He earned All-District honors and was named first team all-state and was named the team’s MVP, in addition to being listed on the All-State and Bay City Dream Teams, as well as making an appearance in the Michigan High School All-Star Game at Comerica Park... Also playing on both sides of the battery as a junior, John Glenn High School finished as State Final Runner-Up and Olszewski batted .350 with 15 doubles, two triples, two home runs and 25 RBI and went 9-1 on the mound in 71 innings pitched, logging a 0.89 ERA with 77 strikeouts in 15 games... Was named All-District, All-State, All-Region and honorable mention All-American for his efforts as Team Captain and Co-MVP... JGHS also earned District and Conference titles during his first two seasons and he was second team All-State as a sophomore... Holds school records in at-bats (400), hits (136), doubles (44), RBI (105), pitching games (47), innings pitched (230.2), strikeouts (252), pitching wins (26), saves (7) and ERA in 100+ innings (1.73)...named to the Honor Roll all four years and was in the National Honors Society…
Personal
Zachary Thomas Olszewski was born November 23, 1994 in Roselle, Illinois to Suszanne Wood and Dean Olszewski... He has three siblings, Kylie (22), Marshall (13) and Cameren... Outside of baseball, he enjoys bow fishing, hunting, playing pool and lifting... Chose Bethune-Cookman because of the program’s great baseball history and wonderful coaching staff, fulfilling a dream from when he was little to play “down south”... Notes his best sports memory as hitting a walk-off single during his high school junior year in the semifinal to send his team to the championship... His favorite player is Miguel Cabrera because he is humble, plays for others and not for himself, while always working hard... His most prized possession is his A2000 catcher’s glove that’s been with him since high school freshman year... Cites his father as his biggest influence because he’s made him the man he is today and also taught him to never give up on dreams and work hard...Becoming a sports physician is his career goal, while keeping his sights on getting drafted... He plans to add a minor with the addition of the upcoming Sports Medicine major, Olszewski is currently majoring in Chemistry at Bethune-Cookman…
