On Sept. 19, Austin Savary, a senior at Wahlert, fulfilled a lifelong dream by announcing his commitment to play baseball at Winona State in Minnesota.

For Savary and his family, baseball has always been a way of life. His dad, Scott Savary, played baseball at Clarke before being drafted by the Cincinnati Reds in the 1994 MLB Draft. His brother, a 2015 Wahlert graduate, currently plays baseball at Buena Vista.

“Baseball has always meant the world to me,” Savary said. “It’s been a focal point of my life for as long as I remember, and my goal has always been to play college baseball. My dad was a huge inspiration for me and a great teacher.”

As a junior last season, Savary recorded an ERA of 2.03 in 76 innings pitched and a 9-3 record. As a hitter, he hit .338 with 32 RBIs, the second most on the team.

Making his decision signaled the end of a long recruiting process for Savary. “I’ve been thinking about the schools since junior year, and it felt like a big weight off my shoulders when I committed,” he said. “The main thing I was looking for was what the coaches’ plans were for me as a player as well as the academics. Baseball is a short part of my life, and I know that the academics will take me further in life.”

Other than academics, Savary chose Winona State for the coaches. “I really liked the coaches and their plans for me as a player,” he said. “What also set it apart was the small-town feel and great campus.”

Savary also feels he can help the team return to the top. “They’re a little down right now, and I want to do what I can to help them improve,” he said.

Before that, however, Savary wants to improve on last year’s baseball season at Wahlert. “Making it to state these past two years has been great, but our goal is to make it further this year,” he said.