Despite setbacks, Onaway baseball standout Cole Selke making most of senior season
PELLSTON – Cole Selke looked like himself on the mound Friday afternoon.
Cool, calm and confident, the Onaway senior pitcher delivered an outstanding performance, controlling Pellston’s lineup with three strikeouts, two hits allowed and one walk in four innings of work. It was one of those top-caliber displays by a player who’s impressed throughout his career at Onaway.
However, this senior year has been a challenge for Selke, who’s dealt with multiple injuries that have impacted him both mentally and physically. First came basketball, when his campaign ended after a knee injury. Thankfully, Selke was told he could hold off on surgery and give baseball season a go, which is exactly what he did.
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This season started off well for Selke, but then he hit another roadblock when he recently suffered a torn trachea that made things even more difficult. But somehow, the All-Ski Valley Conference first team performer has managed to stay resilient, especially with support from those closest to him.
“My parents really help," Selke said. "After the (trachea) injury, I was really down on myself and, I don’t know, I thought maybe I shouldn’t go back, but I just kept pushing and going to practices with the guys, and they really convinced me to keep playing.”
As solid as ever, Selke returned to pitch on Friday and shined for the Cardinals, who have already established themselves as a strong team in the Ski Valley.
“I felt really good, that was my first time back on the mound (in a few weeks),” Selke said. “All of our guys, they can play anywhere. They can play any position very well. Our pitchers, we’ve got a lot of really good pitchers this year. A lot of kids are stepping up this year.”
When Selke isn’t pitching, he’s made excellent contributions as an infielder and offensively during his career. Now, he’s just thankful to be on the field following the setbacks over the last few months. As Selke plays his final games with the Cardinals, he and his teammates have their eyes set on a big prize.
“We would love to get a district title this year,” Selke said. “As long as we keep our heads in it, we have a pretty good chance. We just can’t get down on ourselves and just have a good attitude. We’ve got the skill; we’ve just got to keep a good attitude.”
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District title or not, it’s been one heck of a ride for one of the top players for Onaway in recent years. As somebody who started playing baseball when he was young, saying goodbye will be the hard part.
“It's been such a huge part of my life,” Selke said. “Wake up every spring, go to practice. That’s all I can think about is the next game. My parents always pushed me to just keep getting better. Just put in the work and it pays off.”
Contact sports editor Jared Greenleaf at jgreenleaf@gannett.com. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter @sportsCDT
This article originally appeared on Cheboygan Daily Tribune: Onaway baseball's Selke overcoming setbacks, thriving in senior season
