Rowan pitching star drafted by St. Louis

Senior Ryan Kulik realized a lifelong dream June 6 -- a dream shared by millions of young people the world over -- a draft with a major league baseball team.

Kulik, Rowan's left-handed ace whose sensational senior season included a 10-2 record, a 1.72 ERA and 144 strikeouts, secured the 245th pick in the eighth round of the 2008 draft.

Sensing the big call was coming, he monitored the first two rounds of the draft as it was broadcast on TV and wasn't too let down when his name wasn't called.

"I was expecting it," he said. "I'd been talking to scouts all year."

But when the broadcast ended without a call he still wasn't discouraged and just followed the draft online. Second round. Third round. Fourth round. Nothing.

So he sat tight, monitoring the draft proceedings online, unsure who would call or where they'd call from, only that they would. Eventually. He knew it.

Fifth round. Sixth round. Seventh round... Nothing.

"I was just sitting at home," said Kulik, 22, of Marlton. "Then the Cardinals called! The Cardinals called and said congratulations, you're now a St. Louis Cardinal!"

Seven short words but he'd been waiting all his life to hear them.

"It's been my dream since I was seven years old," he said. "To see all the hard work and dedication pay off is really something."

Kulik, a health and exercise science major in the College of Education, said he wanted to play for Rowan since he was 10 when he'd come to watch his brother Shawn, a standout catcher and slugger.

Shawn Kulik led Profs hitters in 1996 with a .420 batting average and remains Rowan's all-time leader in career batting average with .395 (minimum two seasons played and 200 at-bats).

In addition to numerous accolades in 2008, Ryan led Division III in strikeouts (144) and strikeouts per nine innings (13.77). He tied for eighth in victories (10), 11th in fewest hits allowed per nine innings (5.82) and 18th in ERA (1.72).

Ryan's first stop in professional baseball will be with the Batavia Muckdogs, a Single A farm team for the Cardinals in upstate New York followed, he hopes, with progression to the major league.

"Single A is a short season," he said. "Hopefully next year I'll be in Low A or High A and, depending on how I do, I can then go up to double and triple A. It's a bit of a road but if you're doing well enough they'll move you through the system."

Rowan head coach Juan Ranero noted that Ryan is a two-time New Jersey Athletic Conference Pitcher-of-the-Year and said his presence on the Rowan squad was nothing short of remarkable.

"I am very excited for Ryan," Ranero said. "This is a great opportunity for him and his family. I think Ryan will do great in professional baseball. He will make the transition from the college game to the pro level easily and I see him moving through the ranks quickly.

"He is one of the best pitchers that has ever played here and will be very hard to replace."