Paulik signs with Taylor for baseball

BY VAL TSOUTSOURIS

Sports Editor, RTC

Rochester senior Carson Paulik signed with Taylor University to continue his academic and baseball careers Thursday. Front, from left – Larry Baldwin, Carson’s grandfather; Lauri Paulik, Carson’s mother; Carson; Jeff Paulik, Carson’s father; Bev Baldwin, Carson’s grandmother. Back – Jay Carbiener, Carson’s brother-in-law; Bea Carbiener, Carson’s sister; Markis Smiley; Adrian Paulik, Carson’s sister.

Celebrating with everybody from his grandparents to his two-week-old nephew, Rochester senior Carson Paulik signed to continue his baseball and academic careers at Taylor University on his 18th birthday Thursday.

Paulik was 5-2 with a 1.83 ERA last year and is 15-7 with a 2.59 ERA through the first three seasons of his high school career. He has 177 strikeouts through 140 ⅓ innings.

Paulik also has a .333 career batting average and a .914 OPS, but Paulik said Taylor is interested in him as a pitcher only.

“I always was told by other coaches and the Taylor coaches just to choose where my gut leads me,” Paulik said. “And my gut was Taylor. It just felt right. I walked on campus and had an instant connection with the guys and the coaches – great facilities, great people, great atmosphere. Nothing felt better than Taylor.”

Paulik called the chance to play college baseball “relieving” and  “a dream come true.”

“Seeing the attention that I’m getting felt really good, but it was also very stressful in the end picking a school, but like I said, it was a good decision for me.”

Paulik plays for the Indiana Bulls travel team, based out of Westfield. He said that everybody on his travel team will play college baseball and that at least five of his travel ball teammates will play NCAA Division I baseball.

Taylor is an NAIA school located in Upland.

“I’m very thankful I joined the Bulls,” Paulik said. “They have a lot of connections.”

Paulik also said he has been working with private pitching coach Tanner Andrews for about three years. Andrews is a 2013 Tippecanoe Valley grad who played collegiately at Purdue and pitches professionally in the Toronto Blue Jays’ organization.

“He’s been great,” Paulik said. “He’s awesome. He’s from around here. He’s humble. He’s had a very successful career, and he just signed with the Blue Jays, so hopefully, he gets his shot in the big leagues coming up soon, but he’s been a great person to work with, a great guy and a great mentor. But really, I can’t even just pick one coach that has had the biggest impact on me. Really, all my coaches have been extraordinary. I could not have asked for better coaches in my life.”

Kyle Gould will start his 22nd season as Taylor’s coach in the spring.

“He’s just very energetic,” Paulik said. “And I think he brings energy. He’s very uplifting and exciting and very positive. He gives that off very well. I liked coach Gould from the start. Coach (Justin) Barber as well, the pitching coach. I’ve gotten to know those two very well, and I’m very excited to be playing for them coming up.”

Paulik said he wants to major in business management.