Senior shortstop Kinnick Vos helped the Ankeny baseball team to a 14-25 record this season. He was named to the CIML Conference first team at a utility position after batting .350 with four triples, five doubles and 16 RBIs.
Vos played for the Large Schools West team in the Iowa High School Baseball Coaches Association All-Star Series on July 31-Aug. 2. He helped his team to a 2-1 record on the weekend.
Here is some inside info on Vos:
Did you enjoy playing in the All-Star Series? What was that experience like?
The All-Star series was a great experience. It was super cool to be able to meet a lot of the guys you’ve played against your whole career.
Was it pretty challenging to face some top-notch pitchers after not having played for a couple of weeks?
For sure, it’s always a bit of a challenge to adjust back to live pitching after not seeing it for even just a couple weeks. Then add on top of it being some of the better pitching in the state, and it gets even harder.
I see that you and Grant Sorensen of Waukee placed second in the bags tournament. So are you a pretty competitive bags player?
I’m about as competitive as it gets doing anything, but especially bags. I always joke with people that I think it would be my best sport if I worked at it, which could possibly be true. I’ve got to give props to Grant as well; he was great all tournament.
Two of your three games were played at Ankeny High School. Was it fun to play on your home field two more times before your high school career officially came to an end?
Yes, I always like playing at home–it’s where I feel most comfortable. Although it does get frustrating at times when you feel like you smoked one just for it to be a routine flyout in our huge park.
Let’s talk about the high school season a little bit. I know your team didn’t have a great record, but you really seemed to embrace your role as a leader for this squad. Do you feel like you helped contribute to the growth of the younger players throughout the season?
For sure, as a senior you’re always looking for ways to help out the younger guys and help them adjust to the game at a higher level. It’s always a jump when you get up to the varsity level, and I think having someone you can turn to ask really helps. I feel I embraced that role this year, and it was just as important as my play on the field
You did have some personal highlights on the field, including a walk-off single in the seventh inning to beat rival Ankeny Centennial, 2-1, on June 2. Where does that moment rank on your list of career highlights?
That’s a tough one because I have a couple favorites from each sport. That one is far and away at the top of my baseball moments. Not sure it can get better than that unless you’re in a playoff game, but I still think it takes second to the pick I had in the (UNI)-Dome (during the football playoffs) my junior year. There’s just nothing like hearing a crowd of 4,000-5,000 people going crazy knowing you and your team just delivered a huge play in one of the biggest games of your career.
Your team dropped an 8-1 decision on May 24 to Iowa City High, which later won your substate bracket and eventually captured the Class 4A state title in Sioux City. Looking back at your game against the Little Hawks, what impressed you about them?
I think what was most impressive about them was their ability to hit up and down the lineup. I don’t think they had a single hole 1 through 9 in that lineup. Then you combine it with an elite pitcher, and you’ve got a pretty good squad.
I recall Ankeny coach Joe Balvanz telling me at one point this season that he could see you becoming a coach in the future. Is that something that you are considering?
For sure, I’d love to coach in the future at some level so we’ll see what happens, but I definitely see coaching in my future.
You are now headed to Black Hawk Community College in Moline, Ill., to continue your baseball career. Have you headed off to school yet?
I have not. I head off here shortly on the 17th.
Did they recruit you to play shortstop, and do you think you’ll have a chance to play right away?
I was recruited as a middle infielder, but I can play just about anywhere if needed. The goal is always to play right away, and I think I can put myself in a good spot to do that but it certainly won’t be a given. Black Hawk returns some great players and is coming off a season where they were ranked as high as No. 9 in the nation, so it won’t be an easy task.
What do you think will be the biggest adjustment you’ll have to make to succeed at that level?
I’m not sure what the biggest adjustment will be. I would assume it will be at the plate, but the caliber of pitching I have seen in the CIML definitely has me better prepared than most.