Oregon Baseball Q&A: Pitcher Alex Keudell - University of Oregon Athletics

Today GoDucks.com has caught up with Alex Keudell, a 6-foot-3 right-hander from Beaverton, Ore., who is busy playing his senior season at Jesuit High School. Alex offers GoDucks.com some insight into his senior year on the mound for the Crusaders, who will begin action in the playoffs today.

GoDucks.com: What have you enjoyed most about your senior season at Jesuit this year?

Alex Keudell: I have enjoyed spending time with all my good friends that I have made over these past four years of high school. I have enjoyed getting better and fulfilling my ultimate goal I had as a freshman in getting a scholarship to play Division I baseball. Jesuit has been a good experience for me and the things they taught me will definitely help me in the future.

GD: Is there a performance from this season that you are particularly proud of and why?

AK: I think I am probably most proud of my first Metro League game against our rival Beaverton High School. I came out in my first Metro League start as a senior, and threw eight innings. We won the game 2-1.

GD: You are rated as one of the top prospects in the state of Oregon, why did you choose to stay close to home and attend the UO?

AK: I think that there could not have been a better fit for me than the University of Oregon for college. It is close to home where my parents are just a two-hour drive away. I was thinking about maybe going to the University of Hawaii before, but playing in the Pac-10 and for the great coaches Oregon hired definitely swayed me.

GD: Are you looking forward to playing summer ball this year and why?

AK: Yes I am looking forward to playing summer ball this year. It should be fun playing with some of the kids that I have played against while in high school. I am playing for the Northwest Stars and they have a lot of good players on the team who I have played with before through Baseball Northwest and who I am friends with, so it should be a good time.

GD: What are your thoughts on being apart of the first Oregon baseball class in the last 27 years?

AK: I am excited for it. I think a lot of people think that we will have trouble in the Pac-10 for a couple of years, and I want to come out and prove those people wrong.

GD: Is there any one thing you are looking forward to most in your first year at Oregon?

AK: I am just looking forward to getting started and getting familiar with my coaches and teammates and making a good adjustment to the higher level of competition in the Pac 10.

GD: Who has influenced you most as a player?

AK: I think the people that have influenced me the most in my life are my parents, and Steve Fish, Jim Coffman, and my coaches at Jesuit. My parents have always been there for me throughout my life no matter what. Steve Fish and Jim Coffman always had faith in me and taught me the game better and told me that I could be good at this game. Also the coaches at Jesuit, Eric Gunderson and Don Lovell. Coach Gunderson has taught me a lot the three years he has been at Jesuit and made me the pitcher that I am today. Coach Lovell gave me the work ethic and motivation to go out in the offseason and work hard so that I can get better and hopefully help Jesuit win a state championship.

GD: Were you a fan of the Oregon Ducks before signing your NLI in November?

AK: In all honesty no, I was not at all. Both of my parents went to Oregon State and so did both of my grandparents. I did not like the Ducks at all. It has definitely changed since then. I started following the football and basketball teams after I signed and I now call myself a Duck fan.

GD: Thanks for taking the time to talk with us Alex. Good luck with the rest of your season.