Sophomore baseball player Leor Kedar ’28 is a must-watch when he steps up to the plate. On the Garnet’s Spring Break trip to South Carolina, where they faced four teams across seven games, Kedar racked up eleven runs, eighteen hits, twelve Runs Batted In (RBIs), and two home runs. On March 10 against Mitchell College, Kedar went four-for-five with two doubles and five RBIs. In a double header against Marietta College, Kedar collected five runs, two doubles, and one triple. Swarthmore baseball played SUNY Cobleskill for their final match of the trip, and Kedar simply had a field day. He hit four home runs against SUNY Cobleskill, breaking the Centennial Conference record for runs in a single game. The sophomore finished that game five-for-six with five RBIs and one stolen base, leading the Garnet to a 17-10 victory. For his standout play, he earned his second consecutive Centennial Conference Baseball Player of the Week honor, as well as National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association Division III National Hitter of the Week and D3baseball.com Team of the Week recognitions.
Last spring, Kedar began his collegiate career as a first-year standout. He finished his first season with a 0.333 batting average, 49 hits, fourteen doubles, three triples, four home runs, 20 RBIs, and 45 runs. He led the team in doubles and triples and ranked second in runs, total bases (81), and stolen bases (eighteen), while placing third in OPS and hits. In the conference, he ranked sixth in stolen bases and eighth in doubles.
The Garnet return to action on Saturday, where they will face the Dickinson Red Devils in Carlisle, PA. This match will open conference play for Swarthmore, which, at the time of writing, hold a 14-4 overall record.
Aimee Lee: Congrats on your selection to the D3 Baseball.com Team of the Week! Looking back on the beginning of the season, how does it feel to receive the recognition?
Leor Kedar: It definitely feels super rewarding to receive this award. I know that the rest of the team and I have worked really hard day in and day out since the beginning of the year, so to finally see that work paying off is a great feeling. It makes me excited and really grateful for the opportunity to keep competing with this group for the rest of the season.
AL: Tell me about your performance this past week [March 10 to March 17]. What have you been focusing on in preparation for games, and how well do you think that has translated into your play?
LK: My performance last week was really special. It was probably the best single week of baseball I’ve ever played, and being able to do that with such a great group of guys made it even more memorable. Over the last few weeks, I’ve really been focusing on getting my timing back in the box. Mechanically, I trust my swing and know it’s there, but when you haven’t seen live pitching for a few months, your timing can get “off.” I knew that once I got comfortable again and started seeing the ball well, everything would fall into place. Fortunately, that’s what happened this past week.
AL: Was there a specific game that stood out to you?
LK: I would definitely say my final game in South Carolina against SUNY Cobleskill stands out the most. I went five-for-six at the plate with four home runs, which ended up breaking a Centennial Conference record. Having four home runs in a single game is something that’s only happened 21 times in Major League Baseball’s 180-year history, so being able to experience something like that, even at a different level, was pretty amazing. It is a moment that I will remember for the rest of my life and something I may never experience again.
AL: When you step up to the plate, what’s going through your mind? How do you train yourself to focus on the play in front of you?
LK: To be honest, when I step up to the plate, I’m not thinking about much at all. Everything kind of goes silent around me, and all my focus is on the pitcher. In my mind, it really comes down to a 1v1 battle. I know he has to throw strikes to get me out, so my job is simply to see the ball and hit the ball (which is obviously a lot easier said than done). I think a lot of athletes tend to overthink when the lights are on, but I try to trust my routine and my preparation. By the time I’m standing in the batter’s box, I know I’ve done everything I can to get ready. So, all that’s left is my favorite thing to do … and that is to compete.
AL: Who has had the biggest influence on your performance?
LK: My biggest supporter from day one has been my dad. Without him, there’s no way I would be where I am today. Since I was about five years old, he has spent countless hours throwing pitch after pitch and helping me work on my game. Starting around when I was twelve, he would throw me close to 200 pitches a day, indoors or outdoors, no matter how busy he was. That kind of dedication means everything to me and is a huge reason why I am able to compete at this level today. So Dad, if you’re reading this, I just want to say thank you for everything you’ve done for me and everything you still do. I love you so much!
AL: What is your favorite class that you’ve taken at Swarthmore? What are you majoring in?
LK: My favorite class I have taken at Swarthmore is probably Introduction to Microeconomics, taught by Associate Professor of Economics Marc Remer. I really enjoyed his teaching style and learning about how individuals and firms make economic decisions. I plan to double major in applied mathematics and economics.
