Zach Jackson always has considered himself an aggressive pitcher.

That attitude has carried him to an outstanding season so far for the Class A Dunedin Blue Jays of the Florida State League.

Jackson, 22, of Cranberry Township, has won his past five games and has done it with amazing control.

"I think early on I was just going out and throwing," said Jackson, a graduate of Seneca Valley. "I'm not surprised about my control. It's got me where I am now."

In nine starts, Jackson is 7-1 with a 3.33 ERA. He's recorded 40 strikeouts and six walks in 51

innings.

"I'd rather give up a hit than a walk," Jackson added.

"In his career, he's always been around the plate," said Dunedin manager Omar Malave. "He's not working away from hitters. He challenges them.

"A left-hander who can do that - he's done a great job," Malave added.

As evidenced by the recent winning streak, the 6-foot-5, 220-pound left-hander has taken his pitching to another level recently, but it took a game against Lakeland April 25 to realize he had hit rock bottom.

With a 2-0 mark and a no-decision against Lakeland the previous start, Jackson was tagged for nine runs and 10 hits in 3

innings and saw his ERA skyrocket to 7.45.

"That wasn't just a bad outing, but the worst one in my life," said Jackson. "That was a wakeup call, more or less a blessing in disguise.

"Lakeland is the No. 1 team and the No. 1 hitting team in the (Florida State) league. I wasn't as aggressive as I had been lately," he added.

In the no-decision to Lakeland April 19, Jackson allowed six runs (four earned) in five innings.

In his past five starts, Jackson has worked 32 innings and allowed just three earned runs. In last Saturday's 7-3 win over St. Lucie, Jackson fanned seven, walked none and pitched a season-high eight innings.

"I'm pleased with his localities, his approach," said Malave. "He's a great kid to have around. He's willing to learn and ask questions. We're pleased to have him here."

At this point a year ago Jackson was pitching at Texas A&M. In June, he was drafted as a first-round supplemental pick of the Toronto Blue Jays.

Jackson was able to pitch in a few contests for the Class A Auburn (N.Y.) Doubledays of the short-season New York-Penn League last year.

This season, he reported to Toronto's spring training camp, where he got a chance to pitch before being sent to Dunedin, which is Toronto's advanced Class A team.

"As part of my contract, I was invited to the big-league camp for the first two weeks," said Jackson. "I was fortunate enough to throw two innings. That experience was unbelievable."

Jackson can throw five different pitches: a four-seam fastball, two-seam fastball, a changeup, curveball and a cutter, the latter pitch he learned in the instructional league.

"That's been my best pitch now," said Jackson, who also has been toying with a slurve, which is a derivative of his slider.

"The (cutter) has been a big difference for him," said Malave. "He's used it in the past month. That pitch, when he throws it to a right-handed batter, is tough. There's no question that's helped him."

With his impressive season, it might only be a matter of time before Jackson is promoted to Class AA New Hampshire.

"That's definitely a goal of mine," said Jackson. "You know as much as I do about promotions. You just go out and pitch. It's their discretion.

"I just have to stay within myself and do what I can control."

THE JACKSON FILE

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Seneca Valley graduate Zach Jackson has gotten off to a fast start for the Class A Dunedin Blue Jays. The following are statistics gtp, Jackson's nine starts, in which he has gone 7-1 with a 3.33 ERA, 40 strikeouts and just six walks.

Opponent Score IP R H K BB

Clearwater 9-2 (W) 5.2 1 4 2 1

Sarasota 11-4 (W) 5.0 3 6 5 1

Lakeland 6-5 (ND) 5.0 4 6 5 0

Lakeland 0-10 (L) 3.2 9 10 3 0

Tampa 8-4 (W) 7.0 1 2 7 0

Sarasota 4-2 (W) 5.0 2 6 3 1

Palm Beach 3-2 (W) 6.0 2 5 6 1

Jupiter 5-1 (W) 6.0 0 5 2 2

St. Lucie 7-3 (W) 8.0 3 8 7 0