In early June of last year, Derek Sadowski took the mound for Karns City against WPIAL Class AA champion Riverside in the first round of the PIAA baseball playoffs.

Sadowski struck out 10 that day and gave up just one run — the only run the Panthers would need in a 1-0 victory on the way to the state title.

Riverside coach Dan Oliastro called Sadowski the best pitcher his team had faced all season and predicted big things for the then-junior this year.

Call Oliastro a prophet as Sadowski has dominated everyone he has faced early in 2012.

Sadowski has struck out 28 of the 49 batters he has faced this season and has walked no one. Opposing hitters are batting a mere .106 against him.

Not bad for a pitcher who is barely 6-feet tall, weight around 160 pounds and doesn’t have a blazing 90-plus fastball.

“Yes, I am impressed by that right now,” said Karns City coach Randy Collins. “I was not expecting that because he’s not that overpowering. He’s sneaky. He can sneak it past ’em. I was not expecting that (strikeout) number.”

Sadowski wasn’t, either.

The right-hander admitted he doesn’t try to strike people out — it just happens that way.

“I just try to throw strikes,” Sadowski said, shrugging his shoulders. “I don’t know how I do it.”

Part of the reason lies with his command of three pitches.

Sadowski throws a four-seam fastball, a changeup and a curveball and has the confidence to throw any of them in any count.

But Sadowski hasn’t fallen behind many hitters this season.

“He only threw 65 pitches (Tuesday) in five innings,” Collins said of his 13-strikeout performance against North Clarion. “His placement is good and he keeps his pitch counts low for the most part. When he gets that first strike, second strike, he dominates them every time.”

Sadowski dedicated himself to pitching in the offseason.

He logged some innings during the summer and gave up soccer to pitch in a fall league.

By the time the high school season started in March, Sadowski already was in mid-season form.

“I felt really good over the summer and it carried over into the fall and now the spring,” Sadowski said. “My arm feels great.”

That’s why Collins had no qualms about leaving Sadowski on the mound in the season opener against Ford City despite eclipsing 100 pitches.

“He picked up right where he left off,” Collins said.

While Sadowski’s fastball is only in the mid-80s, it looks faster because of a changeup that is 10- to 15-mph slower than his four-seamer.

He also has a sweeping curveball that changes batters’ eye level.

“I just kind of throw it and it works,” Sadowski said. “It is a feel pitch, so I know pretty early on if it is working or not.”

Sadowski has had lots of experience pitching. He began playing baseball like most kids at an early age and has been a pitcher and a shortstop for as long as he can remember.

He’d like to be a pitcher at the next level, too.

But only Thiel College has shown interest in Sadowski.

“I don’t know why that is,” Collins said. “We put him out there in front of some scouts. ... He’s not that 90-mph-plus fireballer. Maybe that’s why.”

Sadowski, though, isn’t going to lose much sleep over where he may or may not pitch next year. Instead, he is making opposing hitters lose sleep this season.

“It makes me feel good knowing I’m doing something right,” Sadowski said.