Former Defiance High School standout and current University of Louisville right-handed starting pitcher Dace Kime was drafted in the third round of the 2013 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft on Friday by the Cleveland Indians.

After getting a call from his advisor Joe Bick telling him the Indians wanted to draft him in the third round, Kime gave Vick the go-ahead, bringing much excitement to his family.

"It's just very, very exciting," said Kime, who is currently hoping to help Louisville to a berth in the College World Series. "The Indians are close to home and we have a lot of Indians' fans in the family. With the Super Regionals going on this weekend, I just had Joe and my family really take care of everything.

"I got a call from Joe before the draft telling me that he had spoken with 20 teams and that some of them were interested in drafting me in any of the first three rounds," Kime added. "Joe called me back 10 minutes before I was picked to tell me the Indians wanted me in the third round, so I told him, yes, absolutely."

Kime was selected in the third round with the 79th overall pick, but this isn't the first time he's been drafted. Kime was selected out of high school in 2010 by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the eighth round. At the time, Kime wanted to sign and start his professional career. Instead, Kime went to Louisville where he's gone to school and played baseball for the Cardinals for the last three years, sometimes as a starter, mostly as a reliever.

"Going to school was the best move I've ever made," Kime admitted. "Looking back I wanted to sign, but going to school really was the best move. When I was in high school I was a thrower and not a pitcher. In college I've learned how to pitch, how to locate, how to keep my velocity up in the late innings and I learned a cutter and a good change-up. With my fastball and curveball, I have a good repitoire of pitches."

Kime's high school mentor Tom Held couldn't be happier for his former standout. Kime was drafted on the same day that Held's Bulldogs defeated Akron Hoban 5-1 in the Division II state semifinals at Huntington Park in Columbus.

"We learned that Dace had been drafted right before we went out for warm-ups, that was awesome, awesome news," said Held. "What a great day for Defiance baseball. I'm so proud of Dace, what a hard worker. He's the epitome of Defiance baseball, just like so many of our guys are. It worked out perfectly for him by not signing out of high school, he got three years of school paid for and he moved up five rounds in the draft."

Before Kime embarks on a professional career, he and the Cardinals will face off against No. 2-ranked Vanderbilt in the NCAA Super Regionals beginning Saturday with a berth at the College World Series on the line.

"Playing in the postseason is amazing," Kime said, who would pitch in the best-of-three series on Monday if that game is necessary. "As a program, we want to get to Omaha and the College World Series. "When I got the opportunity to become a starter again (after teammate and former DHS standout Anthony Kidston was lost with a shoulder injury), I've made the most of it. It's been a great season that we don't want to see end.

"I would like to say thank you to my family, friends, my advisor and to everyone who called, texted, tweeted or e-mailed me," concluded Kime. "I got texts and tweets from people I don't even know, so to see how happy everyone is for me means a lot."