Amherst’s Ryan Rua is coming off a stellar freshman season at Lake Erie College.

Rua set the Lake Erie College single-season home run mark with 11 while playing for Lake Erie, who finished its season with a 8-1 win over Columbia Union College and finish the season at 16-35 in its first season in NCAA Division II.

Rua led the Storm with season record-setting totals in home runs (11), runs (37) and RBIs (47). He also finished with a .320 batting average, which includes 11 doubles, three triples and four stolen bases.

Freshman Matt Toth (Admiral King) started 28 games and finished with a .321 batting average, which includes two doubles, a triple, six RBIs and 17 runs scored.

North Ridgeville’s Dan Dowdell, a sophomore, appeared in 40 games, including 15 starts and hit .279 with two doubles, five RBIs and 11 runs scored.

Southview’s Cameron Castro appeared in 18 games with one start. He finished with a 2-1 mark with 15 strikeouts and a 6.85 ERA in just his freshman year.

Elyria Catholic’s Kyle Koberna, also a freshman, made 10 relief appearances, pitching 9 2/3 innings and struck out six. His ERA was 8.38.

Vermilion's Adam Beach was a red-shirt freshman this season, but expects to make a big impact on the team next year.

Amherst grad and head coach Brian McGee is excited about this team, which will also add locals Rey Carrion (Southview) and Tyler Minnich (Keystone).

Last season in his first year at the helm, he led the Storms to the most wins (17) in a season in school history. The team also earned its highest Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference (AMCC) finish of third place and earned its first bid to the postseason, winning twice in the first round of the AMCC Tournament in order to make it to the semifinals.

swalker@MorningJournal.com