It was no-brainer for Jake Neuschaefer.

It’s not often that you get the guarantee of starting in centerfield and batting leadoff for a Division I school.

So, before all the pressures of his senior season at Elyria High School on where he might attend college, he decided to avoid the burden, and verbally commit to play baseball at Kent State in the 2012 season.

"I had alot of weight on my shoulders with Ohio State wanting me to come down in a few weeks," Neuschaefer said. "I really didn’t want the scholarship to go away with Kent State, they have one of the top baseball programs in Ohio.

"I’ve worked hard to get to this point. I still have one more step in my goals and that’s playing at the Major League level."

Elyria head coach Mike Brandyberry feels he made the right choice.

"I think it’s a great decision for him, it’s a good school," Brandyberry said. "It’s something he’s worked hard at for a long time. I’m happy to see him achieving that goal and see him playing baseball for a long time now."

"I’m sure it’ll take some pressure off of him. He’s the kind of guys that puts distractions out of his way. I’m sure it was in the back of his mind, but if anybody that’s watched Jake play, knows he goes all out and gives it his all and lets the chips lay where they fall."

This past summer, Neuschaefer played for the North Coast Vipers after a stellar varsity season at Elyria.

He was an All-Morning Journal First Teamer, an All-Lorain County First Teamer, an All-Northeast Ohio First Teamer and was a NEOBCA First Team selection after hitting .428 with five home runs, 17 stolen bases and 31 RBIs.

Vipers teammate Sawyer Polen, who plays at Wooster Triway, also verbally committed to Kent State for the 2012 season. Other Vipers currently going to play college baseball are Elyria’s Kyle Salyan, who is going to Akron, and Brandon Grunda, who will play at Lake Erie College next season.

Jake’s brother Nolan Neuschaefer just finished a successful freshman season at Baldwin-Wallace, where he was named Outstanding Freshman and earned the Gold Glove Award.

swalker@MorningJournal.com