PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Evan Bottone
Senior, Bay
This was a difficult decision among several players. In the end, Bottone, the Division II first-team All-Ohio outfielder, NEOBCA Division II co-player of the Year and GLC Position Player of the Year, was the pick. He slashed .438/.608/.700 with three home runs, 33 RBI and 34 steals, with 34 walks to 14 strikeouts, along with eight doubles and two triples among his 35 hits. Bottone was given the Barry Bonds treatment in the district final by Elyria Catholic prior to Ryan Nolan’s three-run homer to lift Bay to regionals for the first time since 2009 and was responsible for all three Rockets runs scored against Defiance at Carter Park. He also leaves the school as the career leader in batting average (.440), doubles (25), walks and steals (76 in each category), all done in three seasons due to the 2020 COVID-19 cancellation. He’ll be taking his five-tool skillset with him to the University of Akron.
COACH OF THE YEAR
Matt Ponting, North Ridgeville
Ponting broke one of the longest conference title droughts in the area – 41 years long – in his 12th year at the helm of the Rangers program. North Ridgeville went 12-2 in their SWC title winning campaign, and with a core of eight returning senior starters that fell just short of the district round a year ago. This super-senior class nearly made a district final before unraveling late against Strongsville. While Ponting graduates a ton of his lineup and rotation, key young pieces have emerged, such as freshman outfielder and pitcher Gannon Padgett. North Ridgeville will remain competitive with Ponting at the helm.
FIRST TEAM
INF Adam Bright, Sr., North Ridgeville
1st Team All-County and SWC, Division I All-District honorable mention. Hit for a .312 batting average with an .814 OPS with five doubles, a triple, 20 RBI, 14 runs scored. Also went 4-1 on the mound over 42 innings with two saves, 54 strikeouts and an 0.67 ERA. Heading to Glenville State for baseball.
INF Dominic Calanni, Sr., Elyria Catholic
1st Team D-II All-Ohio, 1st Team All-County, All-District and GLC. Slashed .467/.539/.547 with 35 hits, four doubles, a triple, 32 RBI and 13 runs scored.
INF Cael Cipollone, Sr., Westlake
GLC MVP, 1st Team GLC and Division I 1st Team All-District. Slashed .354/.454/.671 with six home runs, 40 RBI, seven doubles, 16 runs scored, 15 walks to 11 strikeouts, 12 stolen bases. Playing baseball at Gannon University.
INF Jack Sivec, Sr., Keystone
1st Team D-III All-Ohio, 1st Team All-District, County and LC8. Slashed .543/.663/.971 with 38 hits, five home runs, 32 RBI, 37 runs scored, 15 doubles, 26 walks and ten stolen bases. Signed with Baldwin Wallace.
OF Anthony Hutter, Jr., Elyria Catholic
Second-Team D-II All-Ohio, First-Team All-County, All-District and GLC. Slashed .452/.593/.645 with 28 hits, including a home run, 14 RBI, five doubles, two triples, 33 runs scored, 10 stolen bases and 22 walks.
OF Hugh Sullivan, Sr., Westlake
First-Team GLC, .431/.543/.542 slashline with 31 hits, one home run, three doubles, a triple, 16 RBI, 24 runs, 16 walks, 13 stolen bases. Also pitched 41.1 innings with a 2.20 ERA and 46 strikeouts, signed to play baseball at Denison University.
OF Tyler Reaser, Jr., Open Door
First-Team All-Lorain County, All-District and conference, LEC Player of the Year, .522/.585/.710 slashline with 36 hits (school single season record), seven doubles, two home runs, 24 RBI, 29 runs and 40 stolen bases
C Cory Ransom, Sr., Firelands
First Team All-Ohio Division II, Lorain County Division II Co-Player of the year, Mr. Lorain County Baseball Special Mention, 1st Team All-County, All-District and LC8. Hit for a .590/.747/.863 slashline with 28 RBI and 35 runs scored, 17 HBP, 17 doubles and 36 stolen bases.
U Martin Polonkay, Sr., Amherst
2023 Lorain County Mr. Baseball, All-County Division I Player of the Year, 1st Team All-County and All-Conference, SWC MVP, 2nd Team All-District. Slashed .390/.490/.451 with 32 hits, five doubles, 17 RBI, 14 runs and 14 walks. Also went 6-1 on the mound over 54.2 innings with an 0.79 ERA (six earned runs) striking out 65 to 15 walks. Signed with Walsh University.
U Levi Ellis, Sr., Elyria Catholic
2023 All-County Division II Co-Player of the Year, GLC Pitcher of the Year, Mr. Lorain County Baseball Special Mention, 1st Team All-County, All-District and GLC. Tossed 44.1 innings (10 games, seven starts) going 4-1 with five earned runs, 0.79 ERA, 43 strikeouts and three saves. Hit for a .319/.451/.444 slashline with seven doubles, one triple, 13 RBI, 33 runs scored, 12 walks and 19 stolen bases. Playing football at Hillsdale College.
P Chase Mayer, Sr., Amherst
All-Ohio Honorable Mention, 1st Team All-County, All-District and All-Conference, Went 4-3 over 50.1 innings pitched with an 0.70 ERA (five earned runs), 19 hits allowed, with 108 strikeouts to 31 walks, with a .109 opponents batting average. Heading to Mount Union for baseball.
P Jake Boynar, Sr., North Ridgeville
1st Team All-County, All-District and SWC. 53 innings pitched with an 8-2 record in 10 starts, notching 76 strikeouts to 33 walks with a 1.06 ERA (eight earned runs) and 1.17 WHIP. Signed with Gannon University for baseball.
SECOND TEAM
INF Cam Gendics, Sr., Amherst: 1st team SWC and County, HM All-District. Hit .274 in 95 at-bats (26 hits), hitting in 19 RBI and scoring 19 runs with 15 stolen bases. Went 4-3 over 46 innings on the mound with a 1.07 ERA and 49 strikeouts. Heading to Ohio Northern.
INF Mateo Lopez, Jr., Midview: 1st Team SWC and Lorain County. Slashed .357/.460/.381, with 30 hits, two doubles, seven RBI, 26 runs, 11 walks and 26 stolen bases.
INF Johnnie Kinter, So., Wellington: 1st Team All-County, District and LC8. Slashed .422/.519/.594 with nine doubles, one triple and 16 RBI over 27 hits with 19 runs scored and 13 stolen bases.
INF Ryan Nolan, Sr., Bay: 2nd Team All-District and GLC. Hit for a .409 batting average with two homers, 26 RBI, 10 doubles, two triples, 33 runs scored, 27 walks, 21 stolen bases. Will play at Baldwin Wallace.
OF Gavin Padgett, Sr. North Ridgeville: 1st Team All-County and SWC, .350/.448/.375 slashline with 26 hits, two doubles, 12 RBI, 20 runs and 20 stolen bases. Signed with Bryant and Stratton College.
OF Jack Lion, Sr., Avon Lake: 1st Team All-County and SWC, HM All-District, .329/.457/.388 slashline with 28 hits, five doubles, 22 RBI, 20 runs, 14 walks, 11 stolen bases. Signed to play baseball at Ohio Dominican.
OF Hudson Wissman, Sr., Rocky River: 1st Team GLC, 2nd Team All-District. Slashed .357/.439/.443 with a home run, 20 RBI, and three doubles, over 25 hits and 13 SB. Went 3-4 on the mound with a 2.16 ERA and 41 strikeouts.
C Taylor Belza, So., Elyria Catholic: 1st Team Lorain County, 2nd Team All-District and GLC. Slashed .369/.489/.608 with three home runs, 25 RBI, seven doubles, one triple, 21 runs scored, and 17 walks to 11 strikeouts.
U Brock Miller, Jr., Keystone: 1st Team All-County and LC8, D3/D4 Lorain County Player of the Year, 2nd Team All-District. Slashed .440/.522/.520 with 33 hits, including four doubles, two triples, 17 RBI, 25 runs and 15 steals. Pitched 46.2 innings (11 games, eight starts) going 5-2 with a 0.90 ERA and 78 strikeouts to 15 walks.
P Riley Kearns, Jr., Vermilion: 1st Team All-County and All-District, 2nd Team SBC Lake Division. 12 games pitched, 5-4 with 1.68 ERA over 70.2 IP, 105 K (three shy of school single-season record).
P Evan Kortes, Sr., Westlake: 2nd Team GLC. Tossed 36.2 innings (nine games, six starts), going 5-2 with a 1.34 ERA and 30 K.
P Riley Reyna, Sr., Wellington: 1st Team All-County and LC8. Tossed 35.2 innings (eight games, five starts) going 2-2 with a 1.76 ERA, 0.84 WHIP, 51 strikeouts to only eight walks and one save.
THIRD TEAM
INF Hayden Blosser, Jr., Avon Lake: 1st Team All-County and SWC, HM All-District, .284 batting average with a .743 OPS, three doubles, two triples, 19 runs scored. Pitched 33.1 innings with 48 strikeouts and two saves with a 2-1 record (seven starts). Committed to the University of Michigan.
INF Zak Jockel, Jr., Midview: 1st Team SWC and Lorain County, .313 batting average with an .890 OPS, 26 hits, 11 doubles, one triple, 15 RBI, 10 runs, 12 walks, 9 steals.
INF Michael Scully, Sr., Avon: 1st Team All-County and SWC, .305 batting average with a .768 OPS, with a home run, 11 RBI, three doubles, 11 runs scored, eight walks and five steals..
INF Dylan Sowers, Jr., Olmsted Falls: 1st Team SWC, HM All-District, .385/.491/.527 slashline, 11 doubles, one triple, 22 runs, 15 walks to 12 strikeouts, seven steals. Played every inning in 28 games at shortstop outside of 2/3rds of an inning on the mound, earning a save.
OF Ayden Cruz, Jr., Clearview: 1st Team All-County and LC8. Hit for a .351 batting average with a .917 OPS with three doubles, a triple, 19 runs scored, 11 walks and 22 stolen bases.
OF Nolan Ponstingle, Sr., Westlake: 2nd Team GLC, slashing .385/.474/.526 with a home run and 17 RBI, four doubles, two triples, 25 runs, 14 walks and 16 steals.
OF Tracy Hough, So., Lorain: First-team All-County and LEL, 2nd Team All-District, .404 batting average, .514 OBP, 23 hits, one triple, nine RBI, 16 runs, 13 walks, six stolen bases.
C Josh Moore, Sr., Open Door: First-team All-County and LEC, .385 batting average, .562 OBP, 20 hits, 3 HR, 29 RBI, 21 runs, 22 stolen bases, three doubles, one triple
U Thomas Rossi, Jr., Rocky River: 2nd Team GLC. Slashed .323/.443/.538 with a home run and 19 RBI, nine doubles, a triple, 11 steals and 13 runs scored. Pitched 38 innings (nine starts) with three wins and 46 K.
U Jacob Sanders, Jr., Columbia: Team MVP, first-team All-County and LC8, HM All-District, .400 batting average, 30 hits, three doubles, one triple, 25 RBI, 11 walks, 20 steals. Pitched 61 innings (12 games, nine starts) going 5-4 with 63 K and a 1.84 ERA.
P Nic Chernitsky, Sr., Elyria: HM All-County and SWC, 47.2 IP, 2.32 ERA, 48 K. Playing baseball at Hiram College
P CJ Gurule, Sr., Avon Lake: Second-team SWC, HM All-Lorain County and All-District. 46 IP, 5-2 record, one save, 12 ER, 1.83 ERA, 30 K, .152 batting average against. Playing baseball at Lake Erie College
HONOR ROLL
Amherst: Jacob Schliesser; Avon: Gavin Ehrhardt; Avon Lake: Cole Cartwright, Isaac Soloff; Bay: Danny Surdy, Tony Buttari; Brookside: Devin Radford; Clearview: Anthony Ruiz; Columbia: Carter Kalamasz, Kody Hall; Elyria: Scotty Edgell; Elyria Catholic: Kyle Fairbanks, LJ Hurlbut; Fairview: Ben Leslie; Firelands: Tony Poyle; Keystone: Victor Vilchez; Lorain: Matthew Roesel; Midview: Spencer Mueller; North Olmsted: Luke Koerber; North Ridgeville: Gannon Padgett, Carson Iezzi; Oberlin: Justin Yarber Jr.; Olmsted Falls: Myles Meyer; Open Door: Izaiah Amarise; Rocky River: Rees Heigle, Josh Mommers; Vermilion: Codey Schwarck; Wellington: CJ Polen; Westlake: Chris Protos
