By Nicholas Huenefeld/Owens Sports Information
Detroit, MI---Nate Manis, the starting shortstop for the Express baseball team, will continue his playing career at Wayne State University next year.
The departing sophomore was named First Team All-Ohio Community College Athletic Conference (OCCAC) and First Team All-Region XII this past season. He hit .314 with a team-high 38 runs, three doubles, two triples, 17 RBI, a team-high 17 walks, a .451 on base percentage and a team-high 20 stolen bases.
In OCCAC play, Manis hit .329 with 25 runs, two doubles, two triples, 13 RBI, 19 walks and 12 stolen bases. He had a .479 on base percentage, as well.
In the Region XII tournament, Manis lined a two-run, game winning single through the right side in the team's opening 6-4 win over Jackson Community College. It ended up being the team's final victory of the season.
As a freshman, Manis hit .262 with 28 runs, three doubles, 16 walks, a team-high 29 stolen bases and nine RBI.
He is a graduate of Port Huron (MI) Northern High School, where he hit .440 with 33 hits, 20 runs, 26 RBI and 16 stolen bases as a senior.
Notes
Wayne State University plays at the NCAA D-II level and competes in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC). They finished 32-18 overall and 21-10 in the GLIAC last year under the direction of head coach Ryan Kelley.
Manis will join his former Express teammate Clayton Ruch, who joined Wayne State prior to last season.
Additionally, Manis joins Ryan Horvath (Union College), Justin Elder (Union College), Sean Koerber (Lourdes University), Logan Shullick (Tiffin University) and Dane Davis (IPFW) as members of last year's Express sophomore class to move on. In addition to those six players, the 2011-12 Express baseball team now has 16 players that have moved on to four-year schools/universities. The others include Ruch, Ryan Hotmer (Grand Valley State University), Daniel Heatherly (Adrian College), Jeff Davis (Adrian College), Jordan Basinger (Siena Heights University), Michael Louis (University of Findlay), Chris Ward (Grand Valley State University), Andy Joseph (Northwood University, MI), Joe Sickler (University of Findlay) and Alex Juday (Jackson State University).