Albright Excited To Find A College Home At Indiana

LIMA - Blaine Albright is still going to play in the Big 10, it will just be at a different university than originally planned..

The Lima Bath senior is headed to Indiana after a coaching change at Ohio State was followed by a decommitment from the second-rated 2023 left-handed pitcher in the Buckeye State.

“I had built up a four-year relationship with the old coaches at Ohio State and once they left it got me thinking it might not be the right fit,” Albright explained. “After talking to the new coaches, I decided to open things up. A week later I went to Grand Park to pitch and the Indiana pitching coach came to watch me. A week later I told him I was interested. Five minutes later I got a call from head coach Jeff Mercer and I committed on the spot.”

Offers from Purdue, Ohio University, Akron and Wright State, where Mercer was the former head coach before taking over at Indiana in 2019, were also out there for the 6-3 205-pound southpaw, who had also been talking to Georgia Southern and Marshall.

“I don’t think there’s any better pitching coach in the country than Dustin Glant,” Albright said about what stood out in making Indiana his college choice. “After talking to him. I’m confident this is the right decision for me.”

The IU head coach has had his eyes on Albright for some time.

“Coach Mercer’s wife went to Bath, so he’s known about me since eighth grade,” Albright pointed out.

The coaches at Indiana saw a lot to admire about Albright, who missed this past high school season with an injury but is now back to 100 percent.

“They like that I’m a left-handed pitcher throwing in the low-90s and can move my fastball where I need it to be,” Albright noted. “They also like that I have good offspeed.”

But the 25th-ranked senior in Ohio understands there is more labor ahead.

“I’ve got a lot of work to put in,” Albright related. “I’m not playing basketball this year so I can put my full focus on baseball.”

The hope is the end result means an impact once arriving at Indiana.

“We’ll see what happens as a freshman,” Albright said. “I hope to be able to help out of the bullpen while working my way up to a Friday/Saturday night starter.”

No matter the role, Albright is thrilled with the idea of pitching in the Big 10.

“It’s a blessing,” Albright admitted. “Obviously to play in a Power 5 conference is a great thing. With Indiana it’s the right fit. The coaches made me feel welcome and the pitching coach blew me away. I think he’s the best there is in the country.

“When I went to a prospect camp he gave a presentation of how he runs his program. He was with the Yankees’ Triple-A team as a pitching coach and he brings that to Indiana, which is where his family is from.”

Admittedly, to know where his future is at and to have recruitment finally at an end to the 18-year-old from Lima.

“It’s been a very stressful process,” Albright said. “It’s a blessing to have ability, it’s a God-given gift, but it’s been stressful. Thankfully, I’ve had family and friends there to back me up. It was hard to decide where I wanted to go for the next four years.”

A major in exercise science on a path to go into physical therapy are the plans for Albright, who carries a 4.0 GPA entering his senior year at Bath.

“I’m just glad to have this opportunity at Indiana,” Albright concluded. “This summer was very stressful with the decommitment and all. I’m just glad I found a home for the next four years.”