The hard-hitter will play baseball at Toledo

By Joe Scalzo | April 21, 2008 at 12:38a.m.

Senior Mark Lapikas has led the Irish to an 11-1 record, and is a role model.

YOUNGSTOWN — Ursuline senior Mark Lapikas is the type of kid who, when you find out his grandfather was a minor league baseball player, you think, “That sounds about right.”

“He’s a very big kid,” said Irish baseball coach Sean Durkin. “He’s dad’s a big guy, too. He started for us as a sophomore, but he looks different now. He’s about 30 pounds heavier.

“He’s a grown man now.”

Lapikas (6-foot-3, 200 pounds) has been an All-Steel Valley Conference first teamer the past two seasons, both of which ended with the Irish advancing to the state tournament. He batted .532 last year with 29 RBIs as the Irish lost in the state semifinals, then batted .475 for Astro Falcons in the Class B League in the summer.

The University of Toledo first spotted him during his sophomore year when they were recruiting Irish shortstop Ryan Satterlee. When the time came for him to make his college decision, Lapikas opted to join Satterlee up north.

“It was kind of any easy choice,” said Lapikas, who will play first base and pitch for the Rockets. “Ryan helped me out a lot and it was nice to know someone up there.

“Toledo’s the one that showed the most interest.”

Lapikas used to be a three-sport standout for the Irish — he played two years of football and three years of basketball — but baseball won out. His grandfather on his mother’s side, Bernie Rossman, was a minor league pitcher for the Indians in the 1950s and has been a big influence in his career.

“He helped me make my choice [Toledo],” Lapikas said. “He always wanted me to go far. He’s helped me with pitching and has been a role model.”

Now Lapikas is a role model for some of his younger teammates, although leaders aren’t hard to find at Ursuline. The Irish, who started the season 11-1, are a senior-laden team with five players, including Lapikas, who have started since their sophomore seasons.

“Mark has as much experience as anyone,” said Durkin. “He’s one of the people the younger guys look to for advice.”

Lapikas hit fifth in Ursuline’s lineup the last two years, then moved into the third spot (generally reserved for the team’s best all-around hitter) this season. He’s shown more power this year, due in part to filling out and in part to not playing basketball.

“He’s a big left-hander with power to the gaps,” said Durkin. “He’s pitching well for us, too, which he hasn’t done a lot for us in the past. He’s done a great job.”

That excellence translates to the classroom, where Lapikas is an honor student who plans to major in pre-med at college.

Lapikas, of course, is just one piece of Ursuline’s puzzle. Pitcher Robert Switka (who throws in the mid-80s) and shortstop Joe Wielbruda have both received plenty of interest from college scouts and there’s little question the Irish have the talent to make another run at the Division III title.

“Anything less than Columbus is a letdown,” said Lapikas. “It’s kind of a cliche, but we’re hoping the third time’s a charm.”

Durkin doesn’t like to make predictions — particularly in a sport like baseball — but he likes his team.

“Baseball’s a funny game,” Durkin said. “On any day, you can face a great pitcher and the bats don’t come through. But we have that kind of ability and experience.

“We’re swinging the bats pretty well, so a lot depends on how our pitching holds up. Mark is a big part of that. This team can make a run in the tournament.”

scalzo@vindy.com