LaBrasca fulfills dream to play DI baseball – The Courier-Express

DuBOIS — Every young kid who competes in sports grows up dreaming about playing beyond high school, and that dream has come true for DuBois senior Nick LaBrasca.

Not only will LaBrasca continue his baseball career in college, he will do so at the highest level after signing a letter of intent to play at Division I Youngstown State.

“To play at YSU, and in the Horizon League, are both an absolute blessing,” said LaBrasca. “It is the dream you grow up having as a little kid while playing baseball. I couldn’t be more excited and blessed for this opportunity.”

And, LaBrasca has certainly played his share of baseball through the years, starting on the youth fields in the DuBois area before moving on to the high school level.

LaBrasca reached the varsity level as a freshman and put together a solid campaign as the Beavers designated hitter while also pitching some. He hit .415 (22-for-53) with 20 RBIs and two home runs as the Beavers went 18-5 and reached the second round of the state playoffs. He also went 2-1 on the mound with a 3.43 ERA and 15 strikeouts in 16 1/3 innings.

The Beaver struggled to get going his sophomore year and hit just .256 (11-for-43) and only knocked in seven runs. LaBrasca was still strong on the mound though, garnering a 3-1 record with a save while striking out 11 and posting a 2.71 ERA in 2- 2/3 innings.

LaBrasca bounced back with a strong offensive campaign last year and tied for team-highs in average (.375), hits (21), RBIs (20) and home runs (1). He also led the squad with nine doubles as the Beavers went 14-7 for the second straight season.

As for pitching, LaBrasca was enjoying his best year before a late-season injury in the City Classic Game against DuBois Central Catholic ended the Beaver’s season on the mound. He was 5-2 at the time and had recorded 29 strikeouts and a 3.39 ERA in 31 innings of work.

LaBrasca said Youngstown State is looking for him to be a first baseman, a position he has played most his career when not pitching.

Outside of Little League and high school, LaBrasca also has played on various travel teams that compete in and out of the state.

One of those travel teams played in Ohio the past couple summers, which helped get LaBrasca some extra exposure outside Pennsylvania and had to play a role in the Youngstown State coaching staff being interested in the Beaver.

“Yes it did play a small role, but ultimately was not a big factor in the long run,” said LaBrasca of playing in Ohio before committing to YSU. “I was going to go somewhere that gave me a good offer and provided a great opportunity to get on the field as a freshman.

“I, along with the staff, made me feel like YSU is the best place to accomplish those goals.”

Ultimately, LaBrasca said he just felt at home at Youngstown and committed to the Penguins early in the recruiting process.

“I love the entire school. The campus, the facilities and the people are all amazing,” he said. “It’s an all-around great atmosphere, but above all it was the coaches. They really made me feel at home and also made me feel wanted.

“I also believe the coach is really going to make the program better, and pretty fast, so that is something I am excited about.”

LaBrasca plans on majoring in finance, and he said that program at Youngstown also played a small factor in his decision.

“I knew YSU had a great business program, but it also is closer to home than some of the other schools I was deciding against. And, that was a priority to me.”

LaBrasca isn’t the only local product headed to Youngstown next fall, as St. Marys Area senior Jeff Wehler has also signed to play baseball for the Penguins. LaBrasca said the two have become good friends and that having Wehler there, along with a couple current players he knows as well, should help with the transition to college.

“There are actually quite a few kids that I know that are currently already playing at YSU,” said LaBrasca. “I do know Jeff (Wehler) from not only playing plenty of baseball games against and with him, but I also played with him in a summer basketball league.

“We have grown to be pretty good friends, and I do believe knowing Jeff, as well as others, will help make the transition easier.”

With his college choice out of the way, one would think it would allow LaBrasca to relax more going forward in his senior year. But, the Beaver doesn’t necessarily see it that way.

“Yes and no,” said LaBrasca of the decision allowing him to relax. “It will because it takes the pressure of knowing what my future holds away, but I also still have set strict athletic and academic goals that I strive to achieve.”