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Sports

Four Avon Lake Shoremen Selected for All-Star Game

Tyler Beck, Nick Brady, Matt Kohler and Ryan Rodgers play at game.

"The one constant through all the years, has been baseball. America has rolled by like an army of steamrollers. It has been erased like a blackboard, rebuilt and erased again. But baseball has marked the time." -- Terrance Mann.

Four Shoremen, Tyler Beck, Nick Brady, Matt Kohler and Ryan Rodgers, had one last time to lace up the spikes as Avon Lake players, when they played in the Lorain County All-Star game May 28 in Vermilion.

"It was fun because it was like a get together between all the players that I had crossed paths with over the last nine years," Ohio University-bound Beck said. "It was a good way to end my high school career." 

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Shoremen played on the Red team, which included Elyria High School’s Jake Neuschaefer, who won the Lorain County Mr. Baseball award during the event. The Red team came out on the short end, 5-2 and 4-3 in the double header.

While the first game was competitive with players in the their regular positions, the second game for the Red team was more laid back, and guys such as Kohlar (outfield) got to play spots they hadn't since Little League.

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Still the losses didn't damper the spirits of the players, who got to be on the field one last time together and had fun doing so in the process.

"It was ashamed that we lost, but it was a lot of fun," Kohler said. "We all got a picture together after the game, probably the last time we will all be together, so it was bittersweet. But we had fun."

Brady, who set a school record for strikeouts by a pitcher this year with 50, echoed his teammates sentiments, but also had a lot of emotions going through him, as it was the last time he would have Beck behind the plate calling signals for him while he pitched.

"It was a blast, but at the same time, it’s the last time Tyler is ever going to catch me, and we've been together for five years," Brady said. " But I played with one of the kids from Brookside when I was younger and meeting the other guys and being with our guys, it was a great time."

In addition to playing in the All-star game, Beck, who batted .394 during the season and had two home runs and 16 RBI's was named the Lorain County Division I player of the year. 

"That feels really good to be recognized like that," Beck said. "There are so many great players in the county that could of won, so I feel very lucky to get that award. It all comes down to hard work."

Four other Shoremen baseball players along with coach Jeff Stratton also earned county honors.

 Stratton was named the Division I coach of the the year, while Kohler (.422) and Rodgers (.373, three home runs, 15 RBI's, 4 saves)  were selected as first team All-County position players. Brady ( 4-3, 2.53 ERA, 50 strikeouts) and Mark Spring (3-1, 1.81 ERA) were selected as honorable mention pitchers.

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