To make his biggest dreams come true, Harrison Schneider relied on his work ethic.

The Amherst star pitcher’s dedication was rewarded as the incoming senior announced his commitment to Bowling Green State University on Aug. 14.

Schneider put together a tremendous junior season both as a pitcher and hitter. The Comets’ making it to the Division II state championship game was the cherry on top. He’s excited to live out what has been a lifelong goal of his.

“It means the world to me,” he said. “My dream as a little kid was to play Division I baseball, and it coming true is definitely very emotional for me. I worked my butt off and I felt like it paid off. To go to Bowling Green where my mom went is very cool because she loved it and I get to experience it and play baseball and further my career. That’s just really important to me.”

Another important figure in Schneider’s life, Amherst coach Matt Rositano, also played baseball at Bowling Green. The last Amherst player under Rositano to play baseball for the Falcons was 2014 grad Justin Mott. To say the least, the veteran coach is thrilled to see Schneider become the next.

“I’ve been talking to Harrison a lot throughout the whole process this summer. With myself having played at Bowling Green, I am really excited to get an Amherst Comet back into Bowling Green,” Rositano said. “Coach (Kyle) Hallock is doing an unbelievably great job with the baseball program there. I’m just really proud and really excited for him.”

Bowling Green’s coaching staff attended Amherst’s state semifinal against New Albany and saw what Schneider was made of. Since that day, all he wanted was to become a Falcon.

“The main thing that’s special to me is the head coach. Coach Hallock, his beliefs and his outlook on baseball are eye-opening,” Schneider said. “It really made me want to be a part of the program because I feel like he is very big on developing kids and making them studs. I’m very excited.”

Once the high school season ended, Schneider knew he wanted to commit before school started. The chip on his shoulder is still as big as ever.

“For all of my pitching performances in the future, I want to prove that I’m worth it for Bowling Green to be a part of their program,” Schneider said.

It’s safe to say Schneider has already proved his worth. He racked up many accolades as a junior, including Division II first-team All-Ohio honors. He also was named the Southwestern Conference MVP and Lorain County AAA Player of the Year.

On the mound, Schneider pitched 60 2/3 innings, posting a 1.24 earned-run average with 69 strikeouts and an undefeated 9-0 record. He was also a big-time hitter for the Comets with a .358 batting average and 24 RBI.

It was clear Schneider was capable of a season like that early on. In his first-ever varsity start as a freshman, he threw a no-hitter against Mentor in 2023. His work ethic has only grown from there.

“The work Harrison has put in the last three years leading up to his senior year and his commitment is just a testament to him,” Rositano said. “I tell the kids all the time, there is a difference in being interested in being a great baseball player, a great kid and a great student, and being committed to being a great baseball player, a great kid and a great student. You could tell especially the last year with the work he put in and his dedication.”

With all of that said, this journey didn’t come easy. Schneider was disappointed with his sophomore season and he felt discouraged. Instead of giving up, he became fully committed to the sport and got out of the funk.

“I would say I committed myself to baseball,” Schneider said. “I ate, slept and breathed it the whole year. All I did was live for baseball and train. I wanted to get better and it paid off.”

As a result of his commitment to the game, he got to make another commitment, this time to Bowling Green.

Originally Published: August 14, 2025 at 4:18 PM EDT