Perrysburg's Delas to play baseball at Toledo in the fall

Perrysburg RB Mark Delas (49) runs the ball against Maumee OL Dakota Yeary (60) during a football game Friday, Nov. 1, 2013, in Maumee.

THE BLADE/JEREMY WADSWORTH
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Perrysburg RB Mark Delas (49) runs the ball against Maumee OL Dakota Yeary (60) during a football game Friday, Nov. 1, 2013, in Maumee.

Perrysburg's three-sport athlete Mark Delas has committed to play baseball at the University of Toledo.

In a decision he said he has been mulling over since middle school, Delas has decided to play college baseball over football. Delas said he also was offered a scholarship to play football at Ohio Dominican and could have been a preferred walk-on to play football at Bowling Green State University.

Delas will be finishing his senior year at Perrysburg this spring, and start at Toledo in the fall.

"I've always wanted to play a Division I sport, both my parents did," Delas said. "I went to [Toledo's baseball] camp sophomore year and fell in love with the coaching staff."

Delas

The third baseman and pitcher for Perrysburg last year hit .408 with a home run and 31 runs batted in. Delas said the one thing he'd like to improve upon during his senior baseball season is hitting for a higher average.

He was named All-Ohio and All Northern Lakes League last year. 

"He hits for power and average, and runs well," Perrysburg coach Dave Hall said. "He is a gap-to-gap hitter, and a clutch hitter."

Delas said Toledo likes him because he can hit. And although he wants to play infield and end up as a catcher, he thinks freshmen that can hit tend to play the outfield early in their career.

The decision between which sport to play was extremely tough for Delas who loves football. But he said he enjoys practice and doubleheaders with baseball, and is glad the decision is over and he can relax and play. Delas said much higher injury rates in football also contributed to the decision.

"I'm extremely happy for him," Hall said, who went to ut. "The Mid-American Conference is something our players shoot for."

Contact Matt Thompson at: mthompson@theblade.com, 419-356-8786, or on Twitter at @mthompson25.