LIBERTY TWP. - The recruiting process changed this year and Jacob Beall had an up close look at it.

“I had no idea what to expect with the pandemic and all,” Beall said about his recruitment. “My process was not like any of the 2020 commits. It was completely unique. It was much different than I expected with no in-person talk and all of it over the phone.”

There was a lot of concern when the spring season was cancelled.

“It was definitely a setback,” the Lakota West senior reflected. “You weren’t able to throw and showcase your stuff. It was a setback not being recruited except by video ... which isn’t the same.”

Fortunately for Beall, there was a connection with his pitching coach Greg Gunderson and Akron assistant Cory Mee, the recruiting coordinator of the Flashes who worked with Gunderson while coaching at Michigan State from 2000-03 .

“It started a month-and-a-half ago when he contacted him about me,” noted Beall, who has worked with Gunderson since the age of 11. “We did some phone calls and zoom calls with him and Akron pitching coach Connor Faix. They liked where my velo is along with my projectable frame.”

By summer’s end, the 26th-rated 2021 right-handed pitcher in Ohio had received an offer from the Mid-American Conference school.

“I was anticipating an offer because then continually talked about how much they like me and how the summer has gone,” Beall said. “There was a call with me and Cory and the pitching coach and they took me through what my first year would be like and the plan with me. They described what different days at Akron would be like.”

VMI, Marietta and Thomas More were other colleges Beall was considering before making a commitment to Akron on Sept. 1.

“The coaching staff was the selling point,” explained Beall, who took an unofficial visit to the campus with family between the offer and time of commitment to “get a feel” for the school. “All the conversations went well. They sounded like a supporting staff.”

Admittedly, there were some nerves prior to Akron’s strong interest.

“Toward the end of summer with the dead period pushed back it was kind of nerve-racking trying to find a home for the next four years,” the 84th-ranked senior in the state related. “Getting the offer got that stress off.”

An improved game helped Beall make an impression on Akron.

“I’ve always had a fastball and curve that worked for me, but in the last year I’ve focused on a change and that’s now my go-to pitch,” Beall explained. “That’s the biggest thing for me when it comes to improvement. I can throw the change when I want.”

Now the focus turns to getting even better.

“I’m looking to put on some strength and muscle to help get my velo up,” Beall noted. “I’m 6-3, 170 now, and I’d like to be 185 by the time I get there freshman year.”

It was ninth grade in high school when the idea of playing college baseball hit Beall.

“Me and teammates, Grant Miller (Ball State commit) and Brady Weber, were the only freshmen to make the JV team at West and it was then it became clear I had an actual shot at playing at the next level,” Beall explained. “Then last summer when my coaches started reaching out to schools and I started talking to people it became realistic.”

Now Beall, who just turned 18 on Sept. 27, is looking forward to what he can bring to the Akron program.

“Off the field I’m a hard-working student who will get the job done in the classroom first,” noted Beall, who carries a 3.5 GPA and scored a 32 on the ACT. “On the field I’m looking to be an impact guy my first year.”

A middle infielder in his youth, the right-handed Beall is now concentrating on being a full-time pitcher.

“Around my sophomore year, once I realized pitching was my future, I started to focus on that,” reflected Beall, who is looking at exercise science or business as a college major.

The decision to put attention on being a pitcher has worked out well for Beall, with a college commitment to a school three-and-a-half hours from home.

“It’s a relief now knowing I don’t have to stress going through college admissions and trying to figure where I want to go,” Beall concluded. “This takes the stress off of what other people are going to have to go through.”