FRUITPORT – Ryan Bosch put an end to his college recruiting process far sooner than anyone expected.

The Fruitport sophomore, a standout pitcher and hitter for the varsity baseball team, took everyone by surprise last week by announcing that he’s made a verbal commitment to play baseball at the University of Michigan.

Bosch, a 6-foot-8 athlete who is still growing and filling out, chose Michigan over lots of other Division 1 colleges that were seeking his services, including Michigan State, Indiana, Wake Forest, Vanderbilt, Kentucky, Duke, Alabama and others.

“I went through the process for the past two years, and it was tough thinking about going to college at a school 15-20 hours away,” Bosch said. “I have a brother at home who is only 8, my sister wants to go to Hope or Michigan, and I wanted to stay closer to home.

“I realized that the Big 10 fit me, and it came down to Michigan or Indiana. I looked at both programs and fell in love with Michigan, both the program and the campus, plus I’ve been a Wolverine since Day 1, so it really felt like home right away.”

A quick look at Bosch’s numbers this season explains why so many colleges have been interested in him, two full years before he graduates from high school.

While most of the hitters in Fruitport’s lineup have been struggling a bit at the plate this season, Bosch has been pounding the ball.

The Trojans have a collective .265 batting average as a team while Bosch entered this week hitting .412 with three doubles, one home run and 10 RBIs.

One of his biggest moments at the plate came last Friday night against Reeths-Puffer at Marsh Field, when Fruitport entered the seventh and final inning trailing 5-0.

The Trojans took advantage of numerous walks at the start of the seventh, then started hitting. They trailed 5-3 with two outs when Bosch strode to the plate with two runners on.

He hit a scorching grounder through the middle of the infield, scoring two runs and tying the game. The Trojans went on to score five more runs in the inning and win 10-5, their biggest victory of the season so far.

“I would say so,” Bosch said, when asked if the big hit was the high point of the spring for him. “I like those kinds of moments, when the pressure is on and you have to come through. I was trying to get something on the ground and shoot it right up the middle, and that’s exactly what happened.”

Bosch has also been lights out on the pitcher’s mound, going into this week with a miniscule 1.00 earned run average and 36 strikeouts in 21 innings.

He reminded everyone of his pitching skills on Wednesday when he only gave up one hit and struck out 10 batters in a big victory over rival Spring Lake.

“He attacks hitters,” said Fruitport Coach Nick Reed. “He has a fastball, changeup and slider. His fastball tails away, his slider cuts in and his changeup goes down. When we played Montague (in the season opener) he started, it was cold out and he gave up a couple of earned runs, but he hasn’t given up any earned runs in his last few outings.”

Bosch obviously has the rest of this season, and two more years of varsity baseball, to enjoy both hitting and pitching.

He’s kind if a rarity, because he hits right-handed and pitches left-handed, and does both with great success.

As Coach Reed put it, “He’s got a lot of God-gifted talent, he works hard, and he’s just figuring out how to be a hitter and pitcher. He’s going to be one of the best ones to come out of Fruitport in a long time.”

The hitting and pitching will end when Bosch reaches college, however, because he says the Wolverines plan to develop him exclusively as a pitcher, which is what he prefers.

“My biggest dream is to pitch in the Major Leagues,” he said. “The pitcher and catcher control the game. Ever since I was younger I have always loved pitching. I love pounding strike after strike. It’s a lot more satisfying for me. I like striking someone out more than I like hitting a home run.”

While he’s making huge strides in his performance on the field, Bosch has also grown as a team leader this season and is enjoying that added role.

Last year, as a freshman on a team with lots of strong seniors, he could operate a bit under the radar. This season, as the best player on a team with only three seniors, he has become a positive force who has worked hard to keep his teammates’ spirits up, particularly when they struggle.

Overall the Fruitport team is talented but inexperienced, with a lot of sophomores and freshmen in the lineup. The Trojans are currently 6-9 overall and 3-9 in O-K Blue conference play.

“We lost a lot of senior leadership from last year, and this year Ryan has taken on more responsibility and is living up to it,” Reed said. “He’s just been a calming influence with the other guys.”

“I have to stay positive to keep the negative energy out of the dugout,” Bosch said. “I like to be a person who tries to do something about situations, rather than just sitting back. I want what is best for our team.”