Swing a stick and score. That simple but difficult action was the key to athletic success for all of freshman infielder Matt Ineich’s life. However, 30 games into his collegiate career, it looks a lot different than most would’ve expected.
A South Lyon, Michigan, native, Ineich grew up playing hockey. His father, Jeff Ineich, was a member of the hockey team at Lawrence Technological University from 2002-2005, and his brother, Andrew, played club hockey for Grand Valley State University.
Ineich himself stood out playing center and left wing, two positions integral to a hockey team’s offense, just as Ineich has been for Ohio’s baseball team. The decision to move away from hockey toward baseball was a simple one for Ineich, whose talent and love for the game played a role in his family’s decision to move to South Lyon when Ineich was in middle school.
“I kind of fell out of love with hockey (in middle school). It was always hockey above all growing up,” Ineich said. “I just felt like I was pretty good at baseball, so I decided to pursue this.”
Ineich played his high school years at Detroit Catholic Central, where he shared a batting order for his first three years with sophomore infielder Trae Cassidy. Ineich’s pre-collegiate career was fruitful, finishing his senior season with a batting average of .370 and an on-base percentage of .505, leading his team to a 27-12 record as team captain.
Recruiting for college started early for Ineich. After a stellar sophomore display, which Ineich believed was his best high school season, he began attending the Prep Baseball Report Future Games, one of the premier opportunities high school baseball players have to garner attention from collegiate coaches.
“I started recruiting (summer of my sophomore year) … went to Future Games after a good high school year,” Ineich said. “That’s when I got noticed, started getting coaches to reach out, and it all started from there.”
Ohio came into the picture right around the same time. Ineich did enough to impress the Bobcat scouts, staying in consistent contact and committing to play in Athens in June 2024. Ineich’s true swing and ability to get on base have transitioned quickly to the college game, where he has been one of the MAC’s most efficient hitters as a freshman. His batting average of .415 is the third-best mark in the conference, while his 51 hits rank second.
“Just keep it simple; that’s what I practice every day with my teammates,” Ineich said. “Keeping it simple, not trying to do too much. Even in the big spots, I can’t try to do too much. Just got to pass the stick and trust the next guy.”
Ineich’s cool demeanor and efficiency at the plate earned him the second spot in Ohio’s batting order, slotting in as a designated hitter. It didn’t take Ohio coach Craig Moore too long to realize he had more than that. In Ineich’s second game against Wofford, an NCAA Tournament team from the season prior, he tallied four hits on six at-bats, making it home twice in the process.
By the time MAC play started, Ineich was the first player opposing pitchers would see. The only change to that happened when sophomore shortstop JR Nelson went down with an injury toward the end of March, with Ineich, a natural shortstop, being the go-to replacement.
“I played shortstop all my high school years, so I feel at home now,” Ineich said. “I had some struggles at second base, but I feel pretty comfortable back at short, which is good.”
Ineich’s play has spoken for itself. Coming from a hockey background, it's not as if baseball runs through the freshman’s veins, yet he’s been one of the MAC’s most consistent players, earning a spot in the race for Freshman of the Year. However, Ineich maintains, “accolades are something that comes after the season,” staying level-headed and focused on what’s in front of him.
