No one is guaranteed a starting position on a college baseball team, especially an incoming freshman.

But when Mercyhurst College coach Joe Spano wandered by the batting cage ... he just knew.

Freeport graduate Ryan Siegel, a redshirt freshman transfer from Coastal Carolina, was taking some impressive swings.

“He was spraying the ball all over the field with authority and he’s probably the fastest kid I’ve ever coached,” Spano said. “Yeah, I figured he was going to be playing for us somewhere.”

Siegel did not fit into Coastal Carolina’s immediate plans and the center fielder didn’t want to spend another spring sitting.

“Last year was hard enough,” he said.

Siegel played for the Butler BlueSox last summer, hitting just .202 with two homers, 11 RBI and 10 stolen bases — and both homers came in the same game.

“I couldn’t find my stroke. It was the worst slump of my life, probably because I hadn’t been playing,” Siegel said. “I finally felt comfortable when I had that two-homer game (at Pullman Park) late in the season.

“Mercyhurst has a good baseball program and suited me academically. Coach Spano believed in my abilities and I saw it as a place I could go and settle in.”

He’s wasted little time doing that. Valedictorian of the 2010 Freeport High School graduating class, he is majoring in computer science.

Siegel hit .389 this season — third in the PSAC — and led the conference with 63 hits before having his season ended April 22 when he broke his hand while being hit by a pitch against Clarion.

The injury required surgery and Siegel cannot resume baseball activities for eight weeks. Siegel wound up being named PSAC West Freshman of the Year, tying for fifth in the league with 14 doubles, stealing 13 bases and playing errorless ball in the outfield.

Mercyhurst (38-15) lost in the semifinal round of the PSAC Tournament last weekend at Pullman Park and hopes to draw an at—large berth Sunday in the Atlantic Regional.

But the Lakers will continue to play without Siegel.

“He hit anywhere from third to fifth in our lineup and his production on the field speaks for itself,” Spano said. “But Ryan’s leadership is missed as well. Even though he’s a freshman, the other guys have picked up on his work ethic.

“He’s always in the batting cage with his tee, unsupervised. He’s always in the weight room working out. The guy is amazing.”

Siegel simply shrugs his shoulders when asked about his passion for the game.

“You can always get better at baseball,” he said. “I had maybe 14 hits this year where I hit the ball weakly. There’s plenty of room for better at bats.

“If I lead in any way, it’s by example. I’m not much of a talker.”

Siegel’s bat was speaking rather loudly at the time of his injury.

Leading into the four-game weekend series against Clarion, he was hitting .356. Siegel went 11 for 16 in those four games, jumping his average 33 points before the ill-fated at bat that sidelined him.

“The pitch actually deflected off my hand and caught the thumb of my other hand,” Siegel said. “I’m happy that didn’t get broken.”

Siegel is entertaining hope of a professional baseball career down the road. Spano likes his chances.

“He loves the game enough to keep working at it,” Spano said. “You’re talking about a left-handed hitter with tremendous speed who covers ground in the outfield and hits the ball hard to all fields.

“The scouts will be interested.”