ERIE — Sometimes it really is about being in the right place at the right time.

Luke Baranchak has taken advantage of such situations twice now.

Despite starting only as a senior in high school, the Butler graduate finds himself as the starting shortstop at Mercyhurst Northeast as a freshman. He is one of the top hitters on the team, sporting a .370 average with 40 hits, a pair of homers and 31 RBI.

His on-base percentage is nearly .450.

“Things have gone my way, for sure, but you have to be ready to take advantage of opportunities when they come your way,” Baranchak said.

He's certainly done that.

Baranchak played summer baseball for the Ohio Glaciers of the Youngstown Class B League. His team's coach happened to be the father of Dan Bertolini, the head coach at Mercyhurst Northeast.

“Coach (Bertolini) saw us play a lot,” Baranchak said. “He's taken three of us off that team and brought us to Mercyhurst.”

Mercyhurst Northeast is a two-year junior college program, but the Saints field a veteran team. Baranchak is one of just two freshman starters on the squad.

“There's a lot of talent here and we play a tough schedule,” he said. “We've had some injuries and a few guys transferred on to other programs. That opened the door for me to get a shot at playing.

“I had a chance to prove myself and it's worked out.”

Coach Bertolini said Baranchak will clearly have a chance to play more baseball once his two-year stint here is up.

“He's a physical kid, a strong hitter with great bat speed,” Bertolini said. “Luke is solid fundamentally as well. He's a good baserunner who knows the game.

“He'll get a chance to play at a four-year school. He's setting his career up well.”

Baranchak is the son of John Baranchak, who coached the Butler Townhip team to the doorstep of the Little League World Series in 2006. That team won the Pennsylvania Little League championship and played in the Mid-Atlantic Regional.

Matt Baranchak, Luke's older brother, played on that team. He played for Roane St. (Tennessee) Junior College and was preparing to play Division I baseball for Wolford (S.C.)University this year. He injured himself sliding into the plate in an Eagle County game the night before his scheduled departure late last summer.

“Matt's been doing extensive rehab after having Tommy John surgery in September,” John Baranchak said. “That's the kind of thing that can happen.

“There are no guarantees, of course, but Luke has always kept himself in outstanding physical shape. He works extremely hard in the off-season.”

Luke said he considers himself “a high energy type of player.”

“I like making a dazzling play in the field or getting the big hit when the team really needs it,” he said. “I feed off that stuff.

“You make yourself into a player during the off-season. I'll go try to find a place to hit every day, I'm in the weight room, doing my stretching ... anything that can help my game.”

“He's always looking for somewhere to go hit,” his father said. “He doesn't miss a day.”

Baranchak's goal is to play Division I baseball down south, “but I'm open to playing anywhere,” he emphasized. He is taking liberal arts courses at Mercyhurst Northeast and plans to return to the Saints next season.

“I want to maximize my time here and help the team win,” he said. “We're playing winning baseball.”

The Saints are 24-15 on the season.

“Luke has a skill set that would work at second base or shortstop at the next level,” Bertolini said. “He's passionate about this game, too, so I know he's going to get better.”