Only a few days ago, Josh LaPiana was pitching to stay in shape.

Now he’s pitching to stay in baseball.

The Butler BlueSox left-hander received the news Friday that his current school — the University of Akron — is discontinuing its baseball program for financial reasons, effective immediately.

“I didn’t see this coming at all,” LaPiana said. “It was totally out of the blue. I got an e-mail Friday and my world was turned upside down.”

Akron finished 28-30 this past spring, 13-14 in Mid-American Conference play. The Zips came within one out of reaching the MAC Tournament championship game before a three-run rally by Ball State resulted in a 9-8 loss.

“I was the starting pitcher in that game,” LaPiana said. “I started the final baseball game played by Akron.

“I never figured on that.”

He never figured on having to go through the recruiting process again, either. But at 6-foot-4, 220 pounds and three years of collegiate eligibility remaining, that’s what he’s doing.

Division I programs Tennessee, Morehead State, Penn State, Manhattan, Utah and Bradley are among the schools looking at him. LaPiana planned on working on different pitches and enjoying himself with the BlueSox this summer.

Suddenly, he’s auditioning for a new home.

“That’s what his final few starts here will be about with us,” BlueSox manager Jason Radwan said. “He will be showing college scouts what he can do.”

A true freshman with Akron, LaPiana made seven starts for the Zips, going 2-3 with a 4.40 earned run average. He struck out 21 and walked 21 in 47 innings pitched.

His control has improved greatly this summer. In 40.1 innings with the BlueSox, he’s struck out 37 and walked 10.

“I’m going to wind up with more than 100 innings pitched this year, so I was going to taper off,” LaPiana said. “I’m not going to do that now.

“Whatever I can summon that’s left in the tank from here on in, I’m using it. I feel like a high school recruit again. I need to impress those college scouts who are coming to games to check me out. Fortunately, I never burned any bridges when I was being recruited in high school.”

Radwan said he’s saddened any time a college or university shuts down baseball.

“I feel for all of those kids at Akron, especially the seniors who were coming back,” Radwan said. “It’s like their careers are being cut short. College baseball is one of the best times of a player’s life

“Josh is still young and talented enough, he’s going to catch on somewhere else. The older players are the ones who will really feel this.”

LaPiana agreed.

“It’s hard to transfer out as a senior and play somewhere else because of credits,” the pitcher said. “A lot of schools want you to stay for another three years or whatever and that’s tough on any family financially.

“I’m still young enough that I can go the junior college route if I want to. There’s enough Division I and II interest out there ... I’ll be signing with a new school somewhere in the next month or so.”

Radwan said he will assist his pitcher any way he can.

“We’ll give him every opportunity to show his stuff, that’s for sure,” the BlueSox manager said.