SLIPPERYROCK — When his pitching arm died, Glenn Sharrar figured his baseball career died with it.

But despite collecting fewer than 10 total at-bats in high school, the 2002 Seneca Valley graduate is thriving as the No. 4 hitter in Division IILock Haven University's lineup these days.

"I feel pretty lucky,"Sharrar said. "It's strange the way the whole thing worked out."

Sharrar had accepted an offer to pitch for Potomac State (W.Va.)College once he graduated from high school, but he injured his arm early in fall practice his freshman year.

"I tore my labrum and never had a chance down there,"he said.

Sharrar returned home and decided to try pitching at Butler County Community College a year later.

Once again, he was shut down.

"My arm just never came back,"Sharrar said. "I still wanted to play baseball and BC3 was looking for a first baseman, so I gave it a shot."

He wound up batting .459 in the clean-up spot, the Pioneers wound up winning a state championship and Sharrar wound up attracting the attention of Bethany (W.Va.) College, Pitt-Johnstown, Pitt-Bradford and Lock Haven, among others.

"Glenn's family goes camping near here, so he knew the area and liked it,"Lock Haven coach Paul Stover said. "That gave us an edge when it came to recruiting him.

"He came for a visit and liked it. And we liked him."

Now Sharrar finds himself an everyday college player, batting in the middle of a lineup that features four freshmen and only two home runs as a team.

Karns City graduate Nathan McCullough, now at La Roche College, is the only other member of that BC3 state title team to move on to a four-year school.

Sharrar leads the Bald Eagles with 15 RBIand is second on the squad with 25 hits. He was hitting .300 before an 0-for-6 performance here Saturday dropped his average to .281.

"I hit him in the fourth spot because he puts the bat on the ball and hits to all fields,"Stover said. "Glenn knows how to move runners around.

"We're a young team and I didn't want to put any extra pressure on a freshman by placing him in the four-hole."

Sharrar is a junior and has struck out only eight times in 89 at bats this season.

He also has had to adjust to yet another position change:Right field.

"We've got a freshman (Matt Palko)who has worked his way into the lineup, so I asked Glenn to give right field a shot,"Stover said. "He's one of those guys who will do anything for the team."

"It was weird for me at first,"Sharrar said. "I had to get used to judging fly balls, but I'm feeling better about playing out there now."

"Whatever it takes to help us win, I'll do. Ilike this team. We can compete in this conference. We have young talent that's going to get better. Five of our losses have been by one run."

Lock Haven dropped three out of four games to Slippery Rock over the weekend to slide to 8-18 overall, 1-3 in the PSACWest.

The losses don't discourage Sharrar.

"It's a young season and I'm still playing baseball," he said. "It's all positive."