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NABF Senior World Series begins today at Cene
Three local teams will
play in Senior World Series in Struthers
By Greg Gulas
STRUTHERS
The Mahoning Valley has long been known as a hotbed when it comes to amateur baseball.
In this, the 100th season of NABF action, the national organization agreed and rewarded Struthers by naming it as host site for this year’s Senior Division World Series.
It marks the third consecutive year that Bob Cene Park will have played host to the NABF 18-and-under tournament.
The tourney features host Creekside Fitness, this year’s league champion, with league runner-up Ohio Glaciers and regional runner-up Rudzik Excavating also local squads in a 15-team field.
Class B president Scott Ruark, who is currently in his sixth year as an NABF district director, called this an exciting time for area baseball fans.
“It doesn’t get any better than this. It’s the 100th anniversary of the NABF, it’s a league-run event and it’s what we represent,” Ruark said. “There are no travel teams; just league-type teams competing against each other and using wood bats to boot. We’re very excited to have been chosen as host once again.”
Creekside manager Terry Landis’ squad finished runners-up a season ago to the Maryland Monarchs, who return this year to defend their title.
The Gambrills, a Maryland-based team, was also the division’s 2009 champion and 2010 runners-up.
“We won the Triple Crown and Connie Mack tournaments but this is the one tournament that you want to win,” Landis said. “Teams from all over come here to compete for the right to be called champion and the competition is absolutely off the chart. This is what every team looks forward to as summer winds down.”
Creekside is 48-5 this season and after going 48-7 a season ago, sport a 96-12 (.889) overall mark.
Four wins into the tourney would give Creekside its 100th win over the past two years during its centennial celebration.
“That fact would only mean that we are still alive in the tournament,” Landis said.
Creekside face the Electric City Charge at 12:30 p.m. today and league foe Rudzik at 5:30 p.m.
Four pitchers Landis is considering for his first two tournament games include Jimmy Kenosh, John Schrieber, Zach Guth and Mitch Wood.
Tyler Walters starts behind the plate, Nick Stotler is penciled in at first with Ted Williams (second base), Mitch Wood (shortstop) and Cal Miller (third base) rounding out the infield.
Scott Sada, Kyle Wise and Nick Longo comprise the outfield with Gino DiVincenzo the designated hitter.
Don Pletcher’s Ohio Glaciers enter play at 33-8, earning an automatic bid as league runners-up.
His squad will take on Martin Oil, a team that Pletcher played for back in 1977 when they won the AAABA Tournament in Johnstown, Pa.
“For the first time all season we have all seven starting pitchers ready and together at the same time. That makes me feel very good,” Pletcher said. “This is the one tournament that our players really look forward to so we are ready to get started.”
Pletcher has named Ursuline’s Dion Felger (4-1, 1.25 ERA) as his starter in today’s 3 p.m. opener and will follow with Buckeye Local’s Eli Krauss (3-0, 0.25) at 5:30 when they take on Sayo Grays from Bronx, N.Y.
Christian Porterfield is Pletcher’s catcher with Greg Popatak (first base), Jamie Switalski (second base), Chase Knodle (shortstop) and Zak Miller (third base), who leads the team in RBIs, rounding out the infield.
Heath Hildreth (center field) is the team’s leading hitter at .410 and is flanked in the outfield by Scott Pierce (left field) and Matt Kamenicki (right field).
Rudzik (22-18) might just be the “Rodney Dangerfield” entry in this year’s World Series, having had to earn respect while qualifying for the division’s ultimate tourney.
“At the beginning of the year I felt as if we’d be alright, but deep down thought we were a year away from making any type of run. We’re a wild card, but we’ve been like that all season long,” manager Tom “Juice” Otto said. “This group of players doesn’t know the meaning of the word quit and they’ve persevered from day one. I’ve been to the World Series before, but never as a manager so this is an exciting time for everyone. We play in one of the best sandlot leagues in the country so we feel as if we’re prepared and will give it our all.”
They will take on the Michigan Bulls at 3 p.m. before going up against Creekside at 5:30 p.m.
Otto will turn to Adam Knight to open against the Bulls with T.J. Jones, and tourney additions Chris Perez (Roth Brothers) and Kip DeShields (Bel-Park Pharmacy) considered for Creekside.
Jake Smith and Peyton Pacella will share catching and DH duties, Don Colucci (first base), Ray Scala (second base), Ross Maietta (shortstop) and Brent McCormick (third base) comprising the infield and Colton Crissman (left field), Paul Torok (center field) and DeShields (right field) holding down the outfield.