Ohio Glaciers headed for NABF college event

July 31, 2014 at 12:00a.m.

Talk about going form the frying pan and into the fire.

With their Tri-State Collegiate League playoffs now complete, the Ohio Glaciers will open play today in the NABF College Division World Series when they take on the defending champion St. Louis (Mo.) Dodgers at the University of Toledo’s Scott Park Campus.

Game time is 9 a.m.

Under manager Bob Mingo, the Glaciers will be trying to improve upon their best quarterfinals appearance — that coming in 2012 when they fell victim to eventual champion, the Livonia (Mich.). Michigan Bulls entry.

“We’re definitely ready and I really feel good about our chances this year. We’re a talented team but we have to come to play,” Mingo said. “Good things happen when you’re ready to play so in order to be the best, you have to take on the best and we’re looking forward to the challenge of meeting the defending World Series champion Dodgers.”

This year marks the 30th anniversary of the NABF’s College Division and with a 33-17 overall mark, the Glaciers are looking to go where no other Youngstown entry has ever gone and that is to advance to a first-ever title game appearance.

They qualified for the tournament by receiving the Class AA League’s automatic bid.

The College Division is a 22-and-under tournament with Mingo in his fourth season as head of the Glaciers’ program.

A 26-year veteran of the local coaching ranks, Mingo took over the program reins in 1988 from the late Mike Goldstone when he guided the 19-20 Stars entry; a team that was competitive for so many years in the 20-and-under All-American Amateur Baseball Association Tournament in Johnstown, Pa.

“When the NABF and Johnstown both expanded, we expanded our league as well. I had just turned 22 years-old at the time and it sure has been a fun run,” Mingo said. “It’s always a great feeling to coach this group of players, especially at tournament time.”

Mingo will send right-hander Jared Bettura to the hill against the Dodgers with the hopes of starting out pool play on a positive note.

“If all goes according to plan then Danny Reese will get the call in our second game with Hank Schlueter and Jonathan Taylor ready as well,” Mingo said. “You never want to look ahead and you can never have too much pitching, but you do have to at least plan when it comes to your rotation and the relievers you are counting on to carry you through the tournament. We play nine-inning games so you never really have enough pitching.”

Other arms that Mingo will be depending on include Vince Pitzulo, Ryan Smith, Matt Shelton and Tylor Rhoads.

Jim Jaksa and Drew DelSignore share the catching duties with DelSignore always in the line-up as Mingo’s No. 3 hitter.

Infielder Jared Wiesen is the Glaciers’ lead-off hitter and will play third base with Tyler Gentile, Mark Leone, Brock McGivern and Mike Raschilla rounding out the infield.

The outfield consists of Andrew Burdick in left field; Jaren Bell in center field and Bob Dragon, their clean-up hitter roaming right field.

Rounding out the squad is Jake Bullick, Dominic Edwards, Austin Eskra, Logan Harrah, Tim Kiernan, Johnny Knight, Tyson Lautanen, Josh North, Cody Pitzo, A.J. Thompson, Kevin Yarabenic, Tony Mehle and Mark Zavenson.

The 16-team field consists of four, evenly divided pools with tams as far West as Illinois and as far East as New York taking part.

The tournament runs through Sunday with the Glaciers then reporting to Johnstown for their final action of the year at the AAABA Tournament in Johnstown, Pennsylvania.