Reprint with permissions from THE TOLEDO BLADE By MARK MONROE BLADE SPORTS WRITER The Monarchs' Brian Bilius singles. ( THE BLADE/ANDY MORRISON ) Photo Reprints While it may not be the true "Fall Classic," local baseball fans will have the opportunity to watch a World Series this weekend in northwest Ohio. The 2008 National Amateur Baseball Federation College Division World Series is being held at four area facilities today through Sunday. The NABF College World Series is the championship tournament for players age 22 and under. Games will be held at Ned Skeldon Stadium in Maumee and at Joe E. Brown, Bowman, and Scott parks in Toledo. Skeldon Stadium will be the main facility. Shawn Sobel, the local tournament director, said the last year an NABF World Series was held in Toledo was 2006. The City of Toledo's Division of Recreation is hosting the national tournament, which will feature 16 teams from eight states.

"There will be teams coming from all over the country," Sobel said. "Some of the best teams are from New York, Maryland, and Missouri."

Two local teams from the Ohio Monarchs organization also have qualified. The Toledo-based Ohio Monarchs Blue and Gold teams rosters consist mostly of players who graduated from area high schools and now play for college teams.

Ed Mouch, who coaches the Monarchs Gold team, said the NABF is a quality organization that attracts top-notch talent.

"I like the idea that a lot of local kids will be playing in this World Series," Mouch said. "It gives them a lot of exposure. People should come out and watch some good baseball."

Two days of pool play will take place today and tomorrow. Games will be played at all four facilities at 9 a.m., 12:30 p.m., and 4 p.m.

Each pool winner moves onto a quarterfinal round Saturday. Those games will be at 9 a.m., 12:30, 4, and 7:30 p.m. at Skeldon Stadium. On Sunday, final games will be at 11 a.m., 2:30, and 7 p.m. at Skeldon Stadium.

"It's very good baseball," Sobel said. "They are collegiate players, and this is their summer league."

Sobel said the wooden-bat-only tournament should attract pro scouts as well.

"It's a good tool for the people out there looking for prospects," he said. "There will be Major League scouts there."

Sobel also said because the players use wooden bats, scouts get a better idea of their offensive capabilities.

"Kids can do a lot of things with metal bats. But a wood bat really shows if a player has what it takes to play in the majors," Sobel said.

Sobel said that many players who participated in the NABF College World Series went on to have stellar pro careers. He said Pete Rose and former Detroit Tigers catcher Bill Freehan played in the tournament.

The teams will use the designated hitter rule. However, college baseball does not allow baserunners to knock over a catcher or use hook slides.

Daily admission is $5, and an all-tournament pass is $10. More information can be found at NABF.com.

Monarchs march on
Mouch said his Ohio Monarchs Gold team has a good chance to win the title.

"These kids want to compete as hard as anybody," Mouch said. "We have had a lot of close games. We can turn it up a notch. They do not like to lose."

Steve Timofeev, who is the general manager of both the Blue and Gold teams, said each has its own unique strengths.

"Our Gold team is a young, strong-hitting team, and our Blue team is the veteran team that is deep in pitching," Timofeev said. "Our Gold team is in first place in the Toledo [Federation] League, but yet our Blue team has beaten the Gold two out of three games. I am amazed at the balance we have in both teams."

Both Monarchs teams qualified for the tournament through their performances in the Toledo Federation League. The local organization received two bids to the tournament.

Mouch, a former varsity coach at St. John's, said the Monarchs are in their third year of existence and have increased from one to two teams this season.

"We had such a good response from the kids, we formed another team," he said. "It is a ball. There are a lot of local kids, and you can get to know them better during the summer."

The Gold team was 30-10, and the Blue team was 25-12 going into last weekend.

"All you have to do is look at the programs that they come from," Mouch said. "You're dealing with good kids from good programs."

The Blue team has players from Genoa, St. John's, Emmanuel Christian, Lake, Start, Evergreen, Anthony Wayne, Oak Harbor, Perrysburg, Whitmer, Clay, and Woodmore.

Phil Reed (Perrysburg/Evangel University) leads the Blue in batting average (.387), home runs (three), doubles (eight), triples (three), and runs batted in (22).

Ross Hartwig (St. John's/Toledo), Cody McPherson (Lake/Bluffton), and Ryan Price (Oak Harbor/Bowling Green) are local products who have performed well at the plate.

Pitchers Chris Bassitt (Genoa/Akron), Shane Pfouts (Lake/Urbana), Nick Picciano (Anthony Wayne/Defiance), Charles Wooten (Woodmore/Bowling Green), and Austin Ritson (Whitmer/Owens) have led the Blue team on the mound.

The Gold team's roster includes players from Clay, St. Francis, St. John's, Genoa, Toledo Christian, Bowsher, Northview, Fostoria, Lake, and Whitmer.

Mouch said at least 80 percent of both rosters consist of local players who have graduated from high school and play in college.

"We have kids that are playing at Owens, Oberlin, Adrian, Bluffton, Heidelberg, Youngstown State, and Defiance," Mouch said.

"They all play college ball during the spring."

The Gold team's top players have been shortstop Brian Bilius (St. Francis/Adrian), centerfielder Casey Winckowski (Clay/Owens), third baseman Brett Howard (St. Francis/Bluffton), and first baseman Jake Cappelletty (St. John's/Adrian). Brian Koehl (Northview/Heidelberg) has been the team's No. 1 pitcher.

"The idea is basically to get the kids to stay here in town and play locally during the summer," Mouch said.

"It keeps their skills in tune. When they get back into school for fall baseball, they'll be ready. This keeps them sharp."

The World Series will wrap up the season for both teams.

Exclusive event
Sobel said this is the first time the City of Toledo has directed the event.

The NABF, a nonprofit group run by volunteers nationwide, was established in Louisville in 1914 and is one of the oldest U.S. baseball organizations. The NABF has eight age groups ranging from 10-and-under to unlimited.

The organization hosts more than 50 regional tournaments, plus the eight national championship tournaments or World Series events, each year.

A home run derby will be held tonight at Skeldon. Sobel said members of the Woodward High Marching Band will work at concession stands at the game to raise money for summer camp.

"We'll have activities to get the kids involved," Sobel said.

"We'll have them shagging balls for the home run derby. There will also be a card show and a silent auction of sports memorabilia."

Contact Mark Monroe at:
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