Ohio to play host to Great Lakes Regionals
August 1, 2017
By Bruce Hefflinger and PBR Staff
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Ohio to play host to Great Lakes Regionals
For the first time in nearly a decade and just the sixth time ever, Ohio will play host to the American Legion Great Lakes Regionals.
Mercy Field in Toledo will be the site of the eight-team tournament which runs from Wednesday through Sunday. Napoleon, this year’s state champion, is the host team for regionals the next two years.
“Our intent going in is to promote American Legion baseball the best we can,” Napoleon general manager Randy Bachman said. “This lets people see we’re playing for championships, with this tournament providing an opportunity to go to the World Series. It’s team oriented with a carrot at the end.”
Legion teams from five different states have qualified for the double-elimination tourney with the winner moving onto the American Legion World Series in Shelby, N.C. Aug. 10-15. Currently, 64 teams across the United States remain alive with eight regionals going on this week to decide the field for the Series.
“This is definitely a step up from state and I thought this year’s teams at state, other than one, were pretty good,” noted Bachman, whose Napoleon squad lost its first state game to Beverly-Lowell 4-3, only to battle back and knock off B-L twice on Sunday 13-3 and 8-0 to capture its fifth state title and first since 2013. That year Napoleon went on to win the Great Lakes Regionals, the last time an Ohio team advanced to the World Series.
“At this level you can’t play a so-so game and get by,” Bachman said about competing in a field with the likes of Midland, Mich., Rockport, Ind., and Edwardsville (Metro East), Ill. - all coming in as state champions. Wisconsin state champ Eau Claire, which faces Napoleon in Wednesday’s 7:30 p.m. finale, joins the field along with Oshkosh, Wis., and Danville, Ill.
“Midland would have to be right there,” Bachman said about the favorite in a field that includes last year’s winner Rockport.
The honor of hosting the event takes lots of advanced planning.
“It’s been a 4-year process,” Bachman explained. “You’re finally selected 15 months out. We had to come up with a bid package which includes hotels and bus companies to get kids to and from here. There are a lot of things that need to be done ahead of time. Then the hotel we had was tore down and we had to go through it all over again.”
A new state-of-the-art facility at Defiance High School will be used if there are weather issues.
“We had to submit 2½ years ago when the Defiance field wasn’t built, I don’t know if it was even in the thought process yet,” Bachman said. “There are certain parameters for the American Legion as far as press box, and you need lights, for the most part turf is required. All that comes into play.
“I contacted Jeff Mielcarek at Toledo Central Catholic (the TCC head coach) and the two years we host we were fortunate enough that Mercy Field was open.”
So why has Ohio not been a site for regionals of late?
“It’s a financial thing,” Bachman said. “These two years cost a minimum of $45,000 to host. My bid was $31,000 and on top of that you have to pay things like baseballs and rental vans. Our goal coming in is to keep the losses to a minimum. If we do that, it’s no different than playing an extra tournament.”
Bachman, who was head coach of Napoleon from 1998 (first year of existence) to 2005 and again in 2015-16, has been general manager of the organization since 2006.
“This has been on my bucket list of things to do,” Bachman said. “I want to roll out the red carpet and show how it’s done. We want local guys to see how this works.”
The two-year commitment requirement for hosting regionals may change after 2018, with the bidding for 2019 taking place this fall. The host determination will then be awarded in May.
Rockport and Edwardsville meet in Wednesday’s 10 a.m. tourney opener, ironically in a rematch of last year’s regional title game. Oshkosh and Midland will play in game two with Danville and Beverly-Lowell set for a 4:30 p.m. first pitch. The opening ceremony, featuring a fly-over, will then take place with Eau Claire and Napoleon meeting in the final game of day one.
Following is a look at this year’s Great Lakes Regional field.
ROCKPORT, INDiana
Record: 27-14
The Team: If experience means anything Rockport is the team to beat with 74-year old head coach Jim Haaff and 69-year-old assistant Bob Snyder now in their 50th year in charge of the legion team. Haaff has an amazing record of 1,116-625-3, with three straight state titles. This one was not easy, losing the state tourney opener in extra innings then scoring two runs with two outs in the 9th to tie the semifinal game eventually winning in 11. In the finals Rockport was down 2-0 before beating Terre Haute Wayne Newton 8-2 for the 10th state title in program history. LHP Nathan Lamar threw three scoreless innings of relief in the finals while Sammy Rowan had four hits in the state semis.
State-Ranked Player: Caleb Helms (South Spencer), 2017, 174th.
EDWARDSVILLE, ILLinois
Record: 40-8
The Team: The perennial power knocked off defending state champion Danville 8-1 to become Illinois champs. Blake Vandiver was the MVP of the state tournament with Tate Wargo and Kade Burns key pitchers at state.
State-Ranked Players: Dylan Burris (Edwardsville), 2017, 41st, Wabash Valley JC; Steven Pattan (Alton), 2017, 88th, Southern Illinois Edwards; Andrew Yancik (Edwardsville), 2017, 101st, McKendree University; Kade Burns (Edwardsville), 2017, 109th, Central Missouri; Andrew Frank (Edwardsville), 2017, 170th; Joel Quirin (Edwardsville) 2017, 213th, Lincoln Trail JC; Tate Wargo (Gillespie), 2017, 281st; Charles Erler (Alton), 2018, 157th
OSHKOSH, WISconsin
Record: 25-5
The Team: Oshkosh entered state as the top-ranked summer team in the state but lost twice to Eau Claire 11-9 and then 9-0 in the finals.
State-Ranked Player: Michael McBriar (Oshkosh West), 2018, 53rd.
MIDLAND, MICHigan
Record: 34-1
The Team: With legion state rival Bay City folding this season, Midland is stronger than ever. That is saying a lot for a team that went to the World Series in 2014 (finishing second) and 2015. Nine players are playing at or committed to colleges including three Division I schools.
State-Ranked Players: Colton Brooks (Bay City John Glenn), 2016, 150th, Saginaw Valley State; Jordan Patty (Midland), 2017, 15th, Central Michigan; Logan Buczkowski (Mount Pleasant), 2017, 24th, Central Michigan; Gabriel Denton (Claire), 2017, 85th, North Iowa Area CC; Noah Ingram (Mount Pleasant), 2017, 101st, Northwood; Cameron Schneider (Beaverton), 2017, 123rd, Alma College; Cameron Mitchell (Mount Pleasant), 2017, 188th, Northwood; Garrett Willis (Midland High), 2018, 48th; Logan LaCourse (Bay City Western), 2018, 64th; Martin Money (Midland), 2018, 117th.
DANVILLE, ILLinois
Record: 36-5
The Team: The Illinois state runner-up features a strong lineup led by 3-hole hitter Dylan Dodd in center field and clean-up hitter Noah Nelson (DH/P). Josh Kimbro and Waylon Conrad lead the pitching staff.
State-Ranked Player: None.
BEVERLY-LOWELL, OHIO
Record: 27-14
The Team: A solid one-two pitching combo of left-handers Tyler Bradford and Tanner Neal lead Beverly-Lowell. Bradford beat Napoleon in the state opener while Neal had the save, and picked up the win in game two at state. Shortstop Tate Engle, third baseman Jake Davis, second baseman Trace Schafer and catcher Logan Isnew are other key players for a team that has won 16 of its last 19.
State-Ranked Player: LHP Tyler Bradford (Fort Frye), 2018, 95th.
EAU CLAIRE, Wisconsin
Record: 28-5
The Team: After finishing third at state the past four years, Eau Claire took home the title with a team that had just three returning players from a year ago in pitcher/outfielder Tanner Halvorson, shortstop Zac Stange and pitcher/third baseman Lukas Gobrecht. Head coach Mark Faanes is in his 18th year in charge and 31st season overall. Levi Schaller and Adrian Bethel are other key pitchers.
State-Ranked Players: Tanner Halvorson (Eau Claire North), 2017, 36th, Indian Hills CC; Zac Stange (Eau Claire North), 2017, 40th, Winona State University; Paul Petit (Eau Claire Regis), 2017, 49th, Minnesota-Duluth; Sam Hanson (Eau Claire North), 2017, 122nd; Austin Selz (Eau Claire Memorial), 2018, 80th.
NAPOLEON, OHIO
Record: 32-13
The Team: Jake Greer is one of the main pitchers (4-3, 1.37 ERA) and hitters (.340) for a team that won its fifth state title since 1999. Ian Radabaugh (4-2, 2.50 ERA) will likely start the opener with Greer set for game two. Tyler Giesige (5-0, 6 saves, 1.86 ERA) is a key reliever. Toby Walker has the top batting average for the hosts at .387.
State-Ranked Players: Christian Pool (Bryan), 2017, 300th; Tyler Giesige (Tinora), 2017, 368th, Walsh; Toby Walker, 2017, 371st, Mount Vernon Nazarene; Jacob Greer (Hicksville), 2018, 38th; Parker Thiel (Hicksville), 2019, 102nd.
