EVANSVILLE, Ind. – Despite the chilly temperatures and an ongoing, on-field renovation of Bosse Field, Great Lakes Valley Conference representatives were joined Thursday by members of the Evansville sports and tourism organizations at a press conference detailing the 2012 GLVC Baseball Tournament, which will be held at the historic venue three months from now, May 10-13.
After a decade competing at GSC Ballpark in Sauget, Ill., the GLVC Baseball Tournament relocates to a community and a venue that has been associated with the game of baseball for nearly 100 years.
Speaking before an assembled media group inside the main tunnel of Bosse Field, GLVC Commissioner Jim Naumovich spoke about partnering the conference with the community to ensure a positive experience for both the student-athletes and all baseball fans in attendance.
“Benjamin Bosse, for whom this field is named, spoke as he was elected mayor of this city in 1913 that ‘When everybody boosts, everybody wins.’ We could not agree more,” said Naumovich. “Community engagement and providing a fun and welcoming game environment is at the heart of the NCAA Division II philosophy. That is why the GLVC is proud to partner with the Evansville Sports Corporation, Evansville Convention and Visitors Bureau, the Evansville Otters and Historic Bosse Field for this year’s event. We are also pleased to have on board Mizuno, Dunn Hospitality, Old National Bank, and Rawlings – the official baseball of the GLVC.”
Also in attendance Thursday was Evansville Otters’ owner Bill Bussing, as well as Bob Jones, the chair of the Evansville Sports Corporation, and executive director of the Evansville Convention and Visitors Bureau, Bob Warren.
Warren expects the economic impact of the GLVC Baseball Tournament to range close to $800,000 for the city of Evansville, while Jones and Bussing both shared the desire to showcase the city’s jewel of a baseball diamond, which was built in 1915 and is the third oldest professional ballpark in the country, behind Wrigley Field and Fenway Park.
In all, Bosse Field will host GLVC Baseball Tournament games each of the four days and a total of nine of the 14 contests, with the remaining five being played at USI Field on the campus of Southern Indiana over the first two days.
Eight teams will vie for the 2012 GLVC crown and the opportunity to represent the conference at the NCAA Division II National Championship. Those eight teams will consist of the top three teams from the East Division, the top two teams from the West Division and three wild card teams.
Tickets are $10 for adults, $8 for students, and $5 for children, while kids 5-and-under are free. Tickets will be available at those prices from Thursday through Saturday, while Sunday’s tickets will dip to $8 for adults, $5 for students, and $3 for children. The GLVC is offering an All-Tournament pass for $35 as well.
For more information, stay tuned to glvcsports.com.