Monroe National tops Ash-Carleton in finals of Fair Baseball tourney

MONROE – Matt Wszelaki finally got his hands on the trophy.

Wszelaki twice had to settle for second place in the Monroe County Fair Baseball Tournament as a player.

He watched as another team hoisted the Bill Brenton Trophy in both 1998 and 1999.

Wszelaki was able to hand the award to his Monroe National players after a 12-3 win over Ash-Carleton in the finals of the 64th annual event Wednesday night.

His son Luke now has bragging rights in the family.

Despite joking before the tournament began that he couldn’t let that happen, the coach and his son shared an embrace as individual awards were presented.

“I’ve never coached a better hitting team,” Wzelaki said of his squad, which scored 19, 16, 16 and 12 in its four tournament games.

Ash-Carleton coach Cody Jones, whose team suffered its only two tournament losses against Monroe National, agreed.

“That’s an excellent team,” he said. “There are no weaknesses there.”

Wszelaki’s team blasted at least one over-the-fence home run in every tournament game.

It hit a pair in the finals.

Weston Cosby connected for a solo shot in the third inning, then Harrison Becker put icing on the victory cake with a three-run no-doubter on the sixth.

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Becker carried the biggest bat Wednesday with two doubles to go along with his homer. He drove in five runs.

“He mashed the ball,” Wszelaki said. “He was like Babe Ruth, hitting bombs. Weston, too. They really hit the ball.”

Becker hit three home runs in the tournament and Cosby two. Rylan MacDonald and Luke Wszelaki also cleared the fences.

Cosby, Wszelaki, Levi Cousino and Alex Carr had two hits each in the finals and No. 10 hitter Ian Golding contributed a key two-run double when Monroe National took the lead with four runs in the second inning.

All of that offense was more than enough for pitchers Rylan MacDonald, John Cousino, Charlie Bailey and Cosby.

Ash-Carleton managed just five hits.

Ryan Bartram went 2-for-2 and Camron Baker tripled and scored the first run of the game.

“I am excited for them,” Jones said of his team’s tournament showing. “Hopefully, they are excited, too.”

Four players on the Monroe National roster suited up for Ash-Carleton last summer and Matt Wszelaki was an assistant coach.

Players and coaches from the two squads displayed great respect and friendship for each other throughout the game.

“They are a great team,” Wszelaki said of Ash-Carleton. I love those guys. They are my favorite team to play and also the one that scares me the most.”

Ash-Carleton reached the finals by pulling out a 7-6 win over Dundee earlier Wednesday.

Ryan Bartram singled home the winning run in the sixth inning.

Chris Buscetta drew a one-out walk, moved to second on a wild pitch, then sprinted home when Bartram drove a hard ground ball between third base and shortstop into leftfield.

Camron Baker had two hits and pitched two scoreless innings for the winners and Sam Geiger ripped an RBI single and scored twice.

Bubba Gariety, Adam VanDaele and Gavin Goins had two hits each for Dundee. Gariety doubled and scored two runs.

MONROE COUNTY FAIR TOURNAMENT WINNERS

BASEBALL

2024: Monroe National

2023: Ida

2022: Frenchtown

2021: Bedford

2020: No tournament, COVID.

2019: Bedford Elite

2018: Monroe

2017: Monroe

2016: Bedford North

2015: Bedford North

2014: Mason

2013: Mason

2012: Mason

2011: Mason

2010: Ida

2009: Bedford North

2008: Monroe

2007: Monroe

2006: Monroe

2005: Monroe

2004: Carleton

2003: Monroe

2002: Monroe

2001: Frenchtown

2000: Bedford North

1999: Bedford North

1998: Frenchtown

1997: Bedford North

1996: Bedford North

1995: Erie Mason

1994: Frenchtown

1993: Erie Mason

1992: Bedford North

1991: Ida

1990: Bedford North

1989: Monroe American

1988: Bedford North

1987: South Rockwood

1986: Custer

1985: South Rockwood I

1984: Monroe American

1983: Bedford

1982: Monroe

1981: Monroe

1980: Bedford

1979: Frenchtown

1978: Monroe National

1977: South Rockwood

1976: Bedford Mustangs

1975: Erie Mason

1974: Monroe American

1973: Monroe American

1972: Monroe American

1971: Bedford American

1970: Monroe American

1969: Bedford National

1968: Monroe

1967: Bedford

1966: Carleton

1965: Monroe

1964: Dundee

1963: Monroe

1962: Bedford

1961: Bedford

1960: Dundee

SOFTBALL

2024: South Rockwood

2023: South Rockwood

2022: South Rockwood

2021: South Rockwood

2020: No tournament, COVID.

2019: Monroe

2018: Monroe

2017: Mason

2016: Mason

2015: Dundee

2014: Ida

2013: Ida

2012: Ida

2011: Ida

2010: Ida

2009: Ida

2008: Ida

2007: Ida

2006: Custer

2005: Carleton

2004: Carleton

2003: Ida

2002: Monroe

2001: Frenchtown

2000: Ida

1999: Carleton

1998: Ida

1997: Monroe American

1996: Erie Mason

1995: Erie Mason

1994: Custer

1993: Custer

1992: Whiteford

1991: Custer

1990: Ida

1989: Ida

1988: Summerfield

1987: Ida

1986: Monroe

1985: Monroe

1984: Monroe

1983: Monroe

1982: Monroe

1981: Summerfield

1980: Monroe

1979: Summerfield

1978: Monroe

1977: Frenchtown

1976: Monroe

1975: Custer II

1974: Custer

This article originally appeared on The Monroe News: Monroe National tops Ash-Carleton in finals of Fair Baseball tourney