Christian college teams from across the nation descended on Prasco Park this month in the National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA) Div. I and II Baseball National Championship World Series.
The Div. 1 championship game will be played at 1 p.m. Saturday at the Mason athletic facility. Oklahoma Wesleyan will look to defend its National Championship title against California Baptist University.
Toccoa Falls College beat out Florida Christian in the Div. II championship, held on May 12.
This is the fourth year for the NCCAA World Series at Prasco Park, which opened in 2008. The 550-seat stadium built to Major League specifications is on the corporate campus of Prasco Laboratories and is an initiative of the Arington Foundation, named for Prasco founder Thomas Arington.
Arington Executive Director Jeff Zurcher said the partnership is a matter of faith, in addition to providing a first-class baseball experience.
Arington’s mission is to positively affect the values of young people through Christian influence in sport, media and education — values which merge with the Christian intercollegiate athletic association, he said.
As part of their participation in the World Series, each team donates service hours at Matthew 25 Ministries, a Blue Ash-based charity.
The park maintains a code of conduct for guests, which prohibits profanity, alcohol and excessive displays of affection, and opens each game with a prayer.
“It’s a values match,” said Zurcher of the NCCAA. “We love God and we love people and we try to do that in a safe, pleasant experience. We’ve created a destination not only for baseball fans, but for families.”
In addition to hosting the NCCAA World Series, the park is the permanent home of the Cincinnati Spikes amateur baseball team. Select colleges, universities and youth programs also use the facility.
Admission is free and open to the community. In addition to the tournament are family-friendly games, activities, vendors and food in a festival-like atmosphere..
Prasco Park is at 6125 Commerce Court in Mason. For more information, go to www.prascopark.com.
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