A new head coach and a brand-new field will be featured in the 2013 Bob Vrbicek Metro Baseball Tournament that starts Monday.

Kyle Rodenkirk has returned to his alma mater as Jefferson's new head coach, and he'll have the distinction of participating in the first game at the new $3.2 million Linn-Mar baseball/softball complex when the J-Hawks face Xavier at 5 p.m.

Linn-Mar will meet Prairie in the second game at the new Linn-Mar complex at 7 p.m. in an early battle of projected Metro powers.

The other half of the Metro Tournament will begin Monday night at Marion High School. The Washington Warriors, beginning their second and final season under Coach Tony Lombardi, will face Mount Vernon at 5 p.m. The Marion Indians will meet Kennedy at 7 p.m.

Lombardi last month announced his resignation as the Washington baseball coach at the end of the season.

The tournament will continue Tuesday night at Linn-Mar and Marion with games at 5 p.m. and 7 p.m.

The championship and third-place games are scheduled for Veterans Memorial Stadium Wednesday night, with the fifth-place and seventh-place games at Linn-Mar Wednesday night.

The new Linn-Mar complex is located behind the Oak Ridge Middle School at 4901 Alburnett Road in Marion. Linn-Mar's former baseball field at the high school is being converted into a new aquatics center.

Linn-Mar and Prairie appear to be the strongest teams in the Metro area this season, so their first-round meeting could serve as an early test for both clubs.

Kennedy and Linn-Mar reached the Class 4A state tournament last year. The Cougars bounced Linn-Mar in the opening round at state, then Kennedy lost in the semifinals.

Rodenkirk was an assistant coach at Linn-Mar last season before succeeding Mike Kuba as the head coach at Jefferson.

BOB VRBICEK METRO TOURNAMENT

First Round

At Linn-Mar

5 p.m. - Jefferson vs. Xavier
7 p.m. - Prairie vs. Linn-Mar

At Marion

5 p.m. -- Washington vs. Mount Vernon
7 p.m. -- Marion vs. Kennedy