1980 Trans America Athletic Conference baseball tournament


The 1980 Trans America Athletic Conference baseball tournament was held at Luther Williams Field on the campus of Mercer University in Macon, Georgia, from May 1 through 4. This was the second tournament championship held by the Trans America Athletic Conference, in its second year of existence. Georgia Southern won their first tournament championship. The Eagles earned a bid to the 1980 NCAA Division I baseball tournament, the first for the league.

1980 Trans America Athletic Conference
baseball tournament
Teams5
FormatDouble-elimination
Finals site
ChampionsGeorgia Southern (1st title)
Winning coachJack Stallings (1st title)
1980 Trans America Athletic Conference baseball standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   PCT W   L   PCT
Georgia Southern ‍‍y 0 0   38 21   .644
Mercer ‍‍‍ 0 0   31 18   .633
Centenary ‍‍‍ 0 0   34 19   .642
Northeast Louisiana ‍‍‍ 0 0   20 15   .571
Hardin–Simmons ‍‍‍ 0 0   25 25   .500
Northwestern State ‍‍‍ 0 0   23 23   .500
† – Conference champion
‡ – Tournament champion
y – Invited to the NCAA tournament
As of June 30, 1980[1]
Rankings from Collegiate Baseball

Format

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The league again used a blind draw to determine matchups, and conference teams again played few games against each other prior to the tournament. The teams played a six team, double elimination tournament.[2][3]

Results

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First roundSecond roundThird roundFinal
Northeast Louisiana6
Georgia Southern8
Northeast Louisiana12*Georgia Southern11
Northwestern State9*Northwestern State4
Northwestern State8
Hardin–Simmons2
Centenary4Georgia Southern515
Georgia Southern3Mercer41
Centenary3
Mercer12
Mercer8Mercer7
Hardin–Simmons3Northeast Louisiana0
Northeast Louisiana14
Centenary7

* - Indicates game required 12 innings.

All-Tournament Team

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The following players were named to the All-Tournament Team. No MVP was named until 1985.[4]

POS Player School
P Scott Barnhouse Mercer
P Carlos Colon Georgia Southern
P Ken Marks Centenary
C Marty Pevey Georgia Southern
C Frank Scelfo Northeast Louisiana
2B Doug Guelde Northeast Louisiana
SS Bob Laurie Georgia Southern
3B Derrell Baker Georgia Southern
OF David Klick Northeast Louisiana
OF Frank Millerd Mercer
OF Tim Smith Mercer

References

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  1. ^ Atlantic Sun Baseball Record Book (PDF). Atlantic Sun Conference. p. 3. Retrieved September 21, 2013.
  2. ^ Atlantic Sun Baseball Record Book (PDF). Atlantic Sun Conference. p. 2. Retrieved September 21, 2013.
  3. ^ "2013 Media Guide". Mercer Bears. p. 71. Archived from the original on September 26, 2013. Retrieved September 21, 2013.
  4. ^ Atlantic Sun Baseball Record Book (PDF). Atlantic Sun Conference. p. 21. Retrieved September 21, 2013.