1979 Trans America Athletic Conference baseball tournament explained

Year:1979
Conference:Trans America Athletic Conference
Teams:5
Format:Double-elimination
Ballpark:Centenary Park (baseball)
City:Shreveport, LA
Titlecount:1st
Coach:Barry Myers
Coachcount:1st
Firsttournamentever:yes

The 1979 Trans America Athletic Conference (TAAC) baseball tournament, the first-ever for the league known since the 2001–02 school year as the Atlantic Sun Conference, was held at Centenary Park on the campus of Centenary College in Shreveport, Louisiana, from May 10 through 13. Mercer won the first tournament championship. As a new conference, the TAAC did not have an automatic bid to the 1979 NCAA Division I baseball tournament.

Format

The new league used a blind draw to determine matchups, and records for any earlier games between conference members are incomplete. The teams played a five team, double elimination tournament.[1] [2]

Results

* - Indicates game required 10 innings.

All-Tournament Team

The following players were named to the All-Tournament Team. No MVP was named until 1985.[3]

POS Player School
P Ken McLeod Hardin–Simmons
P Dwight Erhard Oklahoma City
P Dan Fitzsimmons Mercer
1B Jay Branham Northeast Louisiana
1B Scott Halam Mercer
OF Steve Brumfield Centenary
OF Rusty Hamric Hardin–Simmons
OF Frank Millerd Mercer
OF Don Murphy Oklahoma City
OF Jay Ross Mercer
DH Tom Patman Oklahoma City

Notes and References

  1. Book: Atlantic Sun Baseball Record Book. 2. Atlantic Sun Conference. September 21, 2013.
  2. Web site: 2013 Media Guide. Mercer Bears. 71. September 21, 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20130926082646/http://www.mercerbears.com/sports/bsb/2012-13/2013mediaguide. 2013-09-26. dead.
  3. Book: Atlantic Sun Baseball Record Book. 21. Atlantic Sun Conference. September 21, 2013.