1983 CWS Participant Baseball Team (2016) - JMU Athletics Hall of Fame

1983 CWS Participant Baseball Team

Induction:
2016

In 1983, JMU became the first team in program history and in the Commonwealth of Virginia to participate in the NCAA Division I College World Series (CWS) in Omaha, Nebraska. Led by Hall of Fame Coach Brad Babcock, the team advanced to the CWS following a championship win in the NCAA Division I Eastern Regional.

JMU went 37-13 overall in the 1983 season and received an at-large bid to the Eastern Regional, where it defeated Delaware, the Citadel, William and Mary and South Carolina to advance to Omaha. At the CWS, in a field that included future Major Leaguers Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Barry Larkin, Pete Incaviglia, Dave Magadan and Chris Sabo, the Dukes faced two of the nation's top three teams, falling 12-0 to eventual champion Texas and 3-1 to Stanford.

During the careers of seniors from the 1983 team, the Dukes made three Eastern Regional appearances (1980, 1981, 1983) and won two Eastern College Athletic Conference South Tournament titles (1980, 1981). From 1980-1983, JMU compiled a record of 150 wins, 59 losses, two ties, and had a .717 winning percentage.

Honors earned by individual members of the 1983 CWS team included a 1983 All-East selection, four selections to the 1983 All-Tournament Team in the Eastern Regional and two selections to the 1983 All-ECAC South Team.

During their playing careers, individual seniors on the 1983 team set career records for plate appearances (849), hits (233), singles (179), bases on balls (163) and hit by pitches (10). Individual seniors also set single game records in at bats (7), runs (6) and stolen bases (4). One senior on the team has appeared in more NCAA Division I Regional tournament games (10) and recorded more at bats (43), hits (16) and runs (10) in regional tournament play than any other player in JMU history.