University of Delaware Athletics
Celebration of Champions: 1996 Baseball Wins North Atlantic Conference Crown
4/15/2021 1:30:00 PM | Baseball
The 1996 Delaware baseball team compiled an outstanding 44-12 record, winning the North Atlantic Conference regular season and tournament titles en route to an NCAA Tournament appearance.
The Blue Hens, who received votes in the USA Today Baseball Weekly/ABCA Top 25 poll during every week in April and May, won their third straight NAC regular season championship and their second consecutive tournament crown.
Delaware won its first 10 games of the season, and only lost two consecutive games once all year prior to the NCAA Tournament. The Blue Hens also reeled off nine-, six- and five-game winning streaks, improving to 36-6 on May 5.
UD, which finished 19-5 in the NAC regular season, then won four of five NAC Tournament games, including a 12-2 victory over Drexel to clinch the title.
The Blue Hens advanced to the Wichita State NCAA Regional, where they fell to Cal State Fullerton and Indiana.
Dan Hammer led the Blue Hens with a .389 batting average, while Brad Eyman hit .387 on the year. Brian August batted .382 for the Blue Hens while Matt Ardizzone hit .380. Eight UD players hit over .300 on the year, while the Hens batted .346 as a team.
Scott Gellert paced the pitching staff with a 5-1 record, a 2.45 ERA and seven saves, while Adam Lamanteer finished 6-3 with a 2.82 ERA. Chris Dillon won a team-high nine games for Delaware, while Matt Phillips went 7-1 with a 2.82 ERA.
August, Eyman, Phillips and Gellert each earned first team ABCA All-East Region honors, while Hammer and Ethan Jack were second team selections. Eight Blue Hens earned All-NAC accolades, while Bob Hannah was selected NAC Coach of the Year and Lamanteer was named the NAC Tournament's Most Valuable Player.
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The Blue Hens, who received votes in the USA Today Baseball Weekly/ABCA Top 25 poll during every week in April and May, won their third straight NAC regular season championship and their second consecutive tournament crown.
Delaware won its first 10 games of the season, and only lost two consecutive games once all year prior to the NCAA Tournament. The Blue Hens also reeled off nine-, six- and five-game winning streaks, improving to 36-6 on May 5.
UD, which finished 19-5 in the NAC regular season, then won four of five NAC Tournament games, including a 12-2 victory over Drexel to clinch the title.
The Blue Hens advanced to the Wichita State NCAA Regional, where they fell to Cal State Fullerton and Indiana.
Dan Hammer led the Blue Hens with a .389 batting average, while Brad Eyman hit .387 on the year. Brian August batted .382 for the Blue Hens while Matt Ardizzone hit .380. Eight UD players hit over .300 on the year, while the Hens batted .346 as a team.
Scott Gellert paced the pitching staff with a 5-1 record, a 2.45 ERA and seven saves, while Adam Lamanteer finished 6-3 with a 2.82 ERA. Chris Dillon won a team-high nine games for Delaware, while Matt Phillips went 7-1 with a 2.82 ERA.
August, Eyman, Phillips and Gellert each earned first team ABCA All-East Region honors, while Hammer and Ethan Jack were second team selections. Eight Blue Hens earned All-NAC accolades, while Bob Hannah was selected NAC Coach of the Year and Lamanteer was named the NAC Tournament's Most Valuable Player.
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