1997 Atlantic 10 Conference
baseball tournament
Teams4
FormatFour-team double elimination
Finals site
ChampionsVirginia Tech (1st title)
Winning coachChuck Hartman (1st title)
MVPBarry Gauch (Virginia Tech)

The 1997 Atlantic 10 Conference Baseball Championship was held at Bear Stadium in Boyertown, Pennsylvania from May 15 through 17. The double elimination tournament featured the top two regular-season finishers of each of the conference's six-team divisions. West Division second seed Virginia Tech defeated Massachusetts in the title game to win the tournament for the first time, earning the Atlantic 10's automatic bid to the 1997 NCAA tournament.[1]

Seeding and format

Each division's top teams, based on winning percentage in the 21-game regular season schedule, qualified for the field. In the opening round of the four-team double-elimination format, the East Division champion played the West Division runner-up, and vice versa.

TeamWLPct.GBSeed
East Division
Massachusetts174.810
–
1E
Fordham129.571
5
2E
St. Bonaventure912.429
8
–
Temple912.429
8
–
Rhode Island615.286
11
–
Saint Joseph's417.190
13
–
West Division
Xavier146.700
–
1W
Virginia Tech138.619
1.5
2W
Dayton129.571
2.5
–
Duquesne129.571
2.5
–
George Washington912.429
5.5
–
La Salle812.400
6
–

Bracket

QuarterfinalsSemifinalsFinal
1WXavier6
2EFordham1
1WXavier2
2WVirginia Tech17
1EMassachusetts4
2WVirginia Tech8
2WVirginia Tech13
1EMassachusetts8
Lower round 1Lower final
1WXavier1
2EFordham61EMassachusetts6
1EMassachusetts14

All-Tournament Team

The following players were named to the All-Tournament Team. Virginia Tech catcher Barry Gauch, one of five Hokies selected, was named Most Outstanding Player.

Massachusetts's shortstop Brad Gorrie, who was also selected in 1996 was named to the team for the second time.

Pos.NameTeam
PScott BarnsbyMassachusetts
OFDoug ClarkMassachusetts
CBarry GauchVirginia Tech
1BDavid GiglioMassachusetts
SSBrad GorrieMassachusetts
OFMatt GriswoldVirginia Tech
SSKevin KurillaVirginia Tech
SSTony MartelliFordham
2BRandy MartinVirginia Tech
PDenny WagnerVirginia Tech
PLouie WitteXavier

References

  1. ↑ "2014 Atlantic 10 Baseball Record Book" (PDF). Atlantic10.com. Archived from the original (PDF) on May 19, 2014. Retrieved July 15, 2014.
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