Hall of Fame
Debating who the best team ever to take the field for the Lions baseball program is a subjective topic. There have been many outstanding seasons and players in the program’s rich history. Naming the most accomplished team in program history is indisputable. The 1991 Lions baseball team was the first-ever at the College to reach the NCAA Division III World Series and the only team to ever play in the national championship game.
Led by head coach Rick Dell, the 1991 squad boasted an explosive offense, tight-knit defense, and a staff of workhorse arms to compile a 34-15-1 record. In the program’s first NCAA championship appearance, they won three games en route to the national championship game before falling to Southern Maine and finishing national runner-up.
Baseball is a team sport that achieves success only when it is receiving a comprehensive effort from each of its individuals. This team in particular had a healthy share of exceptional players who combined their efforts to achieve greatness. Eight players from the ’91 team earned All-American accolades at some point in their career. Dave Dudeck, Howard Forman, Jeff White, Mike Lynch, Jeff Nevitt, Ken Wainczak, Dan Dengler, and Dave Lebak all earned All-American citations during their tenure at the College.
It was evident from its 18-3 opening day win over Salisbury State that the Lions were going to combat their opponents with firepower. Led by senior tri-captains Jeff Nevitt, Jerry Tolomeo, and Mike Lepore, they won 12 of their first 14 games to start the season 12-1-1. The team rolled into the New Jersey Athletic Conference playoffs with four straight wins and a 26-10-1 regular season mark.
During the regular season, there were several great individual performances. To note just a few, Jeff White had a 4-fo-4 game against Drew in which he launched three home runs and knocked in seven runs. Dave Lebak had four, 4-hit games and a 3-hit, two-HR, 5 RBI game against Montclair State on his way to a school record 89 hits in 1991. Dan Dengler hit for the cycle against Wesleyan College with five hits, eight RBIs, six runs scored, and 14 total bases. In that same game, Nevitt was 5-for-6 with three RBIs and four runs scored.
As a team, the Lions hit .327 with a program record 53 home runs. They hit 104 doubles, stole 79 bases, drew 221 walks, and compiled 862 total bases.
On the mound, Forman tossed seven complete games including a pair of shutouts leading the staff with a 7-1 record and a 3.02 earned run average. Jon Conant was 6-3 with six complete game victories and Jeff Goll was 5-1 out of the bullpen with a 2.67 ERA.
Teams hit just .265 against a Lions’s staff that owned a team ERA of 3.99 and tallied a program record 20 complete games. They struck out 274 batters and surrendered only 19 home runs.
After winning three out of four to claim the NCAA regional tournament, the Lions advanced to the national championship held in Battle Creek, Michigan. The Lions opened up with a 14-10 win over Ithaca led by three hits from Wainczak and homers off the bats of White and Lebak. Forman earned the mound win with relief effort from Goll and Dennis Machulski.
Conant then put forth one of the greatest pitching performance in Lions’ history defeating Marietta College, who entered the game with a 43-4 record. The right-hander notched a complete-game, 4-1 victory giving up just four hits while striking out nine.
The Lions dropped a 4-1 decision to Wisconsin-Oskosh, but came back to beat them 11-7 as Dengler and Wainczak homered and Forman went the distance for the win. That put the ’91 team in the national championship game, but Southern Maine had too much in reserve as they claimed the national title with a 9-1 victory.
The 1991 baseball team still holds numerous program records and maintains its standing as the only ballclub to ever advance to the national championship game.
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