The 1989 Battling Bishop baseball squad brought home the College’s first NCAA D-III National Championship when Wesleyan defeated California State-Stanislaus by an 8-7 score on June 4th, 1989 at Muzzy Field in Bristol, Connecticut.  The game, which lasted 13 innings, still ranks as the longest National Championship game in Division III history. 

Eric Jarman, a junior centerfielder from Greenville, NC, stroked an 0-1 delivery over the right-center field fence with one out in the top of the 13th for what proved to be the game-winning run.  Stanislaus managed to advance the tying runner to second in the bottom of the frame, but winning pitcher and Bethpage, NY native Mark Silletti forced a groundout and fly ball for the final two outs, igniting the victory celebration.

The ’89 Series saw 27 individual or team records broken and/or equaled.  The Bishops were involved in all but six of those performances and became only the second team in the 14-year history of the tournament to have to win five games to win the title.  Jarman, Silletti, James Anderson, Erik Dube, M.J. Weller, and Doug Flowers were named All-Tournament, while Anderson, a team captain, was the recipient of the Series’ John Farmer Most Valuable Player Award. 

Another notable roster member, Jim Pittman, was happy to bring the College’s first National Championship trophy back to his native Rocky Mount.  Pittman was named Most Valuable Player of the ’89 squad in just his freshman campaign.  Wesleyan finished the season with a 33-11-1 record and was ranked ninth in the final national poll.

The ‘89 roster includes five individuals that have previously been inducted into the NCWC Hall of Fame:  Head Coach Mike Fox (1999), Flowers (2001), Jarman (2001), Rusty Dail (2004), and Rich McNee (2005).  The entire 1989 North Carolina Wesleyan Battling Bishop roster follows:

Jeff Allen
James Anderson
Kennedy Bland                   
Phil Bryant                           
Rich Chapparo                    
Rusty Dail                             
Don Dantzler
Ricky Drum
Erik Dube
Pete Faight
Doug Flowers
Kenny Flynn                        
Rodney Grainer
Kevin Hall
Tom Hankey
Paul Hill
Eric Jarman
Rich McNee                         
Sonny Miranda
Jim Pittman
Mark Silletti
Axel Smith
M.J. Weller

Head Coach Mike Fox                                       
Assistant Coach Charlie Flowers                                    
Assistant Coach Billy Godwin                          
Athletic Trainer Carol Carson                                          
Athletic Director Don Scalf