GW Athletics Vault: 1989 Baseball
4/12/2021 4:00:00 PM | Baseball, My GW: Celebrating our Stories
Feb. 9, 2021 marked the 200th anniversary of the U.S. Congress' establishment of The George Washington University's charter. GW Athletics is proud to be part of the university's bicentennial celebration, honoring the historic milestone with a variety of initiatives meant to highlight the best of the Buff and Blue, including these regular features looking into the GW Athletics Vault. To learn more about the #GW200 festivities, visit the university bicentennial page.
The 1989 GW baseball squad personified determination, roaring back from an opening loss at that spring's A-10 Championship to celebrate a title.
Under the direction of A-10 Coach of the Year John Castleberry, the Colonials shook off the rough start to win four straight games in memorable fashion to earn the conference's automatic NCAA berth.
"You know that you've put yourself in that position by getting housed in the first game and the only way you're going to do it is just to keep winning and put your head down and just try and have one good at-bat, try and make one good play, just try and do one thing smart on the bases," said Greg Orlosky, GW's second baseman from 1988-91. "I think that's what this team did, and it was tough. It was a great team coming together at the perfect time for us."
GW leaned on a group of seasoned veterans to spark a special run.
Senior Joe Ross was an All-Conference performer behind the plate after hitting .366, while classmate Mike Rolfes was a two-way force, going 8-3 on the mound with a team-best 3.40 ERA while also batting .295 with 22 extra-base hits.
Fellow seniors Tom Williams (.302, 24 extra-base hits), Gavin Hulsman (.305, 46 steals) and Bob Gauzza (four wins, 4.21 ERA in 11 starts) were integral to the team's success, as well.
"The seniors in that group put in four years of labor and love and hard work," said Castleberry, who won 185 games over his seven seasons leading the Buff and Blue and entered the GW Athletic Hall of Fame in 2001. "They couldn't have represented the university or the baseball program any better."
That season, GW learned quite a bit from an early road trip through the South in which they measured themselves vs. top programs like Tulane, LSU and Mississippi State, experience that paid off in a 13-3 mark in A-10 play to earn the conference's West Division title.
The Colonials headed to the A-10 Championship at Bear Stadium in Boyertown, Pa., eager to make a title push. Unfortunately, those good feelings were tempered by a 10-1 loss to Temple, headlined by future big leaguer Bobby Higginson, in their tournament opener.
"They just beat us so badly in that first game," Orlosky remembered. "I don't know: Maybe we thought we were a little better than we were or whatever, but that was a rude awakening for us. We kind of had to look ourselves in the mirror and say, 'OK, if we're going to do this, we're going to have to make some changes."
With their backs firmly against the wall, the Buff and Blue found a way, starting with a 3-2 come-from-behind win over Penn State.
Castleberry remembers Ross providing a jolt vs. the Nittany Lions by throwing out a runner trying to steal second, moments after he'd been whacked on the hand by a foul ball.
"As much as coaches try to create chemistry, it has to come from the players," Castleberry said. "Sometimes it's just one incident, and that's what happened here.
"It's throwing a guy out by 10 feet, and that's what happened. It created this rush of emotion and belief in ourselves. There was always doubt because we hadn't done it, and I think this one play said, 'You know what? We're a lot better than these guys. Come on, let's win.'"
A 6-3 victory over Rutgers, aided by a complete-game pitching effort from Gauzza, set the stage for a rematch vs. the Owls, where the Colonials trailed 2-1 going into the bottom of the ninth inning.
That's when Frank Terry tied the game with a one-out home run, and Orlosky followed one batter later with a walk-off blast, sending a first-pitch fastball over the scoreboard in left field for an incredible victory.
"It really is the stuff of dreams whenever it's a playoff atmosphere and it's on you and you grab that opportunity and just take advantage of it," said Orlosky, who only hit two homers that season. "For me, it's definitely one of my athletic highs in my life."
GW completed its championship charge with another victory over Temple. This time, the Colonials broke open a tie-game with a four-run seventh inning before rain forced the action to be suspended. After sleeping on it, they returned the next day to close out a 9-8 victory and the program's first conference crown in a decade.
Terry was named A-10 Championship Co-MVP in recognition of his .467 average with two home runs and seven RBIs, while Rolfes landed Most Outstanding Pitcher honors after earning two wins and a save.
Castleberry's squad would close out a 30-win campaign with a pair of competitive contests at the NCAA Northeast Regional in Waterbury, Conn.
This winter, many members of the tight-knit club gathered together virtually for a Zoom reunion. Three decades later, the decorated squad's legacy within the program remains secure.
"I'm real proud of the tenacity of this group," Castleberry said. "I was the first full-time coach. We were trying to have good building blocks for our program. I think we created that.
"These guys are the reason the program is where the program is now. It's a steady, strong program because these guys built the foundation to the program."
The 1989 GW baseball squad personified determination, roaring back from an opening loss at that spring's A-10 Championship to celebrate a title.
Under the direction of A-10 Coach of the Year John Castleberry, the Colonials shook off the rough start to win four straight games in memorable fashion to earn the conference's automatic NCAA berth.
"You know that you've put yourself in that position by getting housed in the first game and the only way you're going to do it is just to keep winning and put your head down and just try and have one good at-bat, try and make one good play, just try and do one thing smart on the bases," said Greg Orlosky, GW's second baseman from 1988-91. "I think that's what this team did, and it was tough. It was a great team coming together at the perfect time for us."
GW leaned on a group of seasoned veterans to spark a special run.
Senior Joe Ross was an All-Conference performer behind the plate after hitting .366, while classmate Mike Rolfes was a two-way force, going 8-3 on the mound with a team-best 3.40 ERA while also batting .295 with 22 extra-base hits.
Fellow seniors Tom Williams (.302, 24 extra-base hits), Gavin Hulsman (.305, 46 steals) and Bob Gauzza (four wins, 4.21 ERA in 11 starts) were integral to the team's success, as well.
"The seniors in that group put in four years of labor and love and hard work," said Castleberry, who won 185 games over his seven seasons leading the Buff and Blue and entered the GW Athletic Hall of Fame in 2001. "They couldn't have represented the university or the baseball program any better."
That season, GW learned quite a bit from an early road trip through the South in which they measured themselves vs. top programs like Tulane, LSU and Mississippi State, experience that paid off in a 13-3 mark in A-10 play to earn the conference's West Division title.
The Colonials headed to the A-10 Championship at Bear Stadium in Boyertown, Pa., eager to make a title push. Unfortunately, those good feelings were tempered by a 10-1 loss to Temple, headlined by future big leaguer Bobby Higginson, in their tournament opener.
"They just beat us so badly in that first game," Orlosky remembered. "I don't know: Maybe we thought we were a little better than we were or whatever, but that was a rude awakening for us. We kind of had to look ourselves in the mirror and say, 'OK, if we're going to do this, we're going to have to make some changes."
With their backs firmly against the wall, the Buff and Blue found a way, starting with a 3-2 come-from-behind win over Penn State.
Castleberry remembers Ross providing a jolt vs. the Nittany Lions by throwing out a runner trying to steal second, moments after he'd been whacked on the hand by a foul ball.
"As much as coaches try to create chemistry, it has to come from the players," Castleberry said. "Sometimes it's just one incident, and that's what happened here.
"It's throwing a guy out by 10 feet, and that's what happened. It created this rush of emotion and belief in ourselves. There was always doubt because we hadn't done it, and I think this one play said, 'You know what? We're a lot better than these guys. Come on, let's win.'"
A 6-3 victory over Rutgers, aided by a complete-game pitching effort from Gauzza, set the stage for a rematch vs. the Owls, where the Colonials trailed 2-1 going into the bottom of the ninth inning.
That's when Frank Terry tied the game with a one-out home run, and Orlosky followed one batter later with a walk-off blast, sending a first-pitch fastball over the scoreboard in left field for an incredible victory.
"It really is the stuff of dreams whenever it's a playoff atmosphere and it's on you and you grab that opportunity and just take advantage of it," said Orlosky, who only hit two homers that season. "For me, it's definitely one of my athletic highs in my life."
GW completed its championship charge with another victory over Temple. This time, the Colonials broke open a tie-game with a four-run seventh inning before rain forced the action to be suspended. After sleeping on it, they returned the next day to close out a 9-8 victory and the program's first conference crown in a decade.
Terry was named A-10 Championship Co-MVP in recognition of his .467 average with two home runs and seven RBIs, while Rolfes landed Most Outstanding Pitcher honors after earning two wins and a save.
Castleberry's squad would close out a 30-win campaign with a pair of competitive contests at the NCAA Northeast Regional in Waterbury, Conn.
This winter, many members of the tight-knit club gathered together virtually for a Zoom reunion. Three decades later, the decorated squad's legacy within the program remains secure.
"I'm real proud of the tenacity of this group," Castleberry said. "I was the first full-time coach. We were trying to have good building blocks for our program. I think we created that.
"These guys are the reason the program is where the program is now. It's a steady, strong program because these guys built the foundation to the program."
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