Missouri State

1969 & 1970 BASEBALL TEAMS

Coach Bill Rowe's 1969 squad more than doubled its win production from the previous year and went 11-1 on its run to an MIAA division title. The Bears then swept Northwest Missouri State in two games to earn their first MIAA conference tournament crown ahead of their memorable push to an NCAA Division II national runner-up finish.

  On the way to the Division II national tournament, the Bears dispatched Minnesota State and North Dakota State in the Midwest Regional to sweep their way into the World Series along with small-college powerhouse Florida Southern, Puget Sound and Illinois State. 

In the opening round of the World Series against Florida Southern, the Bears earned a 6-3 win before falling to Illinois State in the winner's bracket final the next day. Missouri State then won a rematch with Florida Southern, 11-5, in an elimination game to advance to the finals for a rematch with Illinois State. 

Even though the Redbirds prevailed in the championship, 12-0, the Bears finished the year with a 27-10 overall record and established a legacy of dominance that remains alive today.

Pitcher Ken Watkins (9-0, 1.60 ERA) earned ABCA All-America second-team honors and joined 3B Danny Cook on the NCAA All-Regional Tournament team.

The 1969 season included what was then a school-record seven game win streak through the heart of April that included three-game sweeps of conference rivals SEMO and Rolla, the defending MIAA champions.

In 1970, the Bears again dominated the MIAA and won a pair of thrilling games against Central Missouri to earn the conference tournament crown and a second straight NCAA appearance.

Minnesota State returned to town for the NCAA Midwest Regional and put the home club on notice with a first-round win to end the Bears' seven-game winning streak. However, Rowe's squad was game for the fight, winning games two and three of the regional series by scores of 2-1 and 7-1, respectively to advance.

The team's second straight NCAA regional crown propelled the Bears into the Division II World Series at Meador Park once again. This time, Nicholls State, Springfield (Mass.) College and San Fernando Valley State (now Cal State Northridge) joined the Bears in the four-team field at the Division II World Series. 

Once again, the home club earned a first-round victory with a 6-2 decision over Northridge. Nicholls State pushed the Bears into the loser's bracket with an 8-5 decision. Then the Matadors stunned MSU in an elimination game, 6-1, to end the Bears' season with a 23-13 overall record and national third-place finish.

All-America honors in 1970 went to Watkins (7-2, 79 strikeouts, 2.30 ERA) on the ABCA first-team, and Dennis Strickland (.327, 20 RBI, 7 SB) on the second team. OF Bill Helfrecht (.302, 14 RBI, 9 SB) joined Watkins and Strickland on the ABCA All-Region first team, while OF Jay Mason (.255, 28 walks, 24 runs) and P Mark Lopinot (7-3, 79 strikeouts, 2.48 ERA) earned honorable mention All-Region distinction.

Coach Bill Rowe was named ABCA Regional Coach of the Year in 1969 and 1970 and would go on to rack up 394 career wins.