1978 NCAA Division II baseball tournament

The 1978 NCAA Division II baseball tournament was the postseason tournament hosted by the NCAA to determine the national champion of baseball among its Division II colleges and universities at the end of the 1978 NCAA Division II baseball season.[1]

1978 NCAA Division II
baseball tournament
Season1978
Finals site
ChampionsFlorida Southern (4th title)
Runner-upDelta State (2nd CWS Appearance)
Winning coachJoe Arnold (1st title)
MOPRicky Perkins (3B) (Delta State)
Attendance625

Florida Southern defeated Delta State in the championship game of the double-elimination tournament, 7–2, winning the Moccasins' fourth national title. Florida Southern were coached by Joe Arnold.

Regionals

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The regionals consisted 32 teams in eight groupings. Each regional consisted of a 4-team bracket. All brackets were double elimination format. The top team in each bracket advanced to the 1978 Division II College World Series.[2]

New England Regional

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New Haven (3–0)
Sacred Heart (2–2)
NYIT (1–2)
Assumption (0–2)

New Haven won regional

Middle Atlantic Regional

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Le Moyne (3–1)
Shippensburg (3–2)
UMBC (1–2)
Towson (0–2)

Le Moyne won regional

South Atlantic Regional

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Valdosta State (3–0)
West Georgia (2–2)
Augusta (1–2)
Albany State (0–2)

Valdosta State won regional

South Regional

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Florida Southern (3–0)
FIU (2–2)
Saint Leo (1–2)
Eckerd (0–2)

Florida Southern won regional

Great Lakes Regional

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Eastern Illinois (4–1)
Western Illinois (2–2)
Wright State (1–2)
Indianapolis (0–2)

Eastern Illinois won regional

North Central Regional

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Southwest Missouri State (3–0)
Northwest Missouri State (2–2)
UMSL (1–2)
Morningside (0–2)

Southwest Missouri State won regional

South Central Regional

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Delta State (3–1)
Troy State (3–2)
Minnesota State (1–2)
Southeastern Louisiana (0–2)

Delta State won regional

West Regional

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San Diego (4–1)
{{CBSB link|year=1978|team=Chapman Panthers (2–2)
UC Davis (1–2)
{{CBSB link|year=1978|team=Chico State Wildcats|title=Chico State (0–2)

San Diego won regional

Finals

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Participants

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School Conference Record (conference) Head coach Previous finals appearances Best finals finish Finals record
Delta State Gulf South 43–19 (14–4) Boo Ferriss 2
(last:1977)
2nd 5–3
Eastern Illinois Independent 27–19 Tom McDevitt 1
(last: 1973)
3rd 2–2
Florida Southern Sunshine State 34–11 Joe Arnold 6
(last: 1976)
1st 13–9
Le Moyne Independent 28–12 Dick Rockwell 0
(last: none)
None 0–0
New Haven Independent 32–4 Frank Vieira 2
(last:1977)
3rd 3–4
San Diego Independent 33–22 John Cunningham 1
(last: 1971)
3rd 1–2
Southwest Missouri State MAIAA 28–10 (11–4) Bill Rowe 2
(last:1970)
2nd 3–4
Valdosta State SAC 39–20 (9–3) Tommy Thomas 2
(last:1977)
3rd 2–4

Results

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Bracket

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First RoundSecond RoundThird RoundSemifinalsPreliminary FinalChampionship
Delta State12
Southwest Missouri State2
Delta State6
San Diego1
Eastern Illinois6
San Diego15
Delta State8
Florida Southern13
Florida Southern14
Florida Southern8
New Haven9
Florida Southern13New Haven14
Valdosta State7
Le Moyne9
Valdosta State10Florida Southern7
New Haven11Delta State2
Consolation First RoundConsolation Second RoundDelta State12
San Diego5
New Haven710New Haven11
Delta State9
Le Moyne6
Valdosta State5
Valdosta State11
SW Missouri State11Eastern Illinois9
Eastern Illinois21

Game Results

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Date Game Winner Score Loser Notes
May 25 Game 1 Delta State 12–2 Southwest Missouri State
Game 2 San Diego 15–6 Eastern Illinois
May 26 Game 3 Florida Southern 14–9 New Haven
Game 4 Valdosta State 10–9 Le Moyne
May 27 Game 5 Eastern Illinois 21–11 Southwest Missouri State Southwest Missouri State eliminated
Game 6 New Haven 7–610 Le Moyne Le Moyne eliminated
Game 7 Delta State 6–1 San Diego
Game 8 Florida Southern 13–7 Valdosta State
May 28 Game 9 New Haven 11–5 San Diego San Diego eliminated
Game 10 Valdosta State 11–9 Eastern Illinois Eastern Illinois eliminated
May 29 Game 11 Florida Southern 13–8 Delta State
May 30 Game 12 Delta State 9–5 Valdosta State Valdosta State eliminated
Game 13 New Haven 14–8 Florida Southern
May 31 Game 14 Delta State 12–1 New Haven New Haven eliminated
Game 15 Florida Southern 7–2 Delta State Florida Southern wins National Championship

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "DIVISION II BASEBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS RECORDS BOOK" (PDF). NCAA.org. NCAA. Retrieved May 6, 2023.
  2. ^ "Division II Baseball Championships Record Book" (PDF). NCAA. p. 13. Retrieved June 23, 2024.