1978 NCAA Division I baseball tournament

The 1978 NCAA Division I baseball tournament was played at the end of the 1978 NCAA Division I baseball season to determine the national champion of college baseball. The tournament concluded with eight teams competing in the College World Series, a double-elimination tournament in its thirty-second year. Eight regional competitions were held to determine the participants in the final event. Seven regions held a four team, double-elimination tournament while one region included six teams, resulting in 34 teams participating in the tournament at the conclusion of their regular season, and in some cases, after a conference tournament.^[1] The thirty-second tournament's champion was Southern California, coached by Rod Dedeaux. The Most Outstanding Player was Rod Boxberger of Southern California.

1978 NCAA Division I
baseball tournament

Season	1978
Teams	34
Finals site	Johnny Rosenblatt Stadium Omaha, Nebraska
Champions	Southern California (11th title)
Runner-up	Arizona State (2nd CWS Appearance)
Winning coach	Rod Dedeaux (11th title)
MOP	Rod Boxberger (Southern California)
← 1977  NCAA Division I Baseball Championship 1979 →

Regionals

The opening rounds of the tournament were played across eight regional sites across the country, seven consisting of four teams and one of six teams.^[2] The winners of each District advanced to the College World Series.

Bold indicates winner.

Atlantic Regional at Coral Gables, FL

	Quarterfinals					Semifinals					Final
	Marshall		4
	Florida State		0
						Marshall		9
						Clemson		3
	Clemson		8
	Miami (FL)		5
											Marshall		0	1
											Miami (FL)		6	5
	Lower round 1					Lower final
						Clemson		5
	Florida State		2			Miami (FL)		7
	Miami (FL)		7

Mideast Regional at Ann Arbor, MI

	Quarterfinals					Semifinals					Final
	Eastern Michigan		4
	Missouri		2
						Eastern Michigan		4
						Michigan		6
	Michigan		8
	Texas A&M		1
											Michigan		3	—
											Texas A&M		0	—
	Lower round 1					Lower final
						Eastern Michigan		1
	Missouri		1			Texas A&M		6
	Texas A&M		5

Midwest Regional at Tulsa, OK

	Quarterfinals					Semifinals					Final
	Southern Illinois		7
	Michigan State		2
						Southern Illinois		5
						Oral Roberts		8
	Oral Roberts		10
	Oklahoma State		3
											Oral Roberts		7	—
											Southern Illinois		2	—
	Lower round 1					Lower final
						Southern Illinois		4
	Michigan State		6			Oklahoma State		0
	Oklahoma State		7

Northeast Regional at Holyoke, MA

	Round 1					Round 2					Quarterfinals					Semifinals					Final
	Delaware		1
	Harvard		0			Delaware		4
						UMass		3
	Holy Cross		5								Delaware		4
	St. John's		3								Temple		12
						Holy Cross		7*													Temple		5	6
						Temple		8*													St. John's		8	15
	Temple		5													Delaware		4
	UMass		0								Holy Cross		12			St. John's		7
						Harvard		0			St. John's		14
						St. John's		8

Rocky Mountain Regional at Tempe, AZ

	Quarterfinals					Semifinals					Final
	Gonzaga		7
	Washington State		1
						Gonzaga		5
						UNLV		4
	UNLV		17
	Arizona State		10
											Gonzaga		1	4
											Arizona State		17	11
	Lower round 1					Lower final
						UNLV		5
	Washington State		8			Arizona State		30
	Arizona State		14

South Regional at Auburn, AL

	Quarterfinals					Semifinals					Final
	North Carolina		15
	East Tennessee State		1
						North Carolina		3
						Auburn		2
	Auburn		14
	Memphis		10
											North Carolina		6	11
											Memphis		8	9
	Lower round 1					Lower final
						Auburn		5
	East Tennessee State		0			Memphis		6
	Memphis		5

South Central Regional at Arlington, TX

Quarterfinals

Semifinals

Final

Texas–Pan American

7

Louisiana Tech

0

Texas–Pan American

2*

Baylor

3

Baylor

3

Mississippi State

0

Baylor

6

—

Mississippi State

3

—

Lower round 1

Lower final

Texas–Pan American

5*

Louisiana Tech

5

Mississippi State

7

Mississippi State

6

West Regional at Los Angeles, CA

Quarterfinals

Semifinals

Final

Cal State Fullerton

4

Santa Clara

0

Cal State Fullerton

2*

Southern California

3*

Southern California

3

Arizona

2

Southern California

2

—

Arizona

0

—

Lower round 1

Lower final

Cal State Fullerton

3

Santa Clara

6

Arizona

7

Arizona

13

College World Series

Participants

School	Conference	Record (conference)	Head coach	CWS appearances	CWS best finish	CWS record
Arizona State	WAC	53–10 (15–3)	Jim Brock	9 (last: 1977)	1st (1965, 1967, 1969, 1977)	34–14
Baylor	SWC	32–17–2 (15–9)	Mickey Sullivan	1 (last: 1977)	8th (1977)	0–2
Miami (FL)	n/a	48–10 (n/a)	Ron Fraser	1 (last: 1974)	2nd (1974)	3–2
Michigan	Big 10	29–15 (13–3)	Moby Benedict	2 (last: 1962)	1st (1953)	8–1
North Carolina	ACC	36–15 (9–3)	Mike Roberts	2 (last: 1966)	7th (1960)	0–4
Oral Roberts	n/a	44–10 (n/a)	Larry Cochell	0 (last: none)	none	0–0
St. John's	ECAC	40–16 (n/a)	Joe Russo	4 (last: 1968)	4th (1949, 1966, 1968)	5–8
Southern California	Pac-8	49–9 (15–3)	Rod Dedeaux	16 (last: 1974)	1st (1948, 1958, 1961, 1963, 1968, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974)	58–19

Results

Bracket

	Upper round 1					Upper round 2					Upper final					Semifinals					Final
	Michigan		4
	Baylor		0
						Michigan		3
						Southern California		11
	Southern California		9
	Miami (FL)		3
											Southern California		5
											Arizona State		2
	Oral Roberts		11
																Southern California		3
	North Carolina		0
						Oral Roberts		6								North Carolina		2
						Arizona State		7
	Arizona State		13
	St. John's		2
																					Southern California		10
						Lower round 1					Lower round 2										Arizona State		3
											Oral Roberts		3
						Baylor		1			Miami (FL)		5
																Arizona State		11
						Miami (FL)		12
																Miami (FL)		3
											Michigan		6
						North Carolina		9			North Carolina		7
						St. John's		5

Game results

Date	Game	Winner	Score	Loser	Notes
June 2	Game 1	Michigan	4–0	Baylor
	Game 2	Southern California	9–3	Miami (FL)
June 3	Game 3	Oral Roberts	11–0	North Carolina
	Game 4	Arizona State	13–2	St. John's
	Game 5	Miami (FL)	12–1	Baylor	Baylor eliminated
June 4	Game 6	North Carolina	9–5	St. John's	St. John's eliminated
	Game 7	Southern California	11–3	Michigan
	Game 8	Arizona State	7–6	Oral Roberts
June 5	Game 9	North Carolina	7–6	Michigan	Michigan eliminated
	Game 10	Miami (FL)	5–3	Oral Roberts	Oral Roberts eliminated
June 6	Game 11	Southern California	5–2	Arizona State
June 7	Game 12	Arizona State	11–3	Miami (FL)	Miami eliminated
	Game 13	Southern California	3–2	North Carolina	North Carolina eliminated
June 8	Final	Southern California	10–3	Arizona State	Southern California wins CWS

All-Tournament Team

The following players were members of the All-Tournament Team.

Position	Player	School
P	Rod Boxberger (MOP)	USC
	Casey Lindsey	Arizona State
C	Chris Bando	Arizona State
1B	Dave Hostetler	USC
2B	Mike Fox	North Carolina
3B	Bob Horner	Arizona State
SS	Doug Stokke	USC
OF	Tim Tolman	USC
	John Wells	USC
	Steve Michael	Arizona State
DH	Randy Guerra	Miami (FL)

Notable players

• Arizona State: Jamie Allen, Chris Bando, Hubie Brooks, Bob Horner, Dave Hudgens
• Baylor: Andy Beene, Jaime Cocanower, Fritzie Connally, Jon Perlman
• Miami (FL): Tony Brewer
• Michigan: Steve Howe, Rick Leach
• North Carolina: Dwight Lowry, Mike Fox
• Oral Roberts: George Bjorkman, Ron Meridith
• Southern California: Bill Bordley, Dave Engle, Dave Hostetler, Jeff Schattinger, Bob Skube, Chris Smith, Tim Tolman, Dave Van Gorder
• St. John's: Michael Beatrice, Doug LaTrenta

Tournament notes

• Chris Bando appears in his fourth College World Series.

See also

• 1978 NCAA Division II baseball tournament
• 1978 NCAA Division III baseball tournament
• 1978 NAIA World Series