1981 NCAA Division I baseball tournament

The 1981 NCAA Division I baseball tournament was played at the end of the 1981 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 fifth 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-fifth tournament's champion was Arizona State coached by Jim Brock. The Most Outstanding Player was Stan Holmes of Arizona State.

1981 NCAA Division I
baseball tournament

Season	1981
Teams	34
Finals site	Johnny Rosenblatt Stadium Omaha, NE
Champions	Arizona State (5th title)
Runner-up	Oklahoma State (9th CWS Appearance)
Winning coach	Jim Brock (2nd title)
MOP	Stan Holmes (Arizona State)
← 1980  NCAA Division I Baseball Championship 1982 →

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 Regional advanced to the College World Series.

Bold indicates winner.

Atlantic Regional at Clemson, SC

Quarterfinals

Semifinals

Final

Mississippi State

7

East Tennessee State

6

Mississippi State

5

Wichita State

1

Wichita State

7

Clemson

2

Mississippi State

6

—

East Tennessee State

5

—

Lower round 1

Lower final

Wichita State

4*

Clemson

1

East Tennessee State

5*

East Tennessee State

2

Central Regional at Austin, TX

	Quarterfinals					Semifinals					Final
	Lamar		6
	Stanford		5
						Lamar		2
						Texas		3
	Texas		11
	BYU		4
											Texas		8	10
											Stanford		9	2
	Lower round 1					Lower final
						Lamar		1
	BYU		1			Stanford		9
	Stanford		2

East Regional at Columbia, SC

	Quarterfinals					Semifinals					Final
	Memphis		16
	James Madison		3
						Memphis		5
						South Carolina		8
	South Carolina		15
	Temple		6
											South Carolina		11	—
											Memphis		5	—
	Lower round 1					Lower final
						Memphis		8
	Temple		2			James Madison		3
	James Madison		10

Mideast Regional at Ann Arbor, MI

	Quarterfinals					Semifinals					Final
	New Orleans		2
	Michigan		1
						New Orleans		11
						Eastern Michigan		18
	Eastern Michigan		15
	UNLV		3
											Eastern Michigan		0	0
											Michigan		10	4
	Lower round 1					Lower final
						New Orleans		1
	UNLV		2			Michigan		7
	Michigan		6

Midwest Regional at Tulsa, OK

	Quarterfinals					Semifinals					Final
	Southern Illinois		4
	San Diego State		3
						Southern Illinois		4
						Oklahoma State		9
	Oklahoma State		4
	Oral Roberts		3
											Oklahoma State		8	—
											Oral Roberts		5	—
	Lower round 1					Lower final
						Southern Illinois		2
	San Diego State		1			Oral Roberts		7
	Oral Roberts		3

Northeast Regional at New Haven, CT

Quarterfinals

Semifinals

Final

Maine

10

Central Michigan

2

Maine

10

St. John's

5

St. John's

1*

Yale

0*

Maine

5

15

St. John's

10

0

Lower round 1

Lower final

St. John's

23

Yale

2

Central Michigan

13

Central Michigan

7

South Regional at Coral Gables, FL

	Round 1					Round 2					Quarterfinals					Semifinals					Final
	Florida State		5
	Florida		1			Florida State		9
						Minnesota		5
	Middle Tennessee		4								Florida State		6
	Missouri		2								Miami (FL)		14
						Middle Tennessee		0													Miami (FL)		8	—
						Miami (FL)		2													Florida		6	—
	Miami (FL)		12													Florida State		4
	Minnesota		0								Middle Tennessee		4*			Florida		5
						Missouri		3			Florida		7
						Florida		7

West Regional at Tempe, AZ

	Quarterfinals					Semifinals					Final
	Cal State Fullerton		9
	Fresno State		8
						Cal State Fullerton		9
						Arizona State		18
	Arizona State		9
	Gonzaga		6
											Arizona State		12	—
											Cal State Fullerton		7	—
	Lower round 1					Lower final
						Cal State Fullerton		10
	Gonzaga		8			Fresno State		9
	Fresno State		10

College World Series

Participants

School	Conference	Record (conference)	Head coach	CWS appearances	CWS best finish	CWS record
Arizona State	Pac-10	50–12 (26–4)	Jim Brock	10 (last: 1978)	1st (1965, 1967, 1969, 1977)	37–16
Maine	Eastern Collegiate	32–12 (n/a)	John Winkin	2 (last: 1976)	3rd (1964)	5–4
Miami (FL)	n/a	60–8 (n/a)	Ron Fraser	4 (last: 1980)	2nd (1974)	7–8
Michigan	Big 10	41–18 (10–4)	Bud Middaugh	4 (last: 1980)	1st (1953)	10–5
Mississippi State	SEC	45–15 (17–6)	Ron Polk	2 (last: 1979)	6th (1979)	1–4
Oklahoma State	Big 8	49–15 (12–6)	Gary Ward	8 (last: 1968)	1st (1959)	19–15
South Carolina	n/a	44–13 (n/a)	June Raines	2 (last: 1977)	2nd (1975, 1977)	7–4
Texas	SWC	58–9–1 (16–5)	Cliff Gustafson	18 (last: 1979)	1st (1949, 1950, 1975)	38–32

Results

Bracket

	Upper round 1					Upper round 2					Upper final					Semifinals					Preliminary final					Final
	Mississippi State		4
	Michigan		1
						Mississippi State		3
						Arizona State		4
	Arizona State		11
	Texas		2
											Arizona State		10
											Oklahoma State		1113
	Oklahoma State		810
																Oklahoma State		8
	South Carolina		5
						Oklahoma State		12								Texas		1513
						Miami (FL)		6
	Miami (FL)		6
	Maine		1																							Oklahoma State		4
																					Texas		3			Arizona State		7
						Lower round 1					Lower round 2										Arizona State		12
											Miami (FL)		4
						Michigan		5			Texas		5
																Arizona State		10
						Texas		6
																South Carolina		7
											Mississippi State		5
						South Carolina		12			South Carolina		6
						Maine		7

Game results

Date	Game	Winner	Score	Loser	Notes
May 30	Game 1	Mississippi State	4–0	Michigan
	Game 2	Arizona State	11–2	Texas
May 31	Game 3	Oklahoma State	8–5 (10 innings)	South Carolina
	Game 4	Miami (FL)	6–1	Maine
June 1	Game 5	Arizona State	4–3	Mississippi State
June 2	Game 6	Oklahoma State	12–6	Miami (FL)
	Game 7	Texas	6–5	Michigan	Michigan eliminated
June 3	Game 8	South Carolina	12–7	Maine	Maine eliminated
June 4	Game 9	Oklahoma State	11–10 (13 innings)	Arizona State	Oklahoma St. qualified for final
	Game 10	Texas	5–4	Miami (FL)	Miami (FL) eliminated
June 5	Game 11	South Carolina	6–5	Mississippi State	Mississippi State eliminated
June 6	Game 12	Texas	15–8 (13 innings)	Oklahoma State
	Game 13	Arizona State	10–7	South Carolina	South Carolina eliminated
June 7	Game 14	Arizona State	12–3	Texas	Texas eliminated
June 8	Final	Arizona State	7–4	Oklahoma State	Arizona State wins CWS

All-Tournament Team

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

Position	Player	School
P	Kevin Dukes	Arizona State
	Don Mundie	Mississippi State
C	Burk Goldthorn	Texas
1B	Alvin Davis	Arizona State
2B	Billy DeMann	Arizona State
3B	Mike Sodders	Arizona State
SS	Rod Carraway	South Carolina
OF	Mark Gillaspie	Mississippi State
	Stan Holmes (MOP)	Arizona State
	Mickey Tettleton	Oklahoma State
DH	Lemmie Miller	Arizona State

Notable players

• Arizona State: Alvin Davis, Donnie Hill, Lemmie Miller, Billy DeMann, Kevin Romine
• Maine: Kevin Buckley, Joe Johnson, Bill Swift
• Miami (FL): Neal Heaton, Mike Pagliarulo
• Michigan: Steve Ontiveros, Jim Paciorek, Chris Sabo
• Mississippi State:
• Oklahoma State: Gary Green, Mickey Tettleton, Jim Traber, Robbie Wine
• South Carolina: Don Gordon
• Texas: Mike Brumley, Spike Owen, Calvin Schiraldi, Mike Hamer

See also

• 1981 NCAA Division II baseball tournament
• 1981 NCAA Division III baseball tournament
• 1981 NAIA World Series