A series of “This Day in History” posts from Wichita State’s 1989 College World Series championship team.
June 10, 1989
The game: WSU 5, Texas 3
The skinny: Pitcher Greg Brummett holds the Longhorns to six hits to wrap up College World Series MVP honors. Pat Meares homers to give the Shockers a 5-2 lead in the sixth inning.
The quote: “Anything less than a national championship would have been a disappointment. There’s not a team that works harder or a team with more heart.” WSU catcher Eric Wedge.
WSU’s record: 68-16
Big picture: WSU wins its first NCAA team title.
A series of “This Day in History” posts from Wichita State’s 1989 College World Series championship team.
June 9, 1989
The game: WSU 12,Florida State 9
The skinny: Mike Wentworth ties the game 4-all with a three-run home run – on his mother’s birthday. In the regional, he homered on his father’s birthday. Pat Meares continued his hot hitting with three hits, including a homer.
The quote: “It’s hard to keep from feeling this is a team of destiny based on all the adversity we’ve come up against,” WSU coach Gene Stephenson.
WSU’s record: 67-16
Big picture: WSU faces Texas for the national title. It is the second appearance in the title game for the Shockers, who lost to Miami in 1982.
A series of “This Day in History” posts from Wichita State’s 1989 College World Series championship team.
June 7, 1989
The game: WSU 7, Florida State 4
The skinny: The Shockers break a 3-all tie with four runs in the eighth inning. Eric Wedge gets the rally started with a hit following a 56-minute rain delay.
The quote: “We ought to get more respect than we do. We’re in the Midwest and so we don’t play all the California and Florida teams that get all the publicity,” WSU catcher Eric Wedge
WSU’s record: 66-16
Big picture: WSU faces Florida State again to determine one spot in the title game.
A series of “This Day in History” posts from Wichita State’s 1989 College World Series championship team.
June 6, 1989
The game: WSU 8, Arkansas 4
The skinny: Eric Wedge and Mike McDonald homer for WSU, which eliminates the Razorbacks. Pitcher Greg Brummett improves to 17-2.
The quote: “The whole thing I tried to concentrate on once the season was over was that going into postseason play was like a whole new season. I struggled a little bit in the regular season, but I told myself that it was over, so I can start a whole new season,” WSU shortstop Pat Meares, who is hitting .455 in the CWS.
WSU’s record: 65-16
Big picture: WSU must defeat Florida State twice to reach the national championship game.
A series of “This Day in History” posts from Wichita State’s 1989 College World Series championship team.
June 4, 1989
The game: Florida State 4, WSU 2
The skinny: After an opening win over Arkansas in the College World Series, Wichita State falls into the losers bracket with a loss to Florida State. FSU pitcher Clyde Keller held the Shockers to four hits, dropping WSU’s average to .261 in NCAA play.
The quote: “We took a big step forward in the first-round game. And we took a giant step back in this game.” WSU coach Gene Stephenson.
WSU’s record: 64-16
Big picture: WSU faces a rematch with Arkansas to stay alive.
A series of “This Day in History” posts from Wichita State’s 1989 College World Series championship team.
May 22, 1989
The skinny: The NCAA gives WSU the No. 1 seed in the West II Regional in Fresno, Calif. The Shockers will open the tournament against sixth-seeded Portland.
The quote: “Frankly, I’m very surprised. But I think the committee obviously took into account the entire season and how we played over the course of that entire time,” – WSU coach Gene Stephenson.
WSU’s record: 58-14
A series of “This Day in History” posts from Wichita State’s 1989 College World Series championship team.
May 21, 1989
The game: Indiana State 12, WSU 7
The skinny: WSU loses to the Sycamores in the championship game of the MVC Tournament, perhaps ruining its chances of a No. 1 seed in an NCAA Regional.
The quote: “Sure. Of course we lost it. That’s just the way it is. Anytime they’re going to get a chance to stick it to us, they’ll do it,” WSU coach Gene Stephenson.
WSU’s record: 58-14
Big picture: WSU waits two days for its regional assignment, believing it may be sent to Texas or Texas A&M.
A series of “This Day in History” posts from Wichita State’s 1989 College World Series championship team.
May 15, 1989
The skinny: Bradley pitcher Tim Trunk is killed in an accident when the van carrying eight players collides with a flatbed truck. Two other players are critically injured on their way to Wichita for the MVC Tournament.
The quote: “This is just awful. It’s just very, very tragic. I wish more than anything that things would have happened differently,” WSU coach Gene Stephenson.
Big picture: The fifth-seeded Braves withdraw from the MVC Tournament.
A series of “This Day in History” posts from Wichita State’s 1989 College World Series championship team.
May 15, 1989
The skinny: The NCAA does not name WSU as one of eight regional hosts.
The quote: “I don’t want to be a pessimist, but if we didn’t get one this year, I don’ t know when we’re ever going to get one,” WSU coach Gene Stephenson.
Big picture: WSU enters the MVC Tournament believing it can secure a No. 1 seed with a championship.
A series of “This Day in History” posts from Wichita State’s 1989 College World Series championship team.
May 13, 1989
The game: BYU 9-9, WSU 3-3
The skinny: WSU strands 22 runners in the doubleheader. The Shockers commit a season-high five errors in the second game.
The quote: “We’ve had a lot of men on and a lot of opportunties to break games open. But we haven’t done the job, yet,” WSU coach Gene Stephenson.
WSU’s record: 56-12
Big picture: WSU splits a four-game series with BYU as a warmup before the MVC Tournament.