# 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. The thirty-second tournament's champion was Southern California, coached by Rod Dedeaux. The Most Outstanding Player was Rod Boxberger of Southern California.

## 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. The winners of each District advanced to the College World Series.
Bold indicates winner.

### Atlantic Regional at Coral Gables, FL

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

### Mideast Regional at Ann Arbor, MI

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

### Midwest Regional at Tulsa, OK

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

### Northeast Regional at Holyoke, MA

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

### Rocky Mountain Regional at Tempe, AZ

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

### South Regional at Auburn, AL

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

### South Central Regional at Arlington, TX

| Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Final | Final | Final | Final |
| Texas–Pan American | Texas–Pan American | 7 | | | | | | | |
| Louisiana Tech | Louisiana Tech | 0 | | | | | | | |
| Louisiana Tech | Louisiana Tech | 0 | Texas–Pan American | Texas–Pan American | 2* | | | | |
| | | | Baylor | Baylor | 3 | | | | |
| Baylor | Baylor | 3 | Baylor | Baylor | 3 | | | | |
| Mississippi State | Mississippi State | 0 | | | | | | | |
| Mississippi State | Mississippi State | 0 | | | | Baylor | Baylor | 6 | — |
| | | | | | | Mississippi State | Mississippi State | 3 | — |
| Lower round 1 | Lower round 1 | Lower round 1 | Lower final | Lower final | Lower final | Mississippi State | Mississippi State | 3 | — |
| | | | Texas–Pan American | Texas–Pan American | 5* | | | | |
| Louisiana Tech | Louisiana Tech | 5 | Mississippi State | Mississippi State | 7 | | | | |
| Mississippi State | Mississippi State | 6 | | | | | | | |

### West Regional at Los Angeles, CA

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

#### Game results

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