# 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. The thirty-fifth tournament's champion was Arizona State coached by Jim Brock. The Most Outstanding Player was Stan Holmes of Arizona State.

## 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 Regional advanced to the College World Series.
Bold indicates winner.

### Atlantic Regional at Clemson, SC

| Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Final | Final | Final | Final |
| Mississippi State | Mississippi State | 7 | | | | | | | |
| East Tennessee State | East Tennessee State | 6 | | | | | | | |
| East Tennessee State | East Tennessee State | 6 | Mississippi State | Mississippi State | 5 | | | | |
| | | | Wichita State | Wichita State | 1 | | | | |
| Wichita State | Wichita State | 7 | Wichita State | Wichita State | 1 | | | | |
| Clemson | Clemson | 2 | | | | | | | |
| Clemson | Clemson | 2 | | | | Mississippi State | Mississippi State | 6 | — |
| | | | | | | East Tennessee State | East Tennessee State | 5 | — |
| Lower round 1 | Lower round 1 | Lower round 1 | Lower final | Lower final | Lower final | East Tennessee State | East Tennessee State | 5 | — |
| | | | Wichita State | Wichita State | 4* | | | | |
| Clemson | Clemson | 1 | East Tennessee State | East Tennessee State | 5* | | | | |
| East Tennessee State | East Tennessee State | 2 | | | | | | | |

### Central Regional at Austin, TX

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

### East Regional at Columbia, SC

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

### Mideast Regional at Ann Arbor, MI

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

### Midwest Regional at Tulsa, OK

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

### Northeast Regional at New Haven, CT

| Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Final | Final | Final | Final |
| Maine | Maine | 10 | | | | | | | |
| Central Michigan | Central Michigan | 2 | | | | | | | |
| Central Michigan | Central Michigan | 2 | Maine | Maine | 10 | | | | |
| | | | St. John's | St. John's | 5 | | | | |
| St. John's | St. John's | 1* | St. John's | St. John's | 5 | | | | |
| Yale | Yale | 0* | | | | | | | |
| Yale | Yale | 0* | | | | Maine | Maine | 5 | 15 |
| | | | | | | St. John's | St. John's | 10 | 0 |
| Lower round 1 | Lower round 1 | Lower round 1 | Lower final | Lower final | Lower final | St. John's | St. John's | 10 | 0 |
| | | | St. John's | St. John's | 23 | | | | |
| Yale | Yale | 2 | Central Michigan | Central Michigan | 13 | | | | |
| Central Michigan | Central Michigan | 7 | | | | | | | |

### South Regional at Coral Gables, FL

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

### West Regional at Tempe, AZ

| Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Final | Final | Final | Final |
| Cal State Fullerton | Cal State Fullerton | 9 | | | | | | | |
| Fresno State | Fresno State | 8 | | | | | | | |
| Fresno State | Fresno State | 8 | Cal State Fullerton | Cal State Fullerton | 9 | | | | |
| | | | Arizona State | Arizona State | 18 | | | | |
| Arizona State | Arizona State | 9 | Arizona State | Arizona State | 18 | | | | |
| Gonzaga | Gonzaga | 6 | | | | | | | |
| Gonzaga | Gonzaga | 6 | | | | Arizona State | Arizona State | 12 | — |
| | | | | | | Cal State Fullerton | Cal State Fullerton | 7 | — |
| Lower round 1 | Lower round 1 | Lower round 1 | Lower final | Lower final | Lower final | Cal State Fullerton | Cal State Fullerton | 7 | — |
| | | | Cal State Fullerton | Cal State Fullerton | 10 | | | | |
| Gonzaga | Gonzaga | 8 | Fresno State | Fresno State | 9 | | | | |
| Fresno State | 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 1 | Upper round 1 | Upper round 2 | Upper round 2 | Upper round 2 | Upper final | Upper final | Upper final | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | | Preliminary final | Preliminary final | Preliminary final | Final | Final | Final |
| Mississippi State | Mississippi State | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Michigan | Michigan | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Michigan | Michigan | 1 | Mississippi State | Mississippi State | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | Arizona State | Arizona State | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Arizona State | Arizona State | 11 | Arizona State | Arizona State | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Texas | Texas | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Texas | Texas | 2 | | | | Arizona State | Arizona State | 10 | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | Oklahoma State | Oklahoma State | 11$^{13}$ | | | | | | | | | | |
| Oklahoma State | Oklahoma State | 8$^{10}$ | | | | Oklahoma State | Oklahoma State | 11$^{13}$ | | | | | | | | | |
| Oklahoma State | Oklahoma State | 8$^{10}$ | | | | | | | Oklahoma State | Oklahoma State | 8 | | | | | | |
| South Carolina | South Carolina | 5 | | | | | | | Oklahoma State | Oklahoma State | 8 | | | | | | |
| South Carolina | South Carolina | 5 | Oklahoma State | Oklahoma State | 12 | | | | Texas | Texas | 15$^{13}$ | | | | | | |
| | | | Miami (FL) | Miami (FL) | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Miami (FL) | Miami (FL) | 6 | Miami (FL) | Miami (FL) | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Maine | Maine | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Oklahoma State | Oklahoma State | 4 |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | Texas | Texas | 3 | Arizona State | Arizona State | 7 |
| | | | Lower round 1 | Lower round 1 | Lower round 1 | Lower round 2 | Lower round 2 | Lower round 2 | | | | | Arizona State | Arizona State | 12 | | | |
| | | | | | | Miami (FL) | Miami (FL) | | | | | | 4 | | | | | |
| | | | Michigan | Michigan | 5 | Texas | Texas | | | | | | 5 | | | | | |
| | | | Michigan | Michigan | 5 | Texas | Texas | | Arizona State | Arizona State | 10 | | 5 | | | | | |
| | | | Texas | Texas | 6 | | | | Arizona State | Arizona State | 10 | | | | | | | |
| | | | Texas | Texas | 6 | | | | South Carolina | South Carolina | 7 | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | Mississippi State | Mississippi State | | South Carolina | South Carolina | 7 | 5 | | | | | | |
| | | | South Carolina | South Carolina | 12 | South Carolina | South Carolina | | | | | 6 | | | | | | |
| | | | Maine | Maine | 7 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

#### Game results

| Date | Game | Winner | Score | Loser | Notes |
| May 30 | Game 1 | Mississippi State | 4–0 | Michigan | |
| May 30 | Game 2 | Arizona State | 11–2 | Texas | |
| May 31 | Game 3 | Oklahoma State | 8–5 (10 innings) | South Carolina | |
| May 31 | 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) | |
| June 2 | 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 |
| June 4 | 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 | |
| June 6 | 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 |
| P | 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 |
| OF | Stan Holmes (MOP) | Arizona State |
| OF | 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