Their season ended in early June of 2015 when they lost two of three games in the Super Regional series to the Arkansas Razorbacks.
“I really wanted this for our players, more than anything,” said Head Coach Keith Guttin.
“I’ve been in this for a long time, and they are probably the most unselfish group I’ve ever been around.”
In one of his weekly Clif’s Notes addresses, President Clif Smart wrote: “The success of our baseball program resulted in literally hours of national TV coverage on ESPN and more than 800 media stories generated throughout the state and nation.”
“This will have a significant impact on our efforts to enhance Missouri State’s profile as we continue to recruit students and market the University nationally and internationally.”
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Missouri State wrapped up its third NCAA Division I regional title on Monday, June 5 with its third one-run victory of the weekend, a 3-2 decision over top-seeded Arkansas at the Fayetteville Regional. The team is headed into Super Regional play on June 10 against Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, Texas.
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Highlights and awards from 2015
- The team racked up a school-record 49 total wins, and were on a 19-game winning streak (the
nation’s longest!) when they headed into the Super Regional. - The Bears were a national seed (number 8) for the first time as a Division I program.
- Because of the team’s great success, Missouri State won the bid to have the NCAA Tournament Regional played at Hammons Field, where MSU had record-setting ticket sales. The Regional, which was won by the Bears in three games, attracted 22,772 spectators over three days. This Regional title was the second in school history (first was in 2003).
- Matt Hall, a left-handed pitcher, matched the Bears’ single-season record with 12 victories. He led all of Division I baseball in strikeouts, setting Missouri State and Missouri Valley Conference records for strikeouts in a season (171). He also earned first-team All-America honors.
- Both pitcher Jon Harris and infielder Joey Hawkins earned Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year honors. Harris won MVC Pitcher of the Year and Hawkins won the league’s Defensive Player of the Year award.
- Hawkins, infielder Dylan Becker and closer Bryan Young also established new program standards. Becker had an MSU all-time high of 55 walks, while Hawkins laid down 29 sacrifice bunts and recorded 192 defensive assists to break his own MSU records in each category. Young saved a program-best 16 games.
- Four Bears — Hall, Harris, Young and third baseman Jake Burger — were named to All-America teams by Collegiate Baseball. This is the largest number of Bears ever chosen for this honor in one season.
- Four Bears — Hall, Harris, Hawkins and Tate Matheny — were selected in the Major League Baseball draft. Hall was taken by the Detroit Tigers, Harris by the Toronto Blue Jays, Hawkins by the St. Louis Cardinals and Matheny by the Boston Red Sox.
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