Thirty years ago behind a first year head coach and a group of upstart players, Eastern Illinois made its second NCAA Division II College World Series appearance.
Eastern Illinois will recognize the 1978 Panther baseball team at its home game on April 19 when the Panthers host Jacksonville State.
Hired during the summer of 1977, former St. Louis Cardinals farmhand Tom McDevitt took over as the Panthers skipper, marking his first collegiate coaching stop. McDevitt responded by putting together a very aggressive schedule which would come back to benefit the Panthers at season's end.
Standing at 6-7 in the early portion of the season, the Panthers swept a series at Bellarmine and proceeded to win ten of their next 11 games. EIU finished the regular-season with a 21-14 record and waited for a possible NCAA Regional bid.
That call would come for McDevitt and his young team as they ventured to Macomb, Illinois, to play in the Great Lakes Regional hosted by Western Illinois.
“I think one of the most interesting things is that we weren't even ranked among the top 25 teams by the NCAA in the final poll,” McDevitt stated at the end of the season. “Our record may not have been as good as some other teams but the caliber of competition worked to our advantage. We played nearly half our schedule against major colleges.”
That level of competition and the benefits of playing that schedule were immediately put to the test in the Regional. EIU picked up a 7-3 opening round win over Indiana Central (now the University of Indianapolis) as shortstop Jeff Gossett drove home three runs and lefthander Paul Kastner scattered seven hits in 6.1 innings on the mound.
In the second game, EIU dropped a one run decision to host Western Illinois as the Leathernecks scored three runs in the 9th inning for the comeback win. EIU would now be forced to earn a trip to its second NCAA College World Series through the loser's bracket.
In the first knock out game, EIU scored the go ahead run in the top of the 8th as they edged Wright State, 3-2, to move into the championship game. Pat Huff tossed a complete game and Gossett delivered two more RBI.
To make the CWS a reality, EIU would now have to win back-to-back games over Western Illinois on WIU's home field. In the first game EIU scored five late runs to blow open the game for a 6-1 win. Tom Osga tossed five innings of relief for the win while Paul Franson drove home two runs.
The championship tilt also went the Panthers way as they scored six runs in the first three innings to cruise to a 9-6 win. Elliot Skorupa went 8.2 innings before Osga registered the game's final out. Mike Nichols drove home four runs for EIU to send the Panthers packing for Lanphier Field in Springfield, Illinois.
EIU's opening draw in the College World Series – sixth ranked University of San Diego – which had dispatched of No. 3 Chapman College to earn a bid to Springfield. With no expectations McDevitt was happy his club was enjoying the season.
“Whether we win, lose or draw in this tournament, now, I feel we have been very successful,” McDevitt stated in a pre-CWS press conference. “It's been a team effort all the way. I'm really proud of these guys. It's been a lot of fun and if you don't have fun, it isn't worth it.”
Immediately the Panthers were put to the test as San Diego jumped out to a 9-0 lead in three innings during a 15-6 win. Pat Rooney had a pair of RBI for the Panthers in the loss.
Once again EIU would be forced to play its way out of the loser's bracket. The Panthers responded in their first test smashing Southwest Missouri State, 21-11, as EIU pounded out 20 hits. Designated hitter Cam Kennedy drove home a record 9 runs going 3-for-4 at the plate. Kennedy's record still stands as the Division II College World Series mark to this day.
EIU's run at the College World Series title would come to an end in its next game as Valdosta State scored seven runs in the final two innings to knock off EIU 11-9. EIU ended the season at 27-19, placing fifth in the College World Series. Florida Southern would defeat Delta State for the 1978 title.
In 1981, McDevitt would lead the Panthers to a second place finish in the CWS as EIU made three World Series appearances at the NCAA Division II level. They also placed 3rd in the nation in 1973.
Success that season also carried off the field as four players were drafted – Pat Rooney, Rick Doss, Jeff Gossett and Tim West. Rooney would eventually make it to the Major Leagues during the 1981 season with the Montreal Expos. Gossett was drafted by the New York Mets in the fifth round. He eventually returned to EIU to play football and enjoyed a long Pro Bowl career punting in the National Football League.
During the season Gossett earned All-America honors while five players earned All-Great Lakes Region honors – Rooney, Cam Kennedy, Paul Franson, Doss and Pat Huff.
Franson led the team hitting .403 for the season while Rooney had a team high 13 doubles. Gossett had a team high 50 RBI and Kennedy added 11 home runs.
On the mound Huff was a dominant freshman right hander with a 7-2 record and 2.82 ERA. EIU posted a 3.92 ERA for the season.
