1961 NCAA University Division baseball tournament#College World Series

{{Infobox NCAA Baseball Tournament

| Year=1961

| Division=University Division

| Image=

| ImageSize=

| Caption=

| Teams=25

| CollegeWorldSeriesBallpark=Johnny Rosenblatt Stadium

| City=Omaha, NE

| Champions=Southern California

| TitleCount=3rd

| Runner-Up=Oklahoma State

| CWSCount=5th

| Coach=Rod Dedeaux

| CoachCount=3rd

| MOP=Littleton Fowler

| MOPTeam=Oklahoma State

| Attendance=

| Television=

| tournament_link=NCAA Division I Baseball Championship

}}

The 1961 NCAA University Division baseball tournament was played at the end of the 1961 NCAA University Division 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 fifteenth year. Eight regional districts sent representatives to the College World Series with preliminary rounds within each district serving to determine each representative. These events would later become known as regionals. Each district had its own format for selecting teams, resulting in 25 teams participating in the tournament at the conclusion of their regular season, and in some cases, after a conference tournament.{{cite web|title=NCAA Men's College World Series Records|url=http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/baseball_cws_RB/2009CWSfull.pdf|publisher=NCAA|access-date=April 3, 2014|page=192|year=2009}} The College World Series was held in Omaha, NE from June 9 to June 14. The fifteenth tournament's champion was Southern California, coached by Rod Dedeaux. The Most Outstanding Player was Littleton Fowler of runner-up Oklahoma State.

Tournament

=District 1=

Games played at Springfield, Massachusetts.

{{4Team2ElimBracket

| RD1=First Round

| RD2=Semi-Finals

| RD3=Finals

| RD1-seed1=

| RD1-team1=Boston College

| RD1-score1=11

| RD1-seed2=

| RD1-team2={{CBSB link|year=1961|team=Springfield Pride|title=Springfield}}

| RD1-score2=8

| RD1-seed3=

| RD1-team3={{CBSB link|year=1961|team=Connecticut Huskies|title=Connecticut}}

| RD1-score3=15

| RD1-seed4=

| RD1-team4={{CBSB link|year=1961|team=Colby Mules|title=Colby}}

| RD1-score4=1

| RD1-seed5=

| RD1-team5=Springfield

| RD1-score5=9

| RD1-seed6=

| RD1-team6=Colby

| RD1-score6=2

| RD2-seed1=

| RD2-team1=Boston College

| RD2-score1=4

| RD2-seed2=

| RD2-team2=Connecticut

| RD2-score2=1

| RD2-seed3=

| RD2-team3=Connecticut

| RD2-score3=3

| RD2-seed4=

| RD2-team4=Springfield

| RD2-score4=1

| RD3-seed1=

| RD3-team1=Boston College

| RD3-score1-1=2

| RD3-score1-2=14

| RD3-seed2=

| RD3-team2=Connecticut

| RD3-score2-1=3

| RD3-score2-2=4

}}

=District 2=

Games played at Syracuse, New York.

{{4TeamBracket

| seeds = no

| RD1-team1 ={{CBSB link|year=1961|team=St. John's Redmen|title=St. John's}}

| RD1-score1 =10

| RD1-team2 ={{CBSB link|year=1961|team=Villanova Wildcats|title=Villanova}}

| RD1-score2 =4

| RD1-team3 =Syracuse

| RD1-score3 =2

| RD1-team4 ={{CBSB link|year=1961|team=Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens|title=Delaware}}

| RD1-score4 =0

| RD2-team1 =Syracuse

| RD2-score1 =12

| RD2-team2 =St. John's

| RD2-score2 =5

}}

=District 3=

Games played at Gastonia, North Carolina.

{{3TeamBracket-2Elim

| seeds = no

| RD1-team1={{CBSB link|year=1961|team=Florida State Seminoles|title=Florida State}}

| RD1-score1=3

| RD1-team2={{CBSB link|year=1961|team=West Virginia Mountaineers|title=West Virginia}}

| RD1-score2=1

| RD2-team1=Duke

| RD2-score1=7

| RD2-team2=Florida State

| RD2-score2=2

| RD2-team3=Florida State

| RD2-score3=3

| RD2-team4=West Virginia

| RD2-score4=4

| RD3-team1=Duke

| RD3-score1-1=7

| RD3-score1-2=—

| RD3-team2=West Virginia

| RD3-score2-1=3

| RD3-score2-2=—

}}

=District 4=

Games played at Ann Arbor, Michigan.

{{4Team2ElimBracket

| RD1-seed1=

| RD1-team1=Western Michigan

| RD1-score1=3

| RD1-seed2=

| RD1-team2={{CBSB link|year=1961|team=Detroit Titans|title=Detroit}}

| RD1-score2=1

| RD1-seed3=

| RD1-team3={{CBSB link|year=1961|team=Cincinnati Bearcats|title=Cincinnati}}

| RD1-score3=3¹⁰

| RD1-seed4=

| RD1-team4={{CBSB link|year=1961|team=Michigan Wolverines|title=Michigan}}

| RD1-score4=1

| RD1-seed5=

| RD1-team5=Detroit

| RD1-score5=3

| RD1-seed6=

| RD1-team6=Michigan

| RD1-score6=6¹⁰

| RD2-seed1=

| RD2-team1=Western Michigan

| RD2-score1=8

| RD2-seed2=

| RD2-team2=Cincinnati

| RD2-score2=1

| RD2-seed3=

| RD2-team3=Cincinnati

| RD2-score3=1

| RD2-seed4=

| RD2-team4=Michigan

| RD2-score4=2

| RD3-seed1=

| RD3-team1=Western Michigan

| RD3-score1-1=4¹⁴

| RD3-score1-2=–

| RD3-seed2=

| RD3-team2=Michigan

| RD3-score2-1=3

| RD3-score2-2=–

}}

=District 5=

Games played at Stillwater, Oklahoma.

{{2TeamBracket

| legs = 3

| seeds = no

| RD1-team1=Oklahoma State

| RD1-score1-1=10

| RD1-score1-2=11

| RD1-score1-3=—

| RD1-team2={{CBSB link|year=1961|team=Northern Iowa Panthers|title=Northern Iowa}}

| RD1-score2-1=0

| RD1-score2-2=8

| RD1-score2-3=—

}}

=District 6=

Games played at Austin, Texas.

{{2TeamBracket

| legs = 3

| seeds = no

| RD1-team1=Texas

| RD1-score1-1=8

| RD1-score1-2=5

| RD1-score1-3=—

| RD1-team2={{CBSB link|year=1961|team=Arizona Wildcats|title=Arizona}}

| RD1-score2-1=2

| RD1-score2-2=4

| RD1-score2-3=—

}}

=District 7=

Games played at Laramie, Wyoming.

{{3TeamBracket-2Elim

| seeds = no

| RD1-team1={{CBSB link|year=1961|team=Wyoming Cowboys|title=Wyoming}}

| RD1-score1=3

| RD1-team2={{nowrap|{{CBSB link|year=1961|team=Northern Colorado Bears|title=Colorado State College}}}}

| RD1-score2=2

| RD2-team1={{CBSB link|year=1961|team=Air Force Falcons|title=Air Force}}

| RD2-score1=10

| RD2-team2=Wyoming

| RD2-score2=12

| RD2-team3=Air Force

| RD2-score3=6

| RD2-team4={{nowrap|Colorado State College}}

| RD2-score4=10

| RD3-team1=Wyoming

| RD3-score1-1=12

| RD3-score1-2=1

| RD3-team2={{nowrap|Colorado State College}}

| RD3-score2-1=16

| RD3-score2-2=12

}}

=District 8=

{{4TeamBracket|byes=1

| legs = 3

| seeds = no

| RD1 = Semifinals
Los Angeles, California

| RD2 = Finals
Pullman, Washington

| RD1-team1=Southern California

| RD1-score1-1=4

| RD1-score1-2=4

| RD1-score1-3=10

| RD1-team2={{CBSB link|year=1961|team=Fresno State Bulldogs|title=Fresno State}}

| RD1-score2-1=1

| RD1-score2-2=6

| RD1-score2-3=6

| RD2-team1=Southern California

| RD2-score1-1=13

| RD2-score1-2=10

| RD2-score1-3=—

| RD2-team2={{CBSB link|year=1961|team=Washington State Cougars|title=Washington State}}

| RD2-score2-1=6

| RD2-score2-2=4

| RD2-score2-3=—

}}

College World Series

=Participants=

class="wikitable" ! School !! Conference !! Record (conference) !! Head coach !! CWS appearances !! CWS best finish !! CWS record
align=center \| Boston College	Independent	16–4	Ed Peligrini	2 (last: 1960)	4th (1953)	3–4
align=center \| Colorado State College{{efn\|Colorado State College is currently known as the University of Northern Colorado. Not to be confused with Colorado State University, then known as Colorado A&M.}}	RMC	28–6 (14–0)	Pete Butler	7 (last: 1960)	5th (1955)	2–14
align=center \| Duke	ACC	15–9 (11–3)	Ace Parker	2 (last: 1953)	5th (1952, 1953)	2–4
align=center \| Oklahoma State	Big 8	24–1 (18–1)	Toby Greene	4 (last: 1960)	1st (1959)	12–7
align=center \| Syracuse	Independent	16–3	Ted Kleinhans	0 (last: none)	none	0–0
align=center \| Texas	SWC	22–4–2 (11–3)	Bibb Falk	5 (last: 1957)	1st (1949, 1950)	14–7
align=center \| Southern California	CIBA	31–7 (12–4)	Rod Dedeaux	6 (last: 1960)	1st (1948, 1958)	14–10
align=center \| Western Michigan	MAC	18–6 (11–0)	Charlie Maher	4 (last: 1959)	2nd (1955)	8–8

=Results=

==Bracket==

{{8TeamBracket-2Elim |style=2

| RD1-seed1=

| RD1-team1=Oklahoma State

| RD1-score1=3

| RD1-seed2=

| RD1-team2=Duke

| RD1-score2=2

| RD1-seed3=

| RD1-team3=Syracuse

| RD1-score3=12

| RD1-seed4=

| RD1-team4={{nowrap|{{cbsb link|year=1961|team=Northern Colorado Bears|title=Colorado State College}}}}

| RD1-score4=5

| RD1-seed5=

| RD1-team5=Boston College

| RD1-score5=3

| RD1-seed6=

| RD1-team6=Western Michigan

| RD1-score6=2

| RD1-seed7=

| RD1-team7=Southern California

| RD1-score7=8

| RD1-seed8=

| RD1-team8=Texas

| RD1-score8=6

| RD2-seed1=

| RD2-team1=Oklahoma State

| RD2-score1=12

| RD2-seed2=

| RD2-team2=Syracuse

| RD2-score2=9

| RD2-seed3=

| RD2-team3=Boston College

| RD2-score3=3

| RD2-seed4=

| RD2-team4=Southern California

| RD2-score4=10

| RD2-seed5=

| RD2-team5=Duke

| RD2-score5=15

| RD2-seed6=

| RD2-team6={{nowrap|Colorado State College}}

| RD2-score6=3

| RD2-seed7=

| RD2-team7=Western Michigan

| RD2-score7=8

| RD2-seed8=

| RD2-team8=Texas

| RD2-score8=2

| RD3-seed1=

| RD3-team1=Oklahoma State

| RD3-score1=2

| RD3-seed2=

| RD3-team2=Southern California

| RD3-score2=4

| RD3-seed3=

| RD3-team3=Boston College

| RD3-score3=4¹⁰

| RD3-seed4=

| RD3-team4=Duke

| RD3-score4=3

| RD3-seed5=

| RD3-team5=Syracuse

| RD3-score5=6

| RD3-seed6=

| RD3-team6=Western Michigan

| RD3-score6=0

| RD4-seed1=

| RD4-team1=Oklahoma State

| RD4-score1=8

| RD4-seed2=

| RD4-team2=Syracuse

| RD4-score2=0

| RD4-seed3=

| RD4-team3=Southern California

| RD4-score3=4

| RD4-seed4=

| RD4-team4=Boston College

| RD4-score4=3

| RD5-seed1=

| RD5-team1=Oklahoma State

| RD5-score1=0

| RD5-seed2=

| RD5-team2=Southern California

| RD5-score2=1

}}

==Game results==

class="wikitable" ! Date !! Game !! Winner !! Score !! Loser !! Notes
align=center \| June 9	Game 1	Oklahoma State	3–2	Duke
align=center \|rowspan=3\| June 10	Game 2	{{cbsb link\|year=1961\|team=Syracuse Orange\|title=Syracuse}}	12–5	{{cbsb link\|year=1961\|team=Northern Colorado Bears\|title=Colorado State College}}
align=center \| Game 3	Boston College	3–2	Western Michigan
align=center \| Game 4	Southern California	8–6	Texas
align=center \|rowspan=4\| June 11	Game 5	Duke	15–3	{{cbsb link\|year=1961\|team=Northern Colorado Bears\|title=Colorado State College}}	Colorado State College eliminated
align=center \| Game 6	Western Michigan	8–2	Texas	Texas eliminated
align=center \| Game 7	Oklahoma State	12–9	{{cbsb link\|year=1961\|team=Syracuse Orange\|title=Syracuse}}
align=center \| Game 8	Southern California	10–3	Boston College
align=center \|rowspan=3\| June 12	Game 9	Boston College	4–3 (10 innings)	Duke	Duke eliminated
align=center \| Game 10	{{cbsb link\|year=1961\|team=Syracuse Orange\|title=Syracuse}}	6–0	Western Michigan	Western Michigan eliminated
align=center \| Game 11	Southern California	4–2	Oklahoma State
align=center \|rowspan=2\| June 13	Game 12	Oklahoma State	8–0	{{cbsb link\|year=1961\|team=Syracuse Orange\|title=Syracuse}}	Syracuse eliminated
align=center \| Game 13	Southern California	4–3	Boston College	Boston College eliminated
align=center \| June 14	Final	Southern California	1–0	Oklahoma State	Southern California wins CWS

=All-Tournament Team=

The following players were members of the All-Tournament Team.

Position	Player	School
class="wikitable" style=text-align:center
rowspan=3\| P	Littleton Fowler (MOP)	style={{CollegePrimaryStyle\|Oklahoma State Cowboys\|border=0}}\|Oklahoma State
Larry Hankhammer	style={{CollegePrimaryStyle\|USC Trojans\|border=0}}\|USC
Jim Withers	style={{CollegePrimaryStyle\|USC Trojans\|border=0}}\|USC
C	Larry Himes	style={{CollegePrimaryStyle\|USC Trojans\|border=0}}\|USC
1B	William Ryan	style={{CollegePrimaryStyle\|USC Trojans\|border=0}}\|USC
2B	Bruce Andrew	style={{CollegePrimaryStyle\|Oklahoma State Cowboys\|border=0}}\|Oklahoma State
3B	Dave Sarette	style={{CollegePrimaryStyle\|Syracuse Orange\|border=0}}\|{{color\|#000E54\|Syracuse}}
SS	Don Wallace	style={{CollegePrimaryStyle\|Oklahoma State Cowboys\|border=0}}\|Oklahoma State
rowspan=3\| OF	Ron Davis	style={{CollegePrimaryStyle\|Duke Blue Devils\|border=0}}\|Duke
Art Ersepke	style={{CollegePrimaryStyle\|USC Trojans\|border=0}}\|USC
Bill Tomb	style={{CollegePrimaryStyle\|Western Michigan Broncos\|border=0}}\|Western Michigan