Remembering the SMS Bears in the 2003 College World Series
And one big sports story this week was Murray State beating Duke in an NCAA Super Regional.
That gave the Racers a ticket to the College World Series in Omaha.
Murray State becomes the first Valley team to make it to Omaha since the Southwest Missouri State Bears back in 2003.
I thought it was time to break out Danny's Way Back Machine.
Periodically we'll crank up the Way Back Machine, blow off the dust from some file tape, and show you what it looked like back in the day.
So we take you back to June of 2003, the Southwest Missouri State Bears baseball team was on a roll.
After winning the Valley's regular season, the Bears earned an at-large berth to the Lincoln regional in the NCAA tournament.
SMS beat Coastal Carolina in the opening game 8-3.
Then the Bears took two of three from Nebraska to earn a trip to the Super Regional in Columbus, Ohio.
In Columbus, Southwest Missouri State swept the home town Buckeyes 13-8 and 13-7.
Evidently 13 was a lucky number for coach Keith Guttin and the Bears.
So the crew went off to Omaha with a roster full of talent.
Shaun Marcum, Brad Ziegler and Jeff Gray eventually made it to the major leagues.
And a first baseman named Scott Nasby, became the baseball coach at Drury.
The Bears played Rice in the first game at the College World Series.
Greg Mathis hit a home run for the Bears but Rice won the game 4-2.
SMS faced Miami in the elimination game, the Hurricanes built a big lead, but the Bears battled back.
Shaun Marcum belted a three run homer late to make Miami nervous, but the Hurricanes beat SMS 7-to-5.
But it was an historic run for Keith Guttin and the Southwest Missouri State Bears.
The team won 40 games, the Valley's regular season championship, and advanced further than any other baseball team in Missouri State history.
So I hope you enjoyed your trip through the Way Back Machine to the year 2003.
MoState still has a few weeks left in the Valley conference, enough time to cheer on Murray State in Omaha at the College World Series.
For more sports watch Ozarks First news at nine and ten.
And I'll see you then.
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