Remembering the SMS Bears in the 2003 College World Series
Hello everyone, I'm Dan Lucy on the Ozarks First digital desk.
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.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
USA Today
an hour ago
- USA Today
College World Series: Power ranking the eight teams in Omaha. Where does LSU rank?
College World Series: Power ranking the eight teams in Omaha. Where does LSU rank? The College World Series is a championship like no other. Eight teams travel to Omaha with the aim of winning a national title. It's a 10-day event that features two four-team double-elimination brackets followed by a best-of-three championship series. The 2025 field features some fresh faces. No team from the 2024 CWS made it back this year. However, most of these teams aren't strangers to Omaha. LSU is back for the second time in three years after winning the national championship in 2023. West Coast powers like Arizona, UCLA, and Oregon State are here, too. Coastal Carolina has been to Omaha just once before, but it won the national title in 2016. Louisville is also familiar with the CWS, making its sixth appearance since 2007. Then there's Arkansas, a perennial contender chasing its first-ever national championship. You have your Cinderella story, too, with Murray State making its first CWS trip in program history. The action will begin on Friday, but before we get underway, let's rank the eight teams in the 2025 College World Series. 8. Murray State Racers This is no slight on Murray State in the midst of its historic run. What the Racers have done so far is incredible. Murray State has 44 wins, upset Ole Miss and Georgia Tech in the regional, and upset Duke in the super regional. The Ohio Valley from Kentucky plays in a home stadium that fits just 800. Now, it's playing in the College World Series. Don't underestimate this squad, but from a power ratings standpoint, they're the longest shot in Omaha. Per BetMGM, the Racers' national title odds are +3000. With Jonathan Hogart and Carson Garner, Murray State has some hitters that can hit it out of the park. Dom Decker and Justin Mercer are hit machines, too. But the pitching is a huge question mark. Murray State has won a few shootouts to get here, but that style of play won't work with the quality of pitcher it will face in Omaha. 7. Louisville Cardinals Louisville made it to Omaha despite losing its last three series of the regular season and being one-and-done in the ACC Tournament. The Cardinals have since turned it around, winning the Nashville Regional and beating Miami in a three-game Super Regional. But I have too many questions about this Cardinals squad to label them a contender. Louisville's ERA of 5.35 ranks 12th in the ACC, and the Cardinals allow 5.9 runs per game. There are things to like. Louisville has 155 steals and ranks fifth in the ACC in slugging, but I don't think it has enough to overcome the pitching woes. Louisville has a tough opener vs. Oregon State. If Louisville loses, it doesn't have the tools to climb out of the losers' bracket. 6. Arizona Wildcats Arizona has won 10 of its last 11 games entering Omaha. But the recent success came right on the heels of a stretch where Arizona dropped five of six. Arizona's run is impressive, but the Wildcats have been inconsistent vs. top competition this year. Arizona began its schedule 0-3, losing to Ole Miss, Clemson, and Louisville. Later in the year, Arizona dropped a game vs. Tennessee. The Wildcats' run differential also ranks in the bottom half of the Big 12. They do a little bit of everything, but there's not one elite unit that can carry this team. Arizona has a few guys that can hit it out of the park, but the lineup doesn't walk enough, and it's prone to strikeouts. That will hurt the Wildcats when facing teams like Coastal Carolina and Oregon State. 5. UCLA Bruins UCLA is 47-16 on the year and ranks No. 11 nationally in the Massey Ratings. Playing in the Big Ten, the Bruins didn't face the same caliber of schedule as some other teams in Omaha did. Their NCAA Tournament path has been on the easier side too, facing UTSA in the super regional. UCLA gets another favorable matchup in its CWS opener with Murray State on the docket. But UCLA must face LSU or Arkansas in its second contest. We'll find out a lot about this Bruins squad then. Expect to see quality at-bats from this lineup. UCLA ranked second in the Big Ten in batting average, takes walks, and avoids strikeouts. The path for UCLA involves stringing hits together, but that won't come easy vs. the LSU and Arkansas pitching staffs. 4. Oregon State Beavers Oregon State is making its first trip to Omaha since 2018 as the three-time champ looks to add a fourth trophy to the case. Oregon State ranks No. 7 nationally in the Massey Ratings. Its offense and pitching/defense both rank in the top 10. The Beavers had to play without a conference this year after the PAC-12 fell apart, forcing them to throw an independent schedule together. The strength of that slate was weaker than a few of their Omaha peers, but they've passed every test in the postseason. The Beavers' lineup is dangerous. The only team in the CWS field with more homers than Oregon State is Arkansas. The group is led by shortstop Aiva Arquette, a potential top-five MLB draft pick. On the mound, Dax Whitney and Ethan Kleinschmidt give Oregon State two formidable starters who can duel it out with anyone in the field. Oregon State is favored to win its opening game vs. Arizona. 3. Coastal Carolina Chanticleers Coastal Carolina is making its second trip to Omaha. The only time it was here before, the Chanticleers won it all in 2016. Now, Coastal arrives in Omaha as the hottest team in baseball, riding a 23-game win streak. Coming from the Sun Belt, there are naturally questions about how CCU will fare vs. top competition, but the Chanticleers have come through when tested. The 23-game win streak includes a win at Clemson and a super regional sweep of Auburn. The Massey Ratings slot Coastal as the fourth-best team in the sport, and the Chants are the favorite to win their side of the bracket. The pitching staff is among the best in the country, and the lineup is deep. They do the little things, too, leading the SBC in stolen bases and fielding percentage. LSU has been here before. The Tigers have won seven national championships. Several players on this team were members of the 2023 squad that won it all. Per BetMGM, LSU ranks No. 2 on the title odds board with +220 odds to win the championship. The Tigers have the pieces to capture the trophy. The one-two starting pitching punch of Kade Anderson and Anthony Eyanson is hard to beat. And LSU's lineup is riding high after scoring 28 combined runs vs. West Virginia in the super regional. 1. Arkansas Razorbacks The Razorbacks are the betting favorites to win the national title, and they take the top spot in our power rankings. Arkansas is led by long-time head coach Dave Van Horn, but it's yet to capture the elusive national championship. Perhaps, this is the Razorbacks' best chance yet. Led by ace Zach Root, Arkansas has the deepest pitching staff in the field -- that goes for the starting rotation and the bullpen. The group is battle tested after competing in the SEC, baseball's best conference. At the plate, Wehiwa Aloy is arguably the top position player in Omaha. He headlines a lineup that can do damage one through nine. Arkansas has looked like a juggernaut at times this year. It had the occasional slump, but so did every team that faced SEC pitching each week. Arkansas' status as the favorite this week is well earned.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Petoskey's Joel Wilson named OTA standout by Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson
CHICAGO — Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson made his way up through the coaching ranks with a focus on tight ends. From being the tight ends coach at Boston College, to the same position with the Miami Dolphins and Detroit Lions, before eventually landing his first head coaching job this NFL offseason with the Bears. Advertisement Needless to say, Johnson knows what he's looking for in the positon. In a Thursday, June 6 interview following the third and final day of offseason mandatory minicamp practices, Johnson highlighted Petoskey native and Bears tight end Joel Wilson as one of the unexpected standouts of camp. Chicago Bears tight end Joel Wilson, a Petoskey native, runs in front of first-year Bears head coach Ben Johnson during OTA offseason workouts at Halas Hall on June, 3, 2025 in Lake Forest Illinois. (Photo by) A 6-foot, 4-inch former Central Michigan University standout, Wilson signed to the Bears practice squad in October of his second NFL season in 2024, after previous stops in Buffalo, Green Bay and with the New York Giants. Wilson in the NFL: Petoskey native Joel Wilson has a new NFL home. Find out where he's heading Advertisement During OTAs, Wilson has stood out with multiple plays made according to Johnson, which included a touchdown catch during two-minute drills and a leaping play made over a defender Thursday. "You saw him today with a big catch," Johnson said. "He's kind of had one or two of those almost every OTA [practice]." Johnson also highlighted running back Kyle Monangai on offense and defensive end Dominique Robinson and linebacker Ruben Hyppolite on defense. He elaborated more on what's stood out about Wilson. "He's got a little savvy in how he moves," Johnson said. "He's got a nice route feel about him. The test will really be when we get going in camp how he holds up in the run game and the pass pro game. But so far in the running route section of tight end play, he's stood out in a positive light." Advertisement Petoskey District title: Bringing it back: Petoskey takes back Jaycees Trophy with shutout over Gaylord Petoskey Hall of Fame: Perfection in Petoskey: Undefeated Northmen football teams now bonded in PHS Hall of Fame It's not a surprise to many who have followed Wilson throughout his career, from being an athletic all-state quarterback and linebacker with Petoskey, to an All-Mid American Conference pass catching tight end under Jim McElwain at CMU. Undrafted in 2023, Wilson originally signed with the New Orleans Saints, before moving on to practice squad stints with the Bills, Packers and Giants, including half of last season with Chicago. It's a crowed tight end room in Chicago, which only became more congested this offseason when the Bears drafted former Michigan standout Colston Loveland with the No. 10 overall pick. Advertisement The roster also includes sixth-year pro Cole Kmet, along with eight-year veteran Durham Smythe, Stephen Carlson and Jordan Murray. Kmet signed a four-year, $50 million dollar extension in 2023 that runs through 2027, though carries an out after the 2025 season. He holds an $11.6 million cap hit through each of the next three seasons. While mandatory team OTAs are complete, voluntary rookie OTAs in Chicago will start back up from June 9-11. Training camp dates in late July have not yet been released. Contact or send game stats/info to Sports Editor Drew Kochanny at dkochanny@ Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @DrewKochanny, and Instagram, @drewkochanny This article originally appeared on The Petoskey News-Review: Petoskey native Joel Wilson named camp standout by Chicago Bears coach Johnson
Newsweek
4 hours ago
- Newsweek
NCAA College World Series Odds: Arkansas, LSU Open As Betting Favorites
Arkansas coach Dave Van Horn's Razorbacks are one of the College World Series betting favorites after taking down reigning champ Tennessee in the Super Regional. Arkansas coach Dave Van Horn's Razorbacks are one of the College World Series betting favorites after taking down reigning champ Tennessee in the Super Regional. Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Starting this Friday, June 13, NCAA College World Series host Charles Schwab Field in Omaha, Nebraska, will once again take center stage for college baseball fans. Eight teams -- including Coastal Carolina, Arizona, Oregon State and Louisville in Bracket 1 and Arkansas, LSU, UCLA and Murrray State in Bracket 2 -- have a chance to be crowned national champs after surviving Regional and Super Regional play over the last few weeks. This year's edition of the "Greatest Show on Dirt" will run from June 13-23*, with Coastal Carolina vs. Arizona (2 p.m. ET on ESPN) and Oregon State vs. Lousville (7 p.m. ET on ESPN) getting the party started on Friday. *Games 1 and 2 of the best-of-three CWS Championship Series are scheduled for Saturday, June 21, and Sunday, June 22. If a decisive Game 3 is necessary, that will take place Monday, June 23. NCAA College World Series Futures Odds FanDuel DraftKings bet365 Arkansas (Bracket 2) +200 +195 +210 LSU (Bracket 2) +230 +230 +240 Coastal Carolina (Bracket 1) +650 +600 +550 Oregon State (Bracket 1) +650 +650 +600 UCLA (Bracket 2) +850 +900 +800 Arizona (Bracket 1) +1400 +1400 +900 Louisville (Bracket 1) +1600 +1700 +1100 Murray State (Bracket 2) +3500 +4500 +4000 SEC powers Arkansas (the highest remaining seed in the field) and LSU have the shortest odds to win the national championship. Oddsmakers aren't exactly sleeping on Coastal Carolina, Oregon State and UCLA, though. Each of those teams boasts CWS winner odds as short as +800. The longshots entering this year's College World Series are Arizona, Louisville and Murray State. Louisville got to Omaha by taking down conference rival Miami, 3-2, in Game 3 of its home Super Regional. Neither Arizona -- which took down North Carolina in the Chapel Hill Super Regional -- nor Murray State, which upset Duke in the Durham Super Regional, should be written off after both won their super regional matchups as road 'dogs. College World Series Picks, Best Bets Can Arkansas And LSU Maintain SEC's Recent Dominance? The SEC sent four teams to Omaha a year ago, including eventual champ Tennessee and runner-up Texas A&M. The conference's incredible recent CWS track record is a big reason why Arkansas and LSU are this year's betting favorites. In six of the last seven College World Series, the national champ has hailed from the SEC: Tennessee in 2024, LSU in 2023, Ole Miss in 2022, Mississippi State in 2021, Vanderbilt in 2019 and Florida in 2017. Oregon State, in 2018, was the last non-SEC team to win the Men's College World Series. Remarkably, last year marked the fourth all-SEC national title championship series in seven years. The 2023 (LSU over UF), 2021 (Mississippi State over Vanderbilt) and 2017 (Florida over LSU) national titles also were decided by all-SEC affairs in the CWS Championship Series. 2025 College World Series Best Bet: Why LSU Will Win It All With LSU and Arkansas meeting in Bracket 2, we already know that a maximum of one SEC team will reach this year's final. Our money is on LSU, which went 48-15 (19-11 SEC) this year. The Tigers blew out West Virginia 16-9 and 12-5 in two meetings in the Baton Rouge Super Regional last weekend. In six games across Regional and Super Regional Play, the Tigers scored 61 runs total while plating at least seven in all but one of those contests. The biggest reason to fade LSU is probably the fact that it will have to get by familiar foe Arkansas in Bracket 2. These teams will go head-to-head to open play in Omaha on Saturday at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN. The Tigers took two of three from the Razorbacks when these teams met in Baton Rouge in early May, including a 13-3 mercy rule victory in seven innings on May 10. With that in mind, LSU strikes me as the best bet to make it out of Bracket 2 ahead of not only Arkansas, but also UCLA and Murray State. Another reason to like the Tigers is the strong pitching they've gotten all year from top starters Kade Anderson (11-2, 2.74 ERA) and Anthony Eyanson (10-1, 3.58 ERA). In a hypothetical final against whoever comes out of Bracket 1 -- whether that's Coastal Carolina, Arizona, Oregon State or Louisville -- I like LSU's bats and the dominant pitching duo of Anderson and Eyanson to carry the program to its second natty in the last three years. Newsweek may earn an affiliate commission if you sign up through the links in this article. See the sportsbook operator's terms and conditions for important details. Sports betting operators have no influence over newsroom coverage.
