Article

The Dean's List

Here's five of Dean Bowyer's favorite moments, games, and players in his 31 years at Minnesota State.
by Tyler Buckentine
Issue date: 4/5/07 Section: Mens Sports

1) Dean Bowyer has fond memories of a game played in 1980, when his team faced Northwest Missouri State in the North Central Regional Finals in Springfield, Mo. MSU (then Mankato State) dropped the opening round game to Southwest Missouri, The Mavericks would have to beat the Bearcats twice or MSU would face elimination.

As MSU ran out of fresh pitchers throughout the tournament, it turned to a pair of freshmen, Brent Wohlers and Steve Van Nurden to lead itself past NMSU. At the plate, Greg Odegaard - whose son, Chris, currently pitches for Bowyer - smacked a three-run home run to lead the Mavericks to a 7-4 win in the first game. MSU won the championship game 8-2 to send the Mavericks to the College World Series.

2) In the 1986 North Central Regional Finals in Dayton, Ohio, MSU played Lewis University and again were running low on pitchers. Bowyer had to start one of his relievers, who pitched poor in the prior game but well enough against Lewis to keep the Mavericks ahead.

With the Flyers down to their last two outs in the ninth and the tying run on second, Bowyer decided to have his first baseman pitch to final two batters. He got the first batter to pop out and the second to hit a line-drive right to the third baseman to end the game as the Mavericks advanced to the CWS.

3) Bowyer remembers another regional title game against Lewis in 1990. MSU was ahead by two runs in the ninth inning when the Mavericks lost the game on a grand slam, keeping them from another CWS appearance.

4) To Bowyer, it's not only the games that he remembers, but also the players. Eric Davis - now the head football and baseball coach at Mankato East High School - was an above-average player with a strong knowledge of the game. But as Davis' hitting struggled, Bowyer asked him to sit out the NCC tournament and Davis agreed.

In Davis' place, Bowyer played a true-freshman, who hit .400 with a pair of home runs and ten RBI.

"I remember that more than the wins because that's the type of person [Davis] is."

5) Tom Lilledahl and Dan Willette were a pair of sophomores that anchored the left side of the infield in the mid-80s. The two - nicknamed Lili and Chili - were also best friends. Bowyer remembers facing a dilemma involving the two players.

"One could field and one could hit," Bowyer said. "Two weeks before we left for a few games in Texas, I told them I was only going to take one of them. I couldn't make a decision, so I said I'd take them both. The look they gave each other seemed like they were almost more glad that the other guy was going, too.

"Those are examples that have nothing to do with wins and losses, but tells you something about our program and the people we get here."

Tyler Buckentine is the Reporter Assistant Sports Editor