Editor’s note: For more than six decades, the UA has been college baseball royalty, making 17 College World Series appearances and winning four national championships. The Star is re-living each of the team’s trips to Omaha.
1970: Wildcats go 0-for-Omaha in Sancet’s last ride
What went down: ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥â€™s first trip to Omaha in four years was over quickly. The Wildcats lost to eventual runner-up Florida State 4-0 in the opener, then were sent home by Iowa State, which beat the UA 7-1 a day later. The Cyclones used 18-year-old freshman Donny Powers to chase the Wildcats out of Omaha. The pitcher held ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ to just six hits, all singles. Reporters noted that Powers received just $20 per quarter in scholarship money, making him the best bargain in the tournament.
From the archives: The Star’s Abe Chanin said ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥â€™s losses weren’t especially surprising, given that few people — including coach Frank Sancet — thought the team had the pitching to win the Western Athletic Conference, much less make a trip to the College World Series. Chanin wrote:
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The patent ran out on June 14, 1970. In the outdoor sauna bath in Omaha in summer time, ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥â€™s baseball team ran out of its famed comebacks. The Wildcats lost 7-1 to Iowa State and were eliminated from the College World Series after the second round … This was the ninth trip to the College World Series for an ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ baseball club and was one of the weakest showing. Three times Wildcat teams coached by Frank Sancet had gone to the finals of this tournament and only once in nine trips had ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ been eliminated in two straight games. The other time was in 1958.
“I just don’t know what to say about this team,†a heavily perspiring Sancet said after the defeat. “I just don’t know.â€
He said it: “We could be back here next year. And if we do come back it will be with a better team than this year.†— Sancet
After Omaha: ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ flew straight from Nebraska to Alaska for a series of exhibition games.
The big number: 9. The 1970 College World Series was “Pancho†Sancet’s last as coach of the Wildcats. The longtime skipper retired following the 1972 season after 23 seasons in charge of the program. During that time, Sancet sent 15 players to the big leagues during his time at the UA. Sancet, who died in 1985, was inducted into the College Baseball Hall of Fame in 2012.
