Milestones in LCSC Baseball History
September 8, 1910--University of Michigan graduate Guy Chiesman jumped a contract with the Detroit Tigers to teach math and coach baseball at the Lewiston State Normal School (LCSC's name from 1893-1946), a two-year teacher's college.
May 3, 1946--Coach Merel Stonebraker's North Idaho Teachers College (now LCSC) Loggers lambasted Eastern Oregon College 17-2, at Bengal Field, behind the three-hit, 16-strikeout pitching of Carmen Ulrich. Centerfielder Dwight Church led the Logger hitters with a 4-for-5 effort, including a devastating grand slam.
May 16, 1947--In the season's final home game, an enthusiastic crowd (said to be the largest ever to witness an NICE athletic contest) cheered as the Loggers rolled to a 7-0 victory over the Pacific Coast Conference leading Washington State Cougars behind Del Owens' pitching and the hitting of Rollie McNair, Jim Lambert, and Ken Peterson. In the ninth inning after walking Jud Heathcote, Owens got his 15th strikeout by fanning Bobo Brayton, and umpire Joe Miltenberger signaled game's end.
June 2, 1951--Northern Idaho College of Education (NICE), now Lewis-Clark State College, swept a doubleheader from Eastern Oregon by scores of 8-0 and 6-3. The victories on the final day of the season gave coach Kinzer's Loggers of NICE an 18-6 win-loss record, the best in the school's history.
June 2, 1976--Coach Ramon Hooker, in his sixth and final season at LCSC, took the Warriors to their first-ever postseason appearance in the NAIA College World Series. They lost the title game to Lewis University of Lockport, Ill., 16-8.
March 4, 1977--The LCSC Warriors opened the season under new head coach, Ed Cheff, with a 15-0 win over Northwest Nazarene behind the pitching of Terry Hendley and Rod Gehring, and the hitting of Walt Mason, Sheldon Ireland, Jim Wallace, and Bob Maurer. Cheff had coached at Lower Columbia College in Longview, WA for the past five years where he compiled a record of 180-30.
June 2, 1978--At the NAIA World Series in St. Joseph, Mo., the Warriors finished third when they lost 4-1 to Emporia State, Kan. in a semifinal game.
June 5, 1983--For the second consecutive year, LCSC's Warriors finished second at the World Series played in Lubbock, Texas. With the loss to the home team, Lubbock Christian College, in the title game, the Warriors finished the season with a 69-7 record. The .908 winning percentage was the highest collegiate record ever. At a community homecoming picnic in Lewiston after the series, Cheff said, "Winning the title would have been great this year, but we saved it for '84."
June 2, 1984--The Lewiston Morning Tribune headlines read, "Warriors Reign in the Rain. LCSC Crowned NAIA Baseball Champions." Before 4,674 fans, the largest baseball crowd in Lewiston baseball history, the Warriors downed California's Azusa Pacific College, 15-2, in the title game, which was delayed two hours by rain.
June 1, 1985--The Warriors won their second consecutive World Series championship with a 10-6 win over Dallas Baptist University before a record-breaking home crowd of 5,121 fans. Series MVP pitcher, Tony Dineen, won three Series games for the Warriors, including the title game.
September 16-30, 1985--The Warriors represented the United States in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic's two week Friendship Tournament. The trip was an eye-opening look at a poverty stricken nation and made the team appreciate living in America.
May 28, 1986--In a 10-inning thriller at Harris Field, the Warriors lost a heart-breaking 6-5 World Series title game to Grand Canyon, Ariz. before 5,018 fans.
May 10, 1987--Warrior shortstop, Rusty Harris, scores his 103rd run of the season in a 19-9 win over Washington State at Pullman. By scoring his 103rd run, Harris, a Lewiston product, broke the NAIA single season mark of 102, which was set by former Warrior, Gary Balmer, in 1983.
May 29, 1987--LCSC regained its national championship title defeating Emporia State, 11-4, at Harris Field. Steve Reed got the title game win. Warrior Pat Mackey set NAIA World Series records with 20 hits and a .741 batting average.
May 31, 1988--The Warriors won their fourth NAIA World Series at Harris Field by defeating Grand Canyon, 9-3.
June 2, 1989--In the NAIA World Series championship game at Harris Field, the Warriors defended their title by downing the College of St. Francis, Ill., 5-2, for a "3-peat". Warrior catcher, John NesSmith, was named the Series MVP.
April 14, 1990--LCSC coach, Ed Cheff, was named NAIA Coach of the Decade by Collegiate Baseball magazine. In the 10-year period, Cheff's Warriors compiled a 513-146 (.778) record.
June 2, 1990--Warriors' Mark Rasmussen and Greg Umfleet hit sixth inning home runs to lead LCSC to a 9-4 victory over the Senators of Auburn University-Montgomery in the World Series title game in Lewiston. Rasmussen was selected the Series MVP.
May 31, 1991--LCSC senior right-hander Joe Misa blanked Oral Roberts University, 7-0, before a standing room only crowd of 5,400 in the final World Series game played at Lewiston's Harris Field. The Series would move to Des Moines, Iowa, the following year.
May 28, 1992--The Warriors proved they didn't need the home field advantage to win another World Series as they downed Mary Hardin-Baylor of Texas, 14-4, in Des Moines. It was the first Series played outside of Lewiston since 1984.
May 31, 1995--A tough 8-7 loss to Bellevue College eliminated the Warriors from World Series action. LCSC finished in fourth place, while Bellevue went on to claim the title.
May 11, 1996--Warrior coach Ed Cheff captured his 1,000th career win with a doubleheader sweep over Central Washington. He became only the third coach in NAIA history to win 1,000 baseball games.
May 31, 1996--The Warriors reclaimed the NAIA throne by thrashing St. Ambrose University 9-0 in Sioux City, Iowa. Freshman Matt Randel picked up the complete game shutout victory. Troy Silva earned Series MVP accolades.
October 26, 1998--LCSC is named as the host institution for the NAIA World Series beginning in the year 2000.
May 31, 1999--Exactly three years to the day they won their last NAIA World Series championship, the Warriors did it again, this time defeating defending NAIA World Series champion Albertson College, 7-2, in Jupiter, Fla. Jason Ellison was named the World Series MVP.
November 21, 1999--Former Warriors Marvin Benard and Chad Miltenberger, were honored at the Warriors' Ring Banquet Ceremony. Benard, a San Francisco Giant, and Miltenberger, a longtime assistant coach at LCSC and now head coach at Walla Walla Community College, had their jerseys retired in a special presentation.
May 26, 2000--NAIA World Series returns to Lewiston, Idaho.
June 2, 2000--Lewis-Clark State College wins the NAIA World Series for the 11th time and second year in a row. The Warriors defeat Dallas Baptist, 10-1, as World Series MVP Wes Hutchison closed out the last two innings.
May 28, 2001--LCSC right-hander Collin Perschon strikes out a World Series record seven-straight batters against Bellevue. He would go on to fan 16 in the game, leading the Warriors to a 7-2 win.
May 31, 2002--Lewis-Clark State makes it a perfect dozen by taking a 12th NAIA National Championship when downing number one ranked Oklahoma City, 12-8, in the final game of the tournament. LCSC's Andy Torres broke Series records by throwing 19 innings and 282 pitches during the tournament, earning him Series MVP.
May 31, 2003--Lucky 13…Lewis-Clark State College won their 13th NAIA National title, defeating No. 1 Oklahoma City 7-5 in the championship game LCSC is the third team in the history of the World Series to beat the same team on consecutive nights to win the title, LC's Marc Kaiser won the series MVP after a complete-game performance in the title game…Kaiser, who went 2-0 with an ERA of 3.93, struck out 21 while only walking two batters in 18.3 innings.
May 18, 2004--Justin Fuller captured the consecutive game hitting record, where he recorded a hit in 30 straight games…the record was held by John McAninch with 27 total, set in 1995.
June 2, 2005--Joey Dyche set the single season batting average record by hitting an even .500. The old mark was set by Chad Miltenberger in 1983, when he hit .482.
May 31, 2006--With LCSC's 4-1 win over British Columbia, LCSC coach Ed Cheff picked up his 1,500th victory at the school to become the first coach to win 1,500 games at the NAIA level and just the fourth overall to accomplish the feat.
June 1, 2006--Jose Castenon drew a bases-loaded walk with two outs in the top of the 11th inning to force in the winning run as Lewis-Clark State College claimed its 14th national baseball title by defeating Cumberland University 5-4. After losing its tournament opener, LCSC won five straight to claim the title.
May 31, 2007--Beau Mills blasted three home runs and eight RBI in the NAIA title game to hand LCSC a 9-2 win over Spring Arbor University and claim the Warriors 15th national championship. Mills' three home runs gave him 38 on the season which broke the NAIA single-season home run mark of 37. Mills was named as both the NAIA Player of the Year and the NAIA World Series MVP.
June 7, 2007--Lewis-Clark State College junior third baseman Beau Mills became the highest overall draft pick in program history when the Cleveland Indians selected him with the 13th pick in the Major League Baseball draft.
April 5, 2008--Kyle Greene became the first Warrior and ninth player in NAIA history to hit two grand slams in one game. Greene blasted a bases clearing home run in the sixth inning and then another in the seventh against Dixie State College in St. George, Utah. Ironically, despite Greene's record-tying eight RBI, the Warriors lost the game 10-9.
May 29, 2008--Lewis-Clark State College and the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) reached an agreement to keep the annual Avista NAIA College World Series baseball tournament in Lewiston through 2012.
May 30, 2008--Kyle Greene was named the NAIA Player of the Year and Brian Ward was honored as the NAIA World Series MVP as the Warriors rolled to their third straight, and 16th overall, NAIA national championship. LCSC defeated Lee University 8-3 in front of an all-time record of 5,530 fans.
June 11, 2009--Three Warriors are selected in the Major League draft pushing the all-time number of Warriors drafted to 110.
June 30, 2010--Legendary LCSC coach Ed Cheff announced he was stepping down after 34 years at the Warrior helm. Arriving in 1977, he posted a 1,705-430-2 record with LCSC for a .799 winning percentage. His win total ranks second only to Wichita State's Gene Stephenson's 1,798 wins with the same program in all of college baseball. His win total also is fourth all-time among all college baseball coaches. Under his leadership, the Warriors captured 16 NAIA national titles during a 25-year span, won at least 40 games for 30 straight seasons, and produced 114 players who were selected in the Major League Baseball Draft, including 14 who made it to the big leagues.
