1961 NAIA World Series

1961 NAIA
baseball tournament

1961 NAIA World Series
Teams	8
Format	Double elimination
Finals site	Soos Park Sioux City, Iowa
Champions	East Carolina (1st title)
Winning coach	James Mallory
MVP	Larry Crayton (P) (East Carolina)

The 1961 NAIA World Series was the fifth annual tournament hosted by the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics to determine the national champion of baseball among its member colleges and universities in the United States and Canada.

The tournament was played at Soos Park in Sioux City, Iowa.

East Carolina (22-4) defeated Sacramento State (22-14) in the championship series, 13–7, to win the Pirates' first NAIA World Series.

East Carolina pitcher Larry Crayton was named tournament MVP.

Bracket

	Upper round 1					Upper round 2					Upper final					Semifinals					Final
	East Carolina		8
	Winona State		4
						East Carolina		7
						Sam Houston State		4
	Defiance		0
	Sam Houston State		10
											East Carolina		9
											Grambling		4
	Omaha		2
																East Carolina		11
	Sacramento State		1
						Omaha		1								Omaha		4
						Grambling		4
	Grambling		8
	Slippery Rock State		2
																					East Carolina		5	13
						Lower round 1					Lower round 2										Sacramento State		14	7
											Omaha		9
						Winona State		9			Defiance		1
																Grambling		2
						Defiance		10
																Sacramento State		4
											Sam Houston State		1
						Sacramento State		5			Sacramento State		13
						Slippery Rock State		3

See also

• 1961 NCAA University Division baseball tournament