The University of Northern Colorado baseball team is honoring one of the greats in the history of the program this weekend in Greeley.
Former head coach Tom Petroff will have his No. 13 retired by the Bears on Saturday at Jackson Field.
Petroff compiled an impressive 367-198-1 record with six conference titles and made three NCAA Division I regional tournament appearances. He also has three Division II regional appearances on his resume.
In 1974, Petroff led the Bears to the College World Series after upsetting both Gonzaga and No. 1-ranked Arizona.
Petroff’s ’74 team went 32-13 and won the Great Plains Athletic Conference title. The team was led by two freshman pitchers, Keith Bailey (10-2, 3.63 ERA) and Rick Thoren (8-1, 4.12 ERA.) Bailey is known for his 8 2/3-inning win over Arizona in the playoffs. Thoren threw a five-hitter against the Wildcats in the clinching game that sent UNC to its 10th CWS.
The Bears and Petroff finished fifth in Omaha in 1974 in their final trip to the CWS. The Bears are looking to get back to the postseason this year as they eye a spot in the Western Athletic Conference Tournament next week.
Petroff’s other accomplishments include College Division Coach of the Year in 1971 and the Lefty Gomez Award for contributions to baseball in 1974.
He is also a two-time UNC Hall of Fame member after being inducted with the class of 1994 and again with the 1974 team in 2004.
