Forever Champions: Forty Years Later, the Feeling Remains for the '86 National Champs

NACOGDOCHES, Texas - Penni Lewis still remembers the moment as if it's unfolding in slow motion. SFA was clinging to a one-run lead against Cal State Northridge, one out away from a national championship.

"The joy, excitement, and proudness I felt for everyone," she said.

On May 18, 1986, in Akron, Ohio, the Ladyjacks completed a 1-0, eight-inning victory over the three-time defending national champions. The final out secured the first national team championship in SFA history.

For Lewis, it became a defining memory—one that captured the culmination of a season built on belief, unity and the relentless standards set by their coaches.

"The continual support from Coach Baker, Athletic Director Sadie Allison, past teammates, assistant coaches, trainers, managers, and our University made us relentless," she said.

What made that team special was its combination of confidence, trust and work ethic.

"It resulted in a dedication to the process to be the best," Lewis said. "And we had a lot of fun."

STRENGTH IN THE CIRCLE AND BEHIND THE PLATE
For head coach Dianne Baker, the championship's closing moments were equally unforgettable.

"I remember that we were up 1-0 and they got a runner on," Baker said.

The Ladyjacks had already demonstrated they could handle the pressure. They opened the national tournament with a 2-0 victory over Northridge, then rallied with three sixth-inning runs to defeat Bloomsburg 3-1. That put SFA back across the diamond from Northridge with the championship at stake.

With the game on the line, the Ladyjacks leaned on their battery.

"We had the best pitcher and we had the best team," Baker said. "Those two [pitcher Pam Clay & catcher Penni Lewis] took a lot of that stress in their hands and decided that they were going to win that title after three years of trying."

Pam Clay's performance gave SFA the pitching it needed throughout the tournament. She won all three games, surrendered just one run in 22 innings and earned Most Valuable Player honors. Lewis and Stella Castro joined her on the All-Tournament team.

Clay's poise under pressure also became a steadying force. Lewis recalled a mound visit in the title game that still makes her smile.

"Pam called a timeout to talk to me on the mound. She told me the batter was 'swinging like a broken gate.' She calmed us down."

Lewis played a direct role in the championship's only run, crossing home on Castro's eighth-inning sacrifice fly. Clay then held Northridge scoreless to finish the victory.

For the senior catcher, it was a fitting finish. Lewis capped her career with All-America recognition in 1986 and years later was inducted into the SFA Athletics Hall of Fame.

"With Pam Clay on the mound for Austin, Baker had reason to be confident.

There are 19 bowling alleys in Akron, but the fans who turned out to see Clay pitch during the weekend saw her throw more strikes than any of the pros at the famous Riviera Lanes.

Clay, who was named most valuable player of the tournament, scattered six hits and twice stopped CSUN scoring opportunities with nice defensive plays.

"I figured they were going to come after us, so I just tried to keep the ball away from their power hitters," said Clay, who donned a T-shirt emblazoned with the slogan "Yeah, we did" after the win. "We were underdogs the whole year. Other teams used to call us The Sisters of the Poor. We're the champs now, and it feels great."
- Gary Klein, Los Angeles Times — May 19, 1986

A TEAM BUILT ON HEART
Baker credits the 1986 team's success to something deeper than skill.

"Talent doesn't always win championships. Heart does," she said. "We probably weren't the best skilled team when we won the championship, but we were the best team of the three years that we tried to win the championship."

The breakthrough came during SFA's fourth consecutive playoff appearance and its third trip to the national Final Four in four years. The Ladyjacks had been close before. This time, they finished the job.

That sense of unity was forged long before the final out.

"Thinking back, what stands out the most is my last year with my freshman class," Lewis said. "We were so close and committed to each other, which was passed down from past teammates."

Lewis also points to the people who shaped her journey.

"On a personal level it all started with my teammate and mentor Jan Parker," she said. "She helped me get out of a tough home life and guided me to SFA. Coach Baker was a big impact on how I live my life today—through good character, loyalty, and integrity."

Baker remembers the pressure of the postseason vividly, particularly the tension of the regional tournament.

"Regionals, I believe we won three games, 1-0, 1-0, 1-0," she said. "I would go back to my hotel room and I think I did a thousand sit-ups and push-ups just to try to keep the nerves under control. I tried to hide that I was nervous because I wanted them to think I was the strongest person in the world."

Her players saw a coach determined to prepare them for every situation. Behind that resolve was someone who understood how much the opportunity meant to the team.

LEGACY THAT LASTS
For Lewis, the championship became a lifelong compass.

"Being part of a national championship team is a constant reminder that in your life, by being part of a team, you have accomplished something special and meaningful to a lot of people," she said. "The reminder of the accomplishment and what it took everyone to get there carried on in my 32-year law enforcement career."

Baker feels the same way.

"Winning the championship probably changed everybody's life. I know it changed my life for the better," she said. "Once you have it, it's yours. You live with it. You die with it. And it's something special."

After the win, the celebrations reflected how much the moment meant to the university community. Lewis remembers the team's homecoming as vividly as the championship itself.

"Being escorted from the airport by the police to the back side of the basketball gym where we were welcomed back home by a lot of supporters," she said. "Going to President Johnson's and Patillo's hotel room and receiving a congratulatory speech."

The university's pride also found a place in the historical record. The 1987 Stone Fort devoted coverage to the championship, including a photograph of President William R. Johnson congratulating Baker.

For Lewis, those memories reflect what SFA has always represented: opportunity, support and belonging.

"SFA gave me—through great people—a chance at a better life," she said. "SFA helped make my dreams come true through athletics and education."

A STANDARD SET FOR THE FUTURE
Four decades later, the bonds remain unbreakable.

"The relationship and love for my teammates and coaches will never be broken," Lewis said. "I learned challenges can be overcome by having faith in yourself."

For Lewis, recognition surrounding the championship's 40th anniversary brings those feelings full circle.

"To be a female athlete and receive such a recognition from the university and staff is such an honor," she said. "We are all one family bonded by one university."

Baker echoed that pride.

"I always said that SFA made my career," she said. "I have always been a Ladyjack through and through, and I appreciate what they did for me."

Lewis hopes today's student-athletes carry that legacy forward.

"I would like them to know a standard has been set," she said. "Work hard and you can do it too. Your teammates and time at SFA have a chance to be one of the best experiences in your life."

Forty years after the Ladyjacks won their championship, Baker still returns to the principle that held them together.

"This is a WE team," she said. "It's all about us and not about you."

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