1 9 7 9 . ▁ ▁Co aching ▁career ▁ ▁Maine ▁But ter field ' s ▁co aching ▁career ▁began ▁at ▁Maine ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 6 , ▁when ▁he ▁assist ed ▁head ▁coach ▁Walter ▁Anderson ▁and ▁co ached ▁the ▁school ' s ▁junior ▁vars ity ▁team . ▁ ▁For ▁the ▁ 1 9 5 7 ▁season , ▁But ter field ▁was ▁named ▁the ▁head ▁coach . ▁ ▁He ▁held ▁the ▁position ▁from ▁ 1 9 5 7 – 1 9 7 4 ▁and ▁compiled ▁an ▁overall ▁record ▁of ▁ 2 4 0 - 1 6 9 - 2 . ▁ ▁Maine ' s ▁best ▁season ▁under ▁But ter field ▁was ▁ 1 9 6 4 , ▁when ▁the ▁team ▁went ▁ 2 1 - 8 ▁and ▁won ▁the ▁Yan kee ▁Conference ▁out right ▁to ▁qual ify ▁for ▁the ▁program ' s ▁first ▁NCAA ▁Tournament . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁best - of - three ▁District ▁ 1 ▁Regional ▁held ▁in ▁Boston , ▁Maine ▁swe pt ▁N ort he astern ▁in ▁two ▁games ▁to ▁advance ▁to ▁the ▁College ▁World ▁Series . ▁ ▁There , ▁Maine ▁won ▁its ▁opening ▁game ▁against ▁Set on ▁Hall , ▁ 5 - 1 , ▁before ▁dro pping ▁its ▁second ▁to ▁Minnesota , ▁ 1 2 - 0 . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁los er ' s ▁bra cket , ▁the ▁Black ▁B ears ▁defeated ▁Arizona ▁State ▁and ▁US C ▁but ▁were ▁elimin ated ▁by ▁Missouri ▁and ▁finished ▁third . ▁ ▁But ter field ▁was ▁named ▁NCAA ▁Co ach ▁of